Australia v NZ: Teams

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Last updated: 24th October 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Australia v NZ: Teams

Monaghan: Debut

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Australia have named four uncapped players in their team for the Rugby League World Cup clash against New Zealand in Sydney.

Anthony Laffranchi, Joel Monaghan and Glenn Stewart will all make their debuts from the start, while Josh Perry will make his first international appearance off the bench.

Monaghan will start on the wing, while Manly's premiership-winner Stewart and Gold Coast Titan Laffranchi will team up in the second-row.

Australia go into the tournament with a number of key players missing through injury. Brett Stewart (shoulder), Justin Hodges (shoulder) and Michael Crocker (ribs) all pulled out the initial squad, while Matt Cooper (groin), Ryan Hoffman (ankle) and Willie Mason (knee) were not available for selection due to injuries.

That means Australia have been forced to name their youngest-ever centre pairing with 19-year-old Israel Folau teaming up with Melbourne Storm team-mate Greg Inglis, 21.

New Zealand have been given a boost by news that captain Nathan Cayless, Lance Hohaia and Manu Vatuvei have been cleared to play.

The trio had all been struggling with injuries in the build up to the tournament, forcing them to withdraw from the warm-up game against Tonga on Saturday.

However coach Stephen Kearney has confirmed all three will be fit to start against Australia, while utility Dene Halatau has also fully recovered from minor knee surgery to be named among the replacements.

"In the end we didn't want to take any risks with Nathan, Manu and Lance against Tonga," said Kearney.

"It made sense to keep them out of that match after they'd all played for the All Golds against New Zealand Maori [on October 12].

"Now they're right to go against Australia and Dene has also recovered well from his operation."

Kearney has also handed a debut to Melbourne enforcer Sika Manu, but hooker Issac Luke and South Sydney loose forward David Fa'alogo miss out.

Australia: Billy Slater, Joel Monaghan, Greg Inglis, Israel Folau, Brent Tate, Darren Lockyer (capt), Johnathan Thurston, Petero Civoniceva, Cameron Smith, Steve Price, Glenn Stewart, Anthony Laffranchi, Paul Gallen.
Replacements: Brent Kite, Josh Perry, Anthony Tupou, Kurt Gidley

New Zealand: Lance Hohaia, Sam Perrett, Steve Matai, Jerome Ropati, Manu Vatuvei, Benji Marshall, Thomas Leuluai, Nathan Cayless (captain), Nathan Fien, Adam Blair, Simon Mannering, Sika Manu, Jeremy Smith.
Replacements: Dene Halatau, Greg Eastwood, Setaimata Sa, Sam Rapira