Duffie Confirmed To Make Test Debut On Friday Night

Duffie Confirmed To Make Test Debut On Friday Night

Gold Coast, Australia, May 4, 2011 – Melbourne winger Matthew Duffie will be the only debutant in the Kiwis’ line-up for Friday night’s Anzac Test against the Kangaroos at Skilled Park in Robina.

In confirming New Zealand’s side this morning, coach Stephen Kearney omitted Vodafone Warriors utility Lewis Brown and Brisbane fullback Gerard Beale from the original 19-man squad named on Sunday night. Brown is the 18th man.

Duffie will become Kiwi number 765 on Friday night, lining up on the right wing outside Sydney Roosters centre Shaun Kenny-Dowall, New Zealand’s 2010 player of the year.

Vodafone Warriors captain Simon Mannering is also in the centres, where he has been playing recently in the NRL. He also lined up in the centres for the Kiwis in the 2008 World Cup win as well as the Four Nations victory last year.

Vodafone Warriors prop Sam Rapira, who was unavailable for the Four Nations campaign last year, returns to start in the front row after last playing for the Kiwis in the 2010 Anzac Test in Melbourne. Penrith’s Sam Kendry is the other starting prop, as he was in the Four Nations final, while St George Illawarra’s Nathan Fien runs on at hooker after being halfback in the Four Nations.

The experienced Adam Blair (Melbourne), Bronson Harrison (Canberra) and Jeremy Smith (Cronulla) will start in the back row. The side includes 13 of the 17 players used in the Four Nations final. Apart from Duffie and Rapira, the other two changes are recalled Parramatta prop Fuifui Moimoi, who’ll be playing his ninth Test, and Manly halfback Kieran Foran, back after making his second Test appearance in last year’s Anzac Test. Foran and Moimoi were both ruled out of the 2010 Four Nations with injuries.

“We’ve been able build some consistency in our selections in recent years,” said Kearney.

“The side has become more settled and we’ve also been able to develop a little more in terms of experience and our combinations.

“While we’re improving in that area the Australians still lead the way with representative experience and depth. They certainly have an advantage there for a one-off match of this type but our challenge is to try to keep building.”
The Kiwis have never won the Anzac Test in Australia since the first was played in Sydney in 1997. Their only success came at North Harbour Stadium in 1998, the only time it has been played in New Zealand.

The Kiwis have another training run this morning before their final session at Skilled Park tomorrow morning.

England’s Richard Silverwood has been named as Friday night’s referee.

ANZAC TEST

KANGAROOS v KIWIS

Skilled Park, Robina
8.00pm, Friday, May 6, 2011
Referee: Richard Silverwood (England)

KIWIS

1 LANCE HOHAIA
(Vodafone Warriors)
2 MATTHEW DUFFIE
(Melbourne)
3 SIMON MANNERING
(Vodafone Warriors)
4 SHAUN KENNY-DOWALL
(Sydney Roosters)
5 JASON NIGHTINGALE
(St George Illawarra)
6 BENJI MARSHALL (c)
(Wests Tigers)
7 KIERAN FORAN
(Manly)
8 SAM RAPIRA
(Vodafone Warriors)
9 NATHAN FIEN
(St George Illawarra)
10 SAM McKENDRY
(Penrith)
11 ADAM BLAIR
(Melbourne)
12 BRONSON HARRISON
(Canberra)
13 JEREMY SMITH
(Cronulla)
Interchange:
14 ISSAC LUKE
(South Sydney)
15 BEN MATULINO
(Vodafone Warriors)
16 FUIFUI MOIMOI
(Parramatta)
17 GREG EASTWOOD
(Canterbury-Bankstown)
18 LEWIS BROWN
(Vodafone Warriors)

COACH: STEPHEN KEARNEY


KIWI SQUAD – 2011 ANZAC TEST

Player Club Kiwi No Tests Points

Gerard Beale Broncos - 0 0
Adam Blair Storm 732 21 8
Lewis Brown Warriors 762 0 0
Shaun Kenny-Dowall Roosters 746 6 24
Matthew Duffie Storm 765 0 0
Greg Eastwood Bulldogs 737 17 8
Nathan Fien Dragons 733 18 16
Kieran Foran Sea Eagles 757 2 0
Bronson Harrison Raiders 723 12 4
Lance Hohaia Warriors 695 27 60
Issac Luke Rabbitohs 749 16 38
Sam McKendry Panthers 763 2 0
Simon Mannering Warriors 731 24 16
Benji Marshall (c) Tigers 717 20 86
Ben Matulino Warriors 756 7 4
Fuifui Moimoi Eels 741 8 0
Jason Nightingale Dragons 747 10 32
Sam Rapira Warriors 736 12 0
Jeremy Smith Sharks 742 17 26

ends

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