Rugby League: Kiwis aim for lift-off

THE New Zealand coach, Howie Tamati, begins one of the most difficult balancing acts in sport at Swansea tomorrow, writes Dave Hadfield. His line-up, which launches the 1993 tour, is a Kiwi team - but all its members know that it is not the Kiwi team.

Tamati faces the problem of keeping them all focused and motivated at the same time as reserving his right to draft in a number of players from British clubs for the three Tests against Great Britain.

'In effect, we have three teams - one in New Zealand, one playing in Australia and one playing in England,' said Tamati, who was capped 23 times himself and also spent a season with Wigan. The Australian and New Zealand contingents are welded together as a touring party; the British-based players are waiting in the wings.

The match against Wales gives a number of tourists the chance to stake the first claim. Daryl Halligan has to show that he is as good a kicker in British conditions as Frano Botica. Iva Ropati can plant the idea that it is he, rather than a centre plucked out of the English First Division, who should replace the injured Jarrod McCracken.

At stand-off, Gene Ngamu, who is young enough to be touring with the Junior Kiwis, will try to show that he, rather than Tea Ropati, of St Helens, or Tony Kemp, of Castleford, should partner the formidable Gary Freeman.

Although Tamati will take even closer notice of the form of several of tomorrow's players when they meet Wigan next week, Wales - whose switching of Jonathan Griffiths to loose forward might well prove effective - are still a valuable yardstick.

WALES: Ford (Salford); Cordle (Bradford), Bateman (Warrington), Devereux (Widnes), Sullivan (St Helens); Davies (Warrington, capt), Ellis (Warrington); Young (Salford), B Williams (Carlisle), Jones (Hull), Marlow (Wakefield), Phillips (Warrington), Griffiths (St Helens). Substitutes: Hadley (Widnes), Pearce (Ryedale- York), P Williams (Salford), Ackerman (Cardiff Inst).

NEW ZEALAND: M Edwards (Balmain); Halligan (North Sydney), Ropati (Auckland), Taewa (Canterbury), Hoppe (Canberra); Ngamu (Manly), Freeman (Penrith, capt); J Lomax (Canberra), Mann (Auckland), Stuart (Canterbury), Kearney (Western Suburbs), Pongia (Canberra), Mackie (Northland). Substitutes: Nixon (Canterbury), L Edwards (Canterbury), J Williams (Canterbury-Bankstown), Piva (Wellington).

Referee: J Connolly (Wigan).