League: Benji Marshall all set to shoulder test challenge

Benji Marshall yesterday passed fitness tests for tomorrow night's test. Bradley Kanaris / Getty Images

Benji Marshall passed medical and field tests on his injured shoulder yesterday and is cleared to play in tomorrow's test against Australia.

The Wests Tigers trainer Andrew Leeds - mainly to soothe the club's nerves - watched as New Zealand's medical team ran Marshall through routines that proved his ability to play after a month-long layoff following dislocation of the joint.

Captain Ruben Wiki's hamstring strain continued to improve and he ran with the team yesterday at the Burleigh Bears club, the first time he has completed training this week, so he is expected to play.

The New Zealand Rugby League yesterday arranged comprehensive insurance cover for Marshall because of his pre-existing shoulder condition and said talk that there was a limit to what they were prepared to pay was "something the Australian media were fishing for".

The cost of insuring the whole team is around $33,000.

In Marshall's case the premium was worked out given the 17 games his Tigers club still has to play in the NRL. NZRL chairman Sel Bennett would not disclose the figure but said it was not a substantial addition to the team cost.

Unlike past years where the test build-up has been clouded by player suspensions and issues like width and length of the field, the lead-up to this game at Suncorp Stadium has been smooth for New Zealand.

But the lack of a long-distance field kicker yet again hovers over the team.

The Kangaroos will use both Andrew Johns and Darren Lockyer as kickers, Lockyer protected behind a frontline of forwards and Johns ad-libbing as he finds space.

They will no doubt try cross-field kicks to wings Timana Tahu and Matt King who are both good in the air. If Lockyer and Johns are covered and their space and time cut, they can use hooker Danny Buderus in centre-field.

The Kiwis will use Marshall and Thomas Leuluai as their kickers, with Brent Webb as back-up. None has the ability to pull in 40/20 kicks as Johns does. But it is not clear whether Marshall or Leuluai will start the game and it seems that Leuluai is the likely replacement at hooker for David Faiumu as he tires.

In 2003 Leuluai, then 18, was kept out of the fray in the early exchanges in his first test at North Harbour, came on after 20 minutes to a smashing from the Aussie forwards, then went on to play a blinder in a 30-16 win.

He was nervous then. Not this time. "There's no extra pressure," he said yesterday - though he does admit to working hard on getting that extra length in kicking.

"I'm trying, I'm trying. I know it is something I can improve on. I'll take the responsibility ... I'm not scared."

He said there was a simple winning formula: "No mistakes and field position, length in the kicking. We can't be kicking from the 30-metre line, we have to get over the 40 at least."

A regular at halfback for his Harlequins club in London, Leuluai expects the test to be faster and more physical, as is the NRL.

He takes great confidence from the Kiwis pack, one he rates the best he's been behind. It will be physical in the forwards and he expects New Zealand's big props and back rowers to more than match the Aussies.

"When it gets physical we shut them down, make it ugly."

The Kiwis had a closed training session at Carrar Stadium yesterday and move to Brisbane today.

The Australians have called Manly prop Brent Kite into their camp as 18th man. Fine weather is expected.