9 Oct 2008

Kiwis fullback and prop out of World Cup

10:06 am on 9 October 2008

Jason Nightingale has been called into the Kiwis squad to replace the injured Brent Webb, while Jeff Lima's also now missing with injury for this month's Rugby League World Cup.

Webb was ruled out overnight by his Super League club Leeds after undergoing spinal surgery to correct a long-standing back injury. The 27-year-old missed last week's English Superleague Grand Final and could be out of action for up to six months.

Nightingale, the St George-Illawarra winger-fullback, was unlucky to miss selection and now replaces Webb while exploratory surgery on Jeff Lima's revealed the Melbourne prop's knee injury is worse than expected.

Evarn Tuimavave, another unlucky to miss out first time around, replaces Lima.

The Warriors prop had just been announced in the All Golds for team-mate Ruben Wiki's farewell match against the New Zealand Maori in New Plymouth on Sunday, the national selectors wanting to keep the 24-year-old match-fit in case late changes were required.

He came in for fellow Warriors prop Sam Rapira, who had been named in the original All Golds side last week but gets a rest instead.

Tuimavave is yet to play for the Kiwis but was in the 19-man squad in Brisbane for last year's Anzac Test against the Kangaroos.