28 Oct 2010

Kiwis make changes for Papua New Guinea test

5:56 am on 28 October 2010

The Pentrith prop Sam McKendry will make his Test debut in a Kiwis side that includes several changes from the one which beat in England, for Saturday night's Four Nations rugby league test against Papua New Guinea in Rotorua.

McKendry, who was born in Australia but raised in Dargaville, played in all of Penrith's 26 NRL games this season and will start in the front row with Sydney Roosters prop Frank-Paul Nuuausala.

McKendry and Nuuausala come into the starting line-up for the experienced Adam Blair and Greg Eastwood.

There's also a change in the second row with Sika Manu starting.

Simon Mannering, Jeremy Smith, Thomas Leuluai, remain in their starting roles.

In the backline Sydney Roosters winger Sam Perrett replaces the injured Manu Vatuvei, while Rotorua-born Jared Waerea-Hargreaves comes onto the interchange bench.

The Kiwis and the Kumuls have played 15 tests but only once in the last 14 years, when the Kiwis won 48-6 in on their way to winning the World Cup in 2008.

The full team is: Lance Hohaia, Jason Nightingale, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Junior Sa'u, Sam Perrett, Benji Marshall, captain, Nathan Fien, Sam McKendry, Thomas Leuluai, Frank-Paul Nuuausala, Sika Manu, Simon Mannering, Jeremy Smith.

Interchange: Issac Luke, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Bronson Harrison, Greg Eastwood, Ben Matulino, Lewis Brown.