Rugby League: Veteran's recall a backward step

Gary Freeman's decision to bring Sean Hoppe out of retirement to play the third and deciding test against Great Britain tomorrow is a step in all the wrong directions.

Nothing against Hoppe, who has given great service and holds the test try-scoring record at 17.

But he had retired, is going on 31, and his selection denies the next-best player not on the tour a shot.

That, for price of an air ticket, stifles the future of the national side.

Coach Gary Freeman has said he is short of backs.

Hoppe is a former wing, but he has been brought into the second row by his club, St Helens, and has not played on the wing on a regular basis for several seasons.

He's not getting any faster, and no one will know that better than the Poms with whom he plays week-in, week-out.

So Hoppe becomes a liability in a side who will be under heavy pressure.

If we have to have a liability, why not blood some young player who will take the experience, learn and use it to build his career? What about Lesley Vainikolo?

The Poms are clearly desperate to erase their recent test history with a win that they would regard as taking them back to top-notch competitiveness, no longer a distant and ragged third on the world stage behind Australia and the Kiwis.

Competition for spots in their test side has been keen. All their players are fit. They have had the benefit of two matches to work out where the visitors are dangerous on attack and what their defensive weak points are.

They clearly regard Stacey Jones as the key to the Kiwis' hopes, and Jones will be targeted tomorrow.

They will be desperate to shut down his kicking game and shorten his appetite for the bursts of acceleration that so often steer him through traffic to link with speedy outsides.

So the Kiwis need two things to win tomorrow. They need a big game from Lance Hohaia who, I have to admit, I thought was elevated to international play a year too early, but has matured no end.

And they need a big game from Ali Lauiti'iti. The Warriors' star secondrower has been missing in action in tests one and two, and the Poms must be wondering what all the "Michael Jordan" hype is all about.

Lauiti'iti is no junior now and has to step up to offer the Kiwis a game-breaking chance because they're going to need it.

With Stephen Kearney gone, the pack loses plenty. He is next-best behind Gorden Tallis in the position.

Lauiti'iti is third on the basis of his performance against the Broncos at Ericsson late in the NRL season. That's the form he needs to regain.

Freeman's problem is that he has only 19 fit players.

Robbie Paul is a longshot to start, so Michael Smith looks sure to get a bench spot because there's no one else, and backs-turned-forwards Hoppe and Wiki will be the second row/centre interchange.

That leaves the Kiwis vulnerable in midfield speed and puts pressure on wings Francis Meli and Henry Fa'afili to provide cover. Which in turn will worry their positional play.

The Kiwis have to remain disciplined in this test if they are to give themselves any chance.

If they give Great Britain penalties, turnovers and more than 50 per cent possession, they'll lose.