LEULUAI KEEPS SHIRT

[josie andrews]

Under-fire Wigan scrum-half Thomas Leuluai has kept his place in the New Zealand side for Saturday's World Cup pool A match against Papua New Guinea on the Gold Coast.

Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney sprang to the defence of the former Auckland Warriors and London Broncos player after he was criticised for his role in his side's crushing 30-6 defeat by Australia last Sunday.

Kearney has made three changes, however, two of them forced, in recalling three-quarter Krisnan Inu, hooker Isaac Luke and second rower David Fa'alogo.

Inu, who played on the wing against Tonga on October 18, takes over at centre from the suspended Steve Matai and second rower Setaimata Sa returns to the starting line-up for the injured Sika Manu with Fa'alogo filling the vacancy on the bench - alongside Luke, who displaces Dene Halatau.

Kearney explained: "Suspension and injury have kept Steve and Sika out but it's a comfort for us that we have quality players to bring in like Kris and David.

"And Isaac has kept pushing for a spot as well. It's a sign of the competition we have for places within the squad."

Team: Hohaia; Perrett, Inu, Ropati, Vatuvei; Marshall, Leuluai; Cayless (capt), Fien, Blair, Mannering, Sa, Smith. Subs: Luke, Eastwood, Rapira, Fa'alogo.

http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... aland.html

[Wigan_forever1985]

to be fair NZ were woeful as a team. Cant single out 1 person, one thing i did notice was stevo and eddie kept banging on about lulu being slow? i know he isn't the quickest halfback compared to burrows or benji marshall but i wouldn't say he was the slowest by a long shot!

[shawcross da warrior]

and lets not forget he was playing against an aussie team that is full of world class players 1 - 17, and there halfbacks arnt bad either are they....

[josie andrews]

Under-fire Wigan scrum-half Thomas Leuluai has kept his place in the New Zealand side for Saturday's World Cup pool A match against Papua New Guinea on the Gold Coast.

Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney sprang to the defence of the former Auckland Warriors and London Broncos player after he was criticised in Australia for his role in his side's crushing 30-6 defeat by Australia last Sunday.

"I don't think Thomas was out there by himself," said Kearney.

"We had 17 guys trying to do the same thing in terms of helping the side go forward. I don't think Thomas is to blame for that."

http://www.wiganwarriors.com/news_full.asp?newsid=4297

[markill]

i thought benji marshall played worse that tommy, maybe its a bit of bias in that but marshall went on poor solo runs, rarely made space and went missed when pressure kicks were required, making tommy's kicking game look especially poor.

And if NZ's back rowers had made any attempt to close down the aus halfs (let alone get close enough to put in a hit) then the gulf in class wouldn't have been so apparent. Aus just defended so well, swap the halfs between the teams and australia would still have won on defence.