NRL: Souths clash is showcase for Kiwis

Roy Asotasi will lead the Rabbitohs to NZ to face the Warriors. Photo / Getty Images

The South Sydney Rabbitohs will field six New Zealand-bred players against the Warriors at Mt Smart on Sunday, clear evidence of the increasing talent the Kiwis can call upon for tests.

The Auckland club will mark the passing of rising star Sonny Fai who had friends in both camps, some of the Rabbitohs already playing with the wristbands the Warriors produced to commemorate Fai's disappearance at Bethells Beach on January 4.

Along with the national team captain Roy Asotasi who is sure to resume that leadership after missing the World Cup with a pectoral injury, the Souths side named yesterday includes Kiwis certainties Isaac Luke at hooker and lock David Fa'alogo, along with former Kiwi David Kidwell and Eddy Pettybourne off the bench.

Luke was in the Junior Kiwis with Fai in 2004. When he scored against Newcastle last weekend he looked to the sky and made an "F" with his fingers.

Fai had played against Pettybourne. And Kidwell and Fa'alogo knew him because he was seconded to the Kiwis as a future international, such was his talent.

The Warriors team named yesterday includes seven New Zealand-born players who have come through the local development programme - Simon Mannering and Sam Rapira who also played in the Junior Kiwis with Fai, Patrick Ah Van who came up the grades with him, Russell Packer who also made his NRL debut in 2008, long-serving Stacey Jones and Jerome Ropati, plus the latest rookie, Ukuma Ta'ai.

The injured Brent Tate's place at centre goes to Patrick Ah Van after his try-scoring feats for the Auckland Vulcans in the opening games of the New South Wales premier league.

Jones starts and Nathan Fien goes to the bench as halfback cover and relief for Ian Henderson at hooker and dummy-half in the only other change from the side beaten by the Broncos.

Souths welcome back their elusive fullback Rhys Wesser from injury and speedy wing Nathan Merritt after a one-game suspension but are otherwise unchanged after coming from 12-0 down to score 22 unanswered points for victory over Newcastle.

Those points came in 23 minutes, with bench utility Craig Wing in devastating form when the Rabbits got close to the tryline. Wing scored two of the Rabbitohs' four tries in his comeback after off-season surgery. "We're looking for more of the same from him this week," coach Jason Taylor said.

Luke, the halfback Chris Sandow and five-eighth John Sutton also caused problems for the Knights. The visitors will want to perform well to mark the 200th NRL games played by both Kidwell and Luke Stuart.

There is a split in the Rabbitohs ranks yet again after the club withdrew its complimentary pass reserved for the president of its supporters club "The Burrow".

Ian Spruce said he will no longer drive from Newcastle for every match after the club asked for A$160 ($193) for a season ticket. Spruce writes a weekly newspaper and internet column labelled "The Stew".

* The Kiwis selectors will be relishing the form of many contenders for the Anzac test in Brisbane on May 8. Those looking sharp include the Eels trio of Nathan Cayless, Krisnan Inu and Fuifui Moimoi, Kiwis stand-in captain Jeremy Smith and wing Jason Nightingale at the Dragons, Storm props Jeff Lima and Adam Blair, Panthers secondrower Frank Pritchard plus Tigers halfback Benji Marshall.

Meanwhile there is rumour Willie Mason's test career is over and his time at the Roosters limited after his breath gave him away for having ignored an alcohol ban.

Mason and prop Nate Myles smelt of alcohol when they turned up for training on Tuesday and have been stood down from Friday's game against Parramatta. Bench hooker Jake Friend, stood down after a drink-driving conviction, returns.