New Zealand includes five new players for test against Australia - Rugby news
The head coach of New Zealand, Stephen Kearney, confirmed on Tuesday, October 11, that the five players will make their Test debuts against Australia, in the one-off International at Newcastle, on Sunday.
This is the outfit’s final clash before it will head out to the Four Nations Series in Warrington later this month.
While speaking about the young lot’s uptake, New Zealand’s head coach stated that it is very exciting for New Zealand's future that they are providing a lauching pad for five young players from where the players are going to make their Test debuts. With
their inclusion, there is young blood within the group of experienced players.
New Zealand Warriors’ Kevin Locke, along with Russell Packer, Kalifa Faifai Loa of North Queensland and Brisbane’s Gerard Beale and Alex Glenn will bow out of their on-field roles.
There have been a number of withdrawals from Sunday’s squad, which has retained ten players from the outfit that lost 10-20 to Australia on May 6. Krisnan Inu withdrew on Monday, October 10, from the squad, which had left the coach puzzled about his next
pick. He was confused between specialist centre Junior Sa’u or a utility back.
While talking to Sportsnewsfirst New Zealand’s coach stated, “That’s something we will look at over the course of the week. We feel comfortable that we have a squad of 20 to pick from. Obviously Adam (Blair) can’t play until the Welsh game and Thomas Luluai
we pick up in the UK and we are comfortable with that. We will look at in terms of a replacement over the course of the week.”
The finalised New Zealand’s squad has the following players on board:
Locke, Bown, Packer and Mannering of Warriors; Faifai Loa of North Queensland; Beale and Glenn of Brisbane; Nightingale and Fien of St George Illawarra; Marshall of Wests Tigers; Foran of Manly; McKendry of Penrith and Smith of Cronulla.
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