KEY POINTS:
Roy Asotasi retains the Kiwis captaincy in the wake of the revolt he led to unseat previous coach Gary Kemble, new coach Stephen Kearney listing four Souths players in his first 2008 squad despite the club's dismal running in the NRL.
There are three newcomers, Souths hooker Isaac Luke and Roosters five-eighth/second rower Setaimata Sa, both 20 and former Junior Kiwis and Dragons wing Jason Nightingale, 21.
Luke was born in Hawera, Sa in Samoa but raised in Auckland and Nightingale is a Dragons junior born in Sydney to Kiwi parents.
There will be a fight for England-based halfback Thomas Leuluai and fullback Brent Webb, Leuluai's Wigan club playing Whitehaven on the weekend of the May 9 test and Leeds facing Harlequins in round five of the Challenge Cup.
It was always the intention to name 19 players apparently, but it would not surprise to see Webb and/or Leuluai withdraw and two more players called in, perhaps Warriors' Nathan Fien and Broncos' Greg Eastwood.
There are just two Warriors, Lance Hohaia and Simon Mannering, by far the fewest and probably healthy proof the Kiwis no longer rely on the club.
The front row carries experience and power to burn with starting props in former captain Nathan Cayless and Asotasi, plenty of help for Luke.
The squad looks great in the backrow with world's best Sonny Bill Williams complimented by Frank Pritchard who is just behind him in the NRL's stats plus David Fa'alogo, Jeremy Smith and Simon Mannering.
From there it's thin. If Wigan says Leuluai can't play Lance Hohaia, Ben Roberts and Dene Halatau are the halfback and five-eighth options unless they use Sa. He and the other new boys started around this time in 2007 so have around 20 games behind them. If Sa starts, it will be with a target on his front and back.
There has to be doubt about the kicking game, especially when compared to that of the Kangaroos' Darren Lockyer and Johnathan Thurston.
KIWIS' SQUAD
Roy Asotasi (South Sydney Rabbitohs, captain), Brent Webb (Leeds Rhinos), Sam Perrett (Sydney Roosters), Jason Nightingale (St George Illawarra Dragons), Setaimata Sa (Sydney Roosters), Iosia Soliola (Sydney Roosters), Ben Roberts (Bulldogs), Lance Hohaia (NZ Warriors), Thomas Leuluai (Wigan Warriors), Simon Mannering (NZ Warriors), Sonny Bill Williams (Bulldogs), Jeremy Smith (Melbourne Storm), David Fa'alogo (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Frank Pritchard (Penrith Panthers), David Kidwell (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Dene Halatau (Wests Tigers), Adam Blair (Melbourne Storm), Nathan Cayless (Parramatta Eels), Issac Luke (South Sydney Rabbitohs).
