Rugby League: Match not taken lightly

By Peter Jessup

The Kiwis are not taking Tonga lightly in tonight's charity match warm-up for their next tri-series assignment against Great Britain, but will use the game to build their combinations.

The Tongans, a hastily thrown together mix of island-based players with a sprinkling of young professionals and a couple of older hands, are on the promise of a 50-point hiding.

Their coach, Murray Hurst from North Queensland, has predicted the game will be far too fast for an inexperienced squad he's building for next year's World Cup. Only prop Lee Hansen and centre Tevita Vaikona have any top-grade experience.

But Kiwi captain Richie Barnett said his side was treating the game for what it was: "A full international. Sure, it's not Australia or Great Britain but we don't want to come out of this game without credit. There's no point in playing slack football."

Barnett knows Tongan players Andrew Lomu and Nelson Lomi from his Sydney City club, and describes them as "exciting young players with plenty of talent." And although only 21 years of age, the pair showed that Tonga didn't have to pick a team of no-names with no hope.

The Kiwis ran at Ericsson Stadium yesterday, looking extremely sharp in the wet. The emphasis was on ballwork, with Barnett and coach Frank Endacott hoping the Tonga game would provide opportunity aplenty to run the ball around.

"It'll be good to get some new combinations going and it'll be good for our fitness - there's no substitute for playing."

Yesterday afternoon they visited sick kids, the future beneficiaries of tonight's Carlaw Park $5-for-entry fundraiser, at Middlemore Hospital. (The players set the fundraising ball rolling with a whip round among themselves that produced $1500).

The feeling in the camp "just gets better and better. I guess that comes from winning," Barnett said. But there was a quiet determination to go on with the job now, he said. "We can't fall into the trap of thinking we've done it already. One win isn't good enough."

The trio left out for this game because of injury niggles, Robbie Paul (ankle), Craig Smith (calf) and Matt Rua (thigh) all trained yesterday and look to be available for the following Friday's match with the Lions at Ericsson.

Former Kiwis and Warriors wing Sean Hoppe, back after his Super League grandfinal win with St Helens, turned up yesterday to offer support.

Hoppe is negotiating to go back to Saints.

In Brisbane, the Junior Kiwis completed their build-up to the second test against the Junior Kangaroos that is the curtainraiser to the KangaroosLions game with plenty of hard work on the tackle bags. Coach Gary Kemble has concentrated on eliminating turnovers and closing holes in defence; the JKs managed a completion rate of just 69 per cent in the loss at Ericsson last week while the Junior 'Roos hit a remarkable 93 per cent. And the JKs missed 20 tackles in that five tries to three, 30-22 loss.

The 10-year-old son of a member of Australia's peacekeeping force to East Timor will toss the coin ahead of the main game, Phillip Braden chosen by ballot from among all children of defence force personnel stationed there as a mark of respect for the troops.

Tonga: Paula Koloi, Tevita Pole'o, Phil Howlett, Greg Wolfgramm, Kotoni, Seleti, Tevita Vaikona, Lani Filiai, Nelson Lomi, 'Esau Mann, Lee Hansen, Andrew Lomu, Alfonze Masella, Sione Marima; interchange Filimone Lolohea, Tu'ihakavalu Afungia, Chief Lee, Viliami Soni, 18th man Peni Kaufusi.

New Zealand: Richie Barnett (c), Brian Jellick, David Kidwell, Ruben Wiki, Lesley Vainikolo, Henry Paul, Stacey Jones, Joe Vagana, Richard Swain, Terry Hermansson, Tony Puletua, Stephen Kearney (vc), Logan Swann; interchange Nigel Vagana, Jason Lowrie, Nathan Cayless, Willie Talau.