The Kiwis head out onto Wembley Stadium today for their final team run before their Rugby League World Cup semi-final against England early tomorrow morning (NZT). Photo:
The Kiwis are without two of their key weapons - and two of their biggest players - for their Rugby League World Cup semi-final against England at Wembley Stadium tomorrow morning (2.00 kick-off, live on SKY Sport 2, NZT).
Vodafone Warriors winger Manu Vatuvei, in outstanding form during the tournament, wasn't considered for selection after being forced off with a groin injury in last week's quarter-final against Scotland.
And now big second rower Frank Pritchard has been ruled out with a hamstring injury he picked up in training this week.
Jason Nightingale, another international veteran, was selected to replace Vatuvei while Alex Glenn has been brought into the playing 17 for Pritchard. However, the final starting line-up is yet to be confirmed. One possibility could see captain Simon Mannering back into the second row and Elijah Taylor starting at loose forward.
Vatuvei has scored four tries in his three appearances at the tournament, a hat-trick against Toa Samoa and another against Scotland last week when he could easily have had another hat-trick. His career tally is now 17 tries in 22 Tests. Together with the try he scored in the Kiwis' warm-up match against the Cook Islands last month and his 16 tries for the Vodafone Warriors this year, he has a total haul of 21 tries in 23 top-level matches this this year.
Against the Scots he carried the ball 12 times for 171 metres; he played only 41 minutes against Papua New Guinea but gained 107 metres from just seven runs; and against Toa Samoa he ran the ball 13 times for 126 metres.
Pritchard has been in vintage form too, peaking with last week's 80-minute effort against Scotland when he made 163 metres from 16 runs.
The Kiwi squad is: Kevin Locke; Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Dean Whare, Bryson Goodwin, Jason Nightingale; Kieran Foran, Shaun Johnson; Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Issac Luke, Jesse Bromwich; TBC, Sonny Bill Williams; Simon Mannering (c). Interchange: Elijah Taylor, Sam Kasiano, Ben Matulino, Frank-Paul Nuuausala, Alex Glenn.
The Kiwis are without two of their key weapons - and two of their biggest players - for their Rugby League World Cup semi-final against England at Wembley Stadium tomorrow morning (2.00 kick-off, live on SKY Sport 2, NZT).
Vodafone Warriors winger Manu Vatuvei, in outstanding form during the tournament, wasn't considered for selection after being forced off with a groin injury in last week's quarter-final against Scotland.
And now big second rower Frank Pritchard has been ruled out with a hamstring injury he picked up in training this week.
Jason Nightingale, another international veteran, was selected to replace Vatuvei while Alex Glenn has been brought into the playing 17 for Pritchard. However, the final starting line-up is yet to be confirmed. One possibility could see captain Simon Mannering back into the second row and Elijah Taylor starting at loose forward.
Vatuvei has scored four tries in his three appearances at the tournament, a hat-trick against Toa Samoa and another against Scotland last week when he could easily have had another hat-trick. His career tally is now 17 tries in 22 Tests. Together with the try he scored in the Kiwis' warm-up match against the Cook Islands last month and his 16 tries for the Vodafone Warriors this year, he has a total haul of 21 tries in 23 top-level matches this this year.
Against the Scots he carried the ball 12 times for 171 metres; he played only 41 minutes against Papua New Guinea but gained 107 metres from just seven runs; and against Toa Samoa he ran the ball 13 times for 126 metres.
Pritchard has been in vintage form too, peaking with last week's 80-minute effort against Scotland when he made 163 metres from 16 runs.
The Kiwi squad is: Kevin Locke; Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Dean Whare, Bryson Goodwin, Jason Nightingale; Kieran Foran, Shaun Johnson; Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Issac Luke, Jesse Bromwich; TBC, Sonny Bill Williams; Simon Mannering (c). Interchange: Elijah Taylor, Sam Kasiano, Ben Matulino, Frank-Paul Nuuausala, Alex Glenn.
