Kiwis 19 For Canberra Test Named

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Kiwis 19 For Canberra Test Named
Canberra, Australia, April 14, 2013 – Simon Mannering, who’ll captain his country for the first time on Friday against the Kangaroos, was today named in a Kiwis squad that includes one of the NRL’s youngest guns, along with plenty of established Test stars.

The newest Kiwi is Roger Tuivasa-Sheck. The 19yo has handled first grade with such composure this year that his selection won’t surprise too many. Tuivasa-Sheck first came to the attention of Kiwi league fans when captaining Otahuhu College to win the NZRL’s National Secondary Schools tournament in 2011. He played for the Junior Kiwis last year.

“Roger has been on our radar for a while,” says the Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney. “He’s a Kiwi with a very bright future.”

Tuivasa-Sheck will have his club mates Shaun Kenny-Dowall and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves to keep him company this week. All three have been in fine touch in a slick Sydney Roosters outfit.

Mannering is the most experienced player in the squad with 30 Tests. He’ll be joined by fellow Vodafone Warriors players Shaun Johnson, Ben Matulino and Elijah Taylor.

Players who missed the Kiwis squad for the Townsville test but have returned to the fold are Alex Glenn, Kenny-Dowall, Jason Nightingale, Jeremy Smith and Waerea-Hargreaves. The Kiwis should know tomorrow whether Smith will face judicial charges from his Newcastle Knights match in the weekend.

With the Rugby League World Cup starting in late October, the Kiwis will be looking for a polished performance against their greatest rivals. The Kangaroos won 18-10 in Townsville when the teams last met.

The Kiwis assemble tomorrow in Canberra. Friday’s match will be broadcast live in New Zealand on SKY TV.

Note: Some players named still have to complete medicals.

Recent mid-season Test matches:

2012 – Kangaroos 20 v Kiwis 12
2011 – Kangaroos 20 v Kiwis 10
2010 – Kangaroos 12 v Kiwis 8

KIWIS SQUAD FOR VB TEST IN CANBERRA

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