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Kiwis call up teenager

Image: Kenny-Dowall: Junior Kiwi

New Zealand's selectors have called up teenager Shaun Kenny-Dowall for the tour of Great Britain.

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New Zealand's selectors have called up teenager Shaun Kenny-Dowall for the tour of Great Britain. The 19-year-old winger or centre gets his chance after three players pulled out of the original 24-strong squad. Full-back Krisnan Inu and winger Luke Covell were injured in the the Kiwis' 58-0 defeat by Australia in Sunday's Centenary Test and centre Steve Matai received a two-match ban after being sent off for a high tackle on Mark Gasnier. It had already been agreed with Matai and his Manly club that he would play only Sunday's international to enable him to have an off-season shoulder operation.

Debut

Covell, 26, was ruled out for six weeks after dislocating his elbow just minutes into his Test debut while 20-year-old Inu is out for four to six weeks with a shoulder injury. Kenny-Dowall only made his first-grade debut for Sydney Roosters this year, but was in the Junior Kiwis that beat the Junior Kangaroos 24-22 in a curtain-raiser to the Centenary Test in Wellington. "The size of the defeat and the nature of it was extremely disappointing for all of us," said new Kiwi coach Gary Kemble. "And there has also been a heavy price to pay in terms of the injuries suffered by Luke and Krisnan, our two frontline goal-kickers. "It's sad for both of them, especially for Luke when he was forced off so early in the game. But we can't do a lot about it now other than move on."
All Golds
The selectors have also picked versatile New Zealand Warriors star Lance Hohaia and are expected to make more additions after the clash between the All Golds and the Northern Union in Warrington next Saturday. The changes take the number of new faces in the touring squad to eight. The others are Taniela Tuiaki (Wests Tigers), Jeremy Smith (South Sydney), Fuifui Moimoi (Parramatta), Jeremy Smith (Melbourne), Jeff Lima (Melbourne), Chase Stanley (St George Illawarra) and Sam Perrett (Sydney Roosters).