The selection of four rookies, and the return of three players who missed last year's Four Nations campaign, feature in the Kiwis League squad named last night to face Australia in the Anzac Test at Eden Park this Friday.
Those returning to the Kiwis are Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Frank Pritchard and Manu Vatuvei, while there will be plenty of interest in seeing Jesse Bromwich, Josh Hoffman, Shaun Johnson and Jason Taumalolo in the Kiwis for the first time.
The Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney has an experienced team with 237 caps between them.
Kearney says the pairing of Shaun Johnson and Benji Marshall in the halves will be an exciting element, given Johnson is one of the best attacking talents in the game and says his combination with Marshall could be dangerous.
Kearney says the selection of Bromwich and Hoffman in the forwards, is reward for their form in the National Rugby League competition.
The Kiwis will be captained by Benji Marshall in his 26th Test.
KIWIS: Gerard Beale (Brisbane), Adam Blair (Wests Tiger), Jesse Bromwich (Melbourne), Nathan Fien (St George Illawarra), Alex Glenn (Brisbane), Josh Hoffman (Brisbane), Shaun Johnson (Vodafone Warriors), Shaun Kenny-Dowall (Sydney Roosters), Issac Luke (South Sydney), Simon Mannering (Vodafone Warriors), Benji Marshall (Wests Tigers), Ben Matulino (Vodafone Warriors), Sam McKendry (Penrith), Jason Nightingale (St George Illawarra), Frank Pritchard (Canterbury-Bankstown), Jeremy Smith (Cronulla), Jason Taumalolo (North Queensland), Manu Vatuvei (Vodafone Warriors), Jared Wearea-Hargreaves (Sydney Roosters).
