Sonny Bill named to start for Kiwis Cup opener
DAVID LONG
Last updated 05Sonny Bill Williams

BACK IN BLACK: Sonny Bill Williams will start for the Kiwis against Samoa.
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Sonny Bill Williams has been named to play his first game for the Kiwis in five years and will start in the second-row in Monday morning's Rugby League World Cup opener against Samoa.

Fellow Roosters star Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will make his debut in the same match after being named on one of the wings, while Sam Moa will earn his first cap coming off the bench in Warrington.

New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney says the team picked for this game wasn't necessarily his best, but that there were two factors involved in selection.

The first was to name a team that could handle the physical challenge Samoa is sure to bring and the other was to give the players from the Roosters, who all sat out last weekend's warm-up game against the Cook Islands in Doncaster, a run.

"The warm-up game served a real purpose but I see this as a real red flag in terms of what Samoa are going to present," Kearney said. "It was important to pick a side that I thought was going to best serve the purpose of this particular match.

"That doesn't mean this is going to be the team that best serves us when we get into the latter part of the tournament, but for this game it's the best team.

"We have been in camp now for over a week and I could see the energy that the Roosters boys have brought to the group and it was important to use that momentum in the selection process and that means there are a couple of new caps in an important game."

Manu Vatuvei is named as the other winger in this team, meaning that the ever reliable Jason Nightingale misses out. However, Kearney was quick to point out that he doesn't necessarily see Nightingale behind Vatuvei and Tuivasa-Sheck in the pecking order.

"I'm mindful of what Jason Nightingale has done for New Zealand before and he's never let the jumper down.

"It's a matter of giving Roger an opportunity. What we have in our favour, previous to the last two times we've travelled to the UK, is that there is a real depth of talent.

"It's not a form issue that's dictated selection, it's what I think is best for the team this week.

"From a talent point of view, the whole 24 will play a role in this tournament. I know that whoever we pick, they're going to do a job for us, but it's a matter of as the tournament ticks over, who's doing it the best, because they're the guys who'll nail down spots."
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But it will be Williams who'll get the most attention on Monday as he plays his eighth test for the Kiwis and is still in search of his first win with them.

Kearney said he's not just looking for those magical offloads from Williams at this World Cup; he believes he has other contributions to make.

"It is quite obvious the talent he has, but he brings more than that," Kearney said. "He brings a sense of confidence to the people around him, but in saying that, he puts his hand up and he delivers. He understands what his role is and what he's got to do and he does that to the best of his ability.

"From a defensive point of view, it's the 1 per cent plays. Everyone wants the razzmatazz from Sonny, but he understands that sometimes it's not about those plays."

KIWIS:

1 Josh Hoffman,
2 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck,
3 Dean Whare,
4 Bryson Goodwin,
5 Manu Vatuvei,
6 Kieran Foran,
7 Shaun Johnson,
8 Jared Waerea-Hargreaves,
9 Issac Luke,
10 Jesse Bromwich,
11 Frank Pritchard,
12 Sonny Bill Williams,
13 Simon Mannering.
Interchange
14 Elijah Taylor,
15 Sam Kasiano,
16 Sam Moa,
17 Frank-Paul Nu'uausala,
18 Greg Eastwood,
19 Ben Matulino.

- © Fairfax NZ News

Pleased for wire fans.
That's no B team side to play Samoa , bar the absence Of Thomas Leuluai ( Taylor's spot at 14. bench utility ) that is the strongest NZ team named in the modern era.

Nightingale is a favorite of mine , but Vatuvei is in there especially for the Samoans.

Prop sized winger who will take NZ's first hit up into the brutal Samoan kick chase makes sense and is probably a better viewing spectacle at the ground.
Nightingale is a safer player , so it's sporting of Kearney to give the Wire fans some heart in the mouth moments as Big manu is more likely to create chances for the underdog and give people something to yell for in favor of Samoa.

Otherwise it's a blood bath for the Samoan's that's the closest a kiwi Forward pack has come to looking like Seal team six , expect a quick clean kill of Samoan hopes , twenty minutes for Samoa to make a stand , the rest will be rugby league destruction.

take the hyperbole with a pinch of salt , humorous slant intended. Should be a good game , hopefully Samoa can get up.

Hi to all wire fans. I'm coming over for the match tomorrow from Yorkshire. Can you advise on parking near the ground and what time to arrive near the venue to get that parking. I don't want to arrive and then struggle to find parking near the ground, particularly if it's lashing it down and I've got a bit of a walk. Thanks in advance

Safe trip over. There is plenty of places to park once you come off the M62 at J9. There is a car park area if you turn off right at McDonalds & Matalan just up on the right hand side. There is a pay & display parking near to the ground if you follow signs to Central Station. The only issue I can see is that there will be a lot of non Warrington fans at the game so there could be loads of people looking for parking.

Thanks for that Warrington Wolf

It ain't gonna be as warm as the last time I saw the Kiwis live which was in the 2008 WC final at Suncorp that's for sure

One word of warning to ANY fans coming to the game...........DO NOT PARK AT TESCO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re parking, a number of reports of parking tickets near to the hj last season. For anyone coming to the game and are not familiar with parking in the town, the council car parks are usually free on Sundays. (Cockedge, golden square and market I think)

Is that a discount code that anyone can use or are they going to ask to see some ID for something I don't have when I get there?

Are tickets still available?

Update from the clubs facebook page... Parking IS available on tesco at £3 per car .

IMO, thats good planning given that Tesco will be shut when the fans are turning up so might as well make some dosh from it.

Good first half for both Sides , Samoa holding in places. It hasn't all been one way traffic.
NZ starting to work out their combinations , looking a bit sharper with their top side out there, Samoa giving them more problems than the Cook Islands last week , a good test for the Kiwis.

Mose Masoe , Ben Roberts , Anthony Milford , Pita Godinet the pick of the Toa Samoa team

I'm watching this on an internet stream, and there's more atmosphere tonight at the HJ, than there is for a normal home game. Now I know all the fans aren't Warringtonians, but surely we can create a better atmosphere for our own games.

I'm sure the commentator wants to be an honourary Warringtonian

"This is what you call a RL ground, all you people in Australia"
"This is a ground steeped in RL history" well, for 10 seasons, it is

Hilarious from Sonny Bill

Mighty come back Samoa

The Kiwis choked after Mose Came on and he's just too big , too good , a one man forward pack.

Lucky Saints Fans , great effort Samoa , pity they didn't have the personnel to beat the Kiwis

They just needed a few of their big names and it would have been different

Fantastic Crowd , our commentary were raving through the game about the fans.

NZ showed they are beatable , especially if they clock off / lose concentration , on the flip side when they are focused your in trouble.

Good wake up call for NZ.

I loved that, brilliant game, just wish I'd been there, sounded immense on tv.

Some huge hits and a bit on needle, how the game should be.