NZ preliminary squad

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New Zealand selectors have today named 47 NRL players and two from UK Super League in a 49-man squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.

The Kiwis will take on defending champions Australia at the Sydney Football Stadium on October 26 following the tournament’s Official Opening Ceremony.

Kiwi coach Stephen Kearney released the team this morning ahead of a media conference in Auckland to discuss New Zealand’s World Cup campaign with New Zealand Rugby League chairman Ray Haffenden and Kiwi Coaching and Management Advisor Wayne Bennett.

Bennett is in Auckland for Brisbane’s clash with the Warriors tomorrow and RLWC organisers used the opportunity to have Bennett and Broncos captain and Kangaroos rep Darren Lockyer talk about their upcoming NRL and World Cup battles.

Sonny Bill Williams has been named in the squad pending court proceedings in Sydney. 

RLIF Chairman and World Cup Tournament Director, Mr Colin Love AM, said that, while he could understand the Kiwis’ position, Sonny Bill Williams would not be allowed to play in the tournament or any other international event if he were to breach his Bulldogs contract by playing Rugby in France.

The Kiwis’ squad includes all 19 players involved in the Centenary Test preparations in Sydney on May 9 and is bolstered by the return of internationals such as Manu Vatuvei, Jerome Ropati, Steve Matai, Krisnan Inu and Benji Marshall who were unavailable for that match.

Of the 49 players, 16 are yet to play for New Zealand. Two of them – South Sydney’s Eddie Paea and Penrith’s Masada Iosefa – were late additions to the Kiwis’ touring party in England and France last year but didn’t play.

Cronulla back-rower Fraser Anderson has the chance to follow in the footsteps of brothers Vinnie and Louis, who are both Kiwi internationals, while four of the new faces have earned selection after starting the year in the Toyota national youth competition – Iosefa, Warriors duo Sonny Fai and Ben Matulino and Roosters back-rower Anthony Cherrington.

The others yet to play for the Kiwis are Rangi Chase (St George Illawarra), Weller Hauraki (Parramatta), Sika Manu (Melbourne), Manase Manuokafoa (South Sydney), Fetuli Talanoa (South Sydney), Taulima Tautai (Parramatta), Lee Te Maari (Bulldogs), Ben Te’o (Wests Tigers), Evarn Tuimavave (Warriors) and Cooper Vuna (Newcastle).

“We feel we have covered all options at this stage but the door certainly isn’t closed to players who haven’t been included,” said Kearney.

“There’s still a lot of football to be played both in the NRL and in the Super League. We’ll be watching the players we have named and we’ll also be keeping an eye on others not in this squad.

“We learnt a lot from the Centenary Test this year and we believe we will be a very different side in the World Cup.”

In relation to the inclusion of Sonny Bill Williams, NZRL Chairman Ray Haffenden said: “It is a difficult position given that court proceedings are underway but we are not able to pre-judge any outcomes.

“One thing we do know is that, with or without his involvement, New Zealand will be focused on winning the World Cup.”

NZ’s 2008 World Cup campaign also includes “Super Pool” matches against Papua New Guinea at the Gold Coast on November 1 and England in Newcastle on November 8.

The Semi-Finals will be played at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on November 15 and the Sydney Football Stadium on November 16, with the November 22 Final at Suncorp Stadium already selling out its public allocation of tickets.

The only Category A seating left for the Final is in travel and hospitality packages with the public allocation almost completely exhausted. Travel packages require only a minimum one-night stay and are available from official travel agents in Australia, New Zealand and the UK (a list of official agents is available on the tournament website www.rlwc08.com, as are details of all remaining corporate hospitality packages).

Mr Love said the 2008 tournament was not just a major international event for all Australians, but also for the NZ Rugby League community.

“Ten nations will contest 18 matches over 29 days in three states and the ACT – and with the significant broadcast rights we have secured, tens of millions of viewers worldwide will get the opportunity to experience our great game,” said Love.

“It is also a great advertisement for Australia with matches played in spectacular tourist destinations such as Melbourne, Sydney, Gold Coast, Canberra and regional Queensland areas.

“Whether you are coming to the tournament from overseas or within Australia our official travel agents can help with some excellent packages to ensure you combine seeing a world-class sporting event with a great holiday experience.”

Mr Love said the tournament would be broadcast to tens of millions of viewers worldwide, with a television audience taking in 101 countries including the UK, Europe (including France), Russia, USA, the South Pacific, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and New Zealand, Africa and the Middle East.

It will be one of the most widely watched Rugby League events of all time with Channel Nine and Fox Sports joining the array of international broadcasters. Host Broadcaster, the Nine Network, will televise all nine Super Pool matches and all finals live in prime time, with Fox Sports securing all other matches with replay rights for all games.

Australia beat New Zealand 40-12 to win the last World Cup tournament in England/France in 2000 and have won nine of the 12 World Cups contested, with Great Britain winning the other three. Australia has won the past six successive Cups, with their last Cup ‘loss’ in 1972.

Teams will compete in three pools – Pool 1: Australia, New Zealand, England, Papua New Guinea; Pool 2: France, Fiji, Scotland; and Pool 3: Tonga, Samoa, Ireland.

2008 NEW ZEALAND Rugby League World Cup Squad

 * Subject to availability and eligibility

Coach: Stephen Kearney