NRL: Asotasi looking to impress Kiwis coach

Roy Asotasi. Photo / Getty Images

Roy Asotasi will have more to play for than most when he leads the Rabbitohs against the Warriors in Sydney today.

Not only is he trying to keep his side tracking towards the finals from ninth on the ladder, but he also needs to impress Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney in his bid to regain form and selection for the Four Nations in October and November.

Asotasi has had a miserable run with knee and shoulder injuries over the past couple of years after an invincible start to his career. That included a run of 74 consecutive NRL games between 2004 and 2006. This season he has missed four games - and the Anzac test - but has again shown he can be a force to deal with, leading from the front row at Souths.

Kearney recognises Asotasi as a proven competitor at the top level - he was the coach's original skipper for the start of his tenure at the 2008 centenary test - but the standard of props in New Zealand has improved markedly since. The likes of Frank-Paul Nuuausala, Fuifui Moimoi and Sam Rapira have been prominent in his absence. The pack has been reinforced by high-calibre utility players such as Adam Blair, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Ben Matulino. Asotasi's last test was the 2009 Anzac match.

"Roy would be the first to admit it's taken him a while to come back and get some confidence," Kearney says. "When we played them in Perth [vs Storm, round 16] he played well and I saw glimpses of what he's capable of. The difference is there have been a number of guys coming through in the last couple of seasons doing a wonderful job."

Asotasi should make the end of year squad but Kearney has always been eager to underline performance rather than reputation as his chief selection criterion. Regardless of the prop's form, Benji Marshall will remain Kiwis captain.

"That's the way things will stay," Kearney says. "We are fortunate to have a solid leadership base at the moment with Blair as vice-captain and Simon Mannering coming into the mix with his valuable experience as captain of the Warriors. I send Simon a cheeky text every now and then congratulating him on his record but I can't fit everyone into the role."

Asotasi knows what he has to prove: "I had a disruptive first half of the season but I'm back to full fitness. It's probably a better quality Kiwis side these days, you've got to work harder to get in and, even when the team is missing significant players, they can field a decent side.

"There's no better example than New South Wales chasing Fuifui Moimoi for State of Origin this year. That is basically a back-handed compliment, saying the Kiwis have got some of the best forwards in the NRL. It's good for the NZRL's development too."

An injured Asotasi flew over to Auckland to see the Warriors pip the Rabbitohs 26-24 in round 11. They've suffered similar narrow losses recently, edged by four points or less in three of their last four games. Beating the Storm 16-14 was the only exception but that was their last win.

They also have an ominous run to the finals which includes the top three teams; the Dragons, Panthers and Tigers.

Asotasi says they're not too downcast after losing their last two games to the Dragons and the top-four Roosters.

"I actually think we've come into our own more, judging by the intensity and the effort. Both matches were played at semi-final intensity."

Hooker Issac Luke's dislocated shoulder means he's still out of action until late next month for the Rabbitohs. Kearney expects to have Luke's services for the Four Nations.