Moimoi Rules Himself Out of Clash Against England

Moimoi Rules Himself Out of Clash Against England

Hull, England, November 12, 2011 – Experienced prop Fuifui Moimoi has ruled himself out of the Kiwis’ crucial Gillette Four Nations clash against England at KC Stadium in Hull tonight.

The 32-year-old 12-Test veteran lasted only six minutes of last week’s encounter with Wales at Wembley before leaving the field with an ankle injury.
He had recovered well after intensive treatment, taking a full role in yesterday’s final training run in Leeds and having his ankle tested afterwards.

However, he told coach Stephen Kearney he didn’t believe he was quite ready to play in such a critical contest, one which will determine which side faces Australia in the Gillette Four Nations final at Elland Road in Leeds next Saturday.

With Moimoi unavailable, Kearney has recalled Vodafone Warriors prop Russell Packer, who became Kiwi No 768 when he made his debut against the Kangaroos in Newcastle on October 16. He was suspended for the Four Nations game against Australia in Warrington on October 28 and wasn’t selected against Wales.

Packer, wearing jersey No 17, is named to start in the front row alongside his club-mate Ben Matulino.

Apart from the forced change brought about by Moimoi’s withdrawal, Kearney has made a number of other selection moves in confirming the Kiwis’ line-up as late as possible.

Vodafone Warriors captain Simon Mannering returns after having the Welsh Test off, the first match he has missed this year after 28 straight NRL appearances for his club and three internationals against the Kangaroos. Rather than coming into the second row, he has been named in the centres, a role he has filled regularly for the Kiwis in recent years. He takes over from Brisbane’s Alex Glenn, who was slated to return to the second row but has been included on the interchange in jersey No 12.

Senior international Adam Blair, named in jersey No 10, will start in the second row with his Melbourne team-mate Sika Manu, a two-try scorer against Wales last week. Coming back into the line-up as the interchange dummy half is Issac Luke, who replaces Nathan Fien, with Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Elijah Taylor and Glenn the other bench players.

The Kiwis have been listed as favourites to win but such a rating ignores history which shows New Zealand has won only one of its last 11 Tests against Great Britain or England in England. The sequence starts with a draw in the second Test in 2002 with the only success coming against Great Britain at Loftus Road in the 2005 Tri Nations. The home side has won the last six Tests against the Kiwis.

While history is weighed against the Kiwis, captain Benji Marshall is within reach of a place in history, leading his country for the 17th time tonight, only two short of the New Zealand record for most Tests as captain held by Gary Freeman. On 18 Tests are Mark Graham and Ruben Wiki.

Marshall was able to play only three Tests of a possible 20 after his debut in 2005 but will tonight make his 22nd consecutive appearance. His sole interest, though, is on tonight’s contest.

“It is a war. When you’re representing your country against another country that’s how you have to treat it,” he said.

“As much as you might be friends with people in the other team, you’re representing yourself, your family and your country. For us, we want to make the final and in order to do that we have to knock England over. It’s going to be tough. We know that but we feel like we’ve prepared well enough.”

For the second week running, the Kiwis will have Australian referee Matt Cecchin in charge. Cecchin and other refereeing officials met the Kiwis yesterday.

2011 FOUR NATIONS

KIWIS v ENGLAND

KC Stadium, Hull
6.00pm, Saturday, November 12, 2011
Referee: Matt Cecchin (Australia)

KIWIS

1 KEVIN LOCKE
(Vodafone Warriors)
2 GERARD BEALE
(Brisbane)
3 LEWIS BROWN
(Vodafone Warriors)
4 SIMON MANNERING
(Vodafone Warriors)
5 JASON NIGHTINGALE
(St George Illawarra)
6 BENJI MARSHALL (c)
(Wests Tigers)
7 KIERAN FORAN
(Manly)
8 BEN MATULINO
(Vodafone Warriors)
9 THOMAS LEULUAI
(Wigan)
17 RUSSELL PACKER
(Vodafone Warriors)
11 SIKA MANU
(Melbourne)
10 ADAM BLAIR
(Melbourne)
13 JEREMY SMITH
(Cronulla)
Interchange:
12 ALEX GLENN
(Brisbane)
14 ISSAC LUKE
(South Sydney)
16 JARED WAEREA-HARGREAVES
(Sydney Roosters)
18 ELIJAH TAYLOR
(Vodafone Warriors)

18TH MAN: KEVIN PROCTOR
(Melbourne)

COACH: STEPHEN KEARNEY

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