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Kiwi Test team announced: Luke dropped, Bromwich handed captaincy

1st May, 2016
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Dallin Watene-Zelezniak will make is debut for the Kiwis. (Photo: Nrlphotos.com.au)
Roar Guru
1st May, 2016
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New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney has named his squad to take on the Australian Kangaroos in next Friday’s Anzac Test.

The Kiwi coach has laid down the law with representative hopefuls by not being afraid to omit some big name players due to poor form and club indiscretions.

Superstar Kiwi hooker Issac Luke has struggled this season and has been dropped while the headline grabbing off-field shenanigans of Ben Matulino and Manu Vatuvei saw them miss out as well.

Stephen Kearney has shown in the past that he will not tolerate players not abiding by the standards he and the nation expect from them.

For Kearney, representing the New Zealand national side is clearly a privilege and a responsibility, with his selections continually living up to this standard. With their current world ranking of number one, this selection approach is certainly hard to argue with.

As for the fine details, captain and 41-Test veteran Simon Mannering is out injured with Jesse Bromwich, considered to be the best forward in the game right now, being handed the captaincy role for the first time.

Penrith’s Dallin Watene-Zelezniak finally makes his international debut along with fellow debutant Manu Ma’u from the Parramatta Eels.

Enigmatic halfback Shaun Johnson will be the only Warriors player to be represented in this Test match while his international partner in crime, Kieran Foran, has ruled himself out for personal reasons.

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With all the selections seemingly now settled between Australia and New Zealand, next Friday’s Test match should be a beauty.

The squad selected is as follows:

– Adam Blair (Brisbane Broncos)
– Jesse Bromwich – captain (Melbourne Storm)
– Lewis Brown (Manly Sea Eagles)
– Greg Eastwood (Canterbury Bulldogs)
– Alex Glenn (Brisbane Broncos)
– Tohu Harris (Melbourne Storm)
– Peta Hiku (Penrith Panthers)
– Shaun Johnson (NZ Warriors)
– Jordan Kahu (Brisbane Broncos)
– Shaun Kenny-Dowall (Sydney Roosters)
– Manu Ma’u (Parramatta Eels)
– Sam Moa (Sydney Roosters)
– Jason Nightingale (St George Dragons)
– Kodi Nikorima (Brisbane Broncos)
– Kevin Proctor (Melbourne Storm)
– Jason Taumalolo (North Queensland Cowboys)
– Martin Taupau (Manly Sea Eagles)
– Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Penrith Panthers)
– Danny Levi (19th man) (Newcastle Knights)

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