4 May 2010

No half measures as Kiwis duo get down to business

12:19 pm on 4 May 2010

The Kiwis captain and halfback Benji Marshall is promising to give his teenage halves partner Kieran Foran plenty of responsibility in Friday night's s rugby league Test in Melbourne.

Marshall reacquainted himself with the 19-year-old five eighth Foran yesterday for the first time since their Wests Tigers and Manly teams clashed in the opening round of the NRL.

They're now tasked with forming an effective combination to counter Cooper Cronk and Darren Lockyer in what's been an area of vulnerability since the retirement of Stacey Jones.

Marshall's been a fixture - when available - since the first of his 14 Tests in 2005 but Foran made his Test debut in the Kiwis' latest international against England during last year's Four Nations tournament in November.

Marshall says Foran's really matured since then and is a leader for Manly while Foran says his first trans-Tasman Test is a big step, especially as he will be opposing the Kangaroos skipper Lockyer.