Fullback Kalyn Ponga is in line for a shock return for the Kiwis only a few short weeks after breaking his arm in the IRL Rugby League World Cup opener against Australia.
Named in the reserves when the team to take on Tonga in the semi final was named on Tuesday, coach Stacey Jones said he would figure out his role only after he was 100 percent cleared to play.
Ponga’s battle with opposing fullback Reece Walsh was a highlight of the opening game, which the Kangaroos won 20-18, but he has missed their following two pool game wins over Cook Islands and Fiji.
“Let's firstly make sure he's right to play, that's the first thing,” Jones said.
“He's got to feel right in himself to do that.
“At the moment he's doing everything right … the main thing is making sure that he's ready.
“We're not going to play him if he's not ready.
“He knows himself. He knows his body and look, if he's not right, he's not right.
“He's an experienced player. He's very professional.
“So, again, we'll wait and see.
“We'll get through captain's run and then go from there.
“He's done all the right things so far … (if) he does tick those boxes … I've got a plan and you'll see on Saturday.”
Inside camp: Jahrome Hughes
Kiwis half Jahrome Hughes has his own experience in coming back from a similar injury and said he had to feel the confidence within himself that he was fully right to take to the field.
“It was a little while ago that I did mine … but to be honest (what I have told him is) just get his feeling on it” Hughes said.
“He's got to have confidence in his arm and feel right.
“You don't want him going out there and having to worry about his arm the whole game because, that'll take away from his game.
“So just get confidence in it … and he's trained really well this week.
“We had another good session today.
“So that's another step, closer to playing.
“(In terms of recovery) there's a lot of moving parts to it, obviously a lot of physio, a lot of rehab movements that you've got to get through to get the arm going again and the wrist as well because it gets stiffened up after surgery and he's been doing that.
“He's spent a lot of time with our physios the last couple of weeks.
“They're doing a great job with our medical team and he trained really well (today) and taking some good steps forward (today).”
Ponga wasn’t the only star Kiwi looking to make an appearance this week, with Knights hooker Phoenix Crossland also named in the reserves after serving his suspension for a hip drop tackle on Nathan Cleary in the preliminary final against Penrith.
Jeremy Marshall-King has been named to start in the hooking role, but said having Crossland in the squad, as well as utility Te Maire Martin, was only pushing everyone to be better.
“I think for myself, just being at the best I can and the hooker position is always up for grabs,” Marshall-King said.
“We challenge each other in training and Phoenix has been played really well this year for Newcastle and he's pretty unlucky this year to miss the final.
“I think he's got player of the year as well and we’ve seen what a player he is, he's a competitor, as a person and as a player as well and it's good to have him in the squad.”
Match: New Zealand v Tonga
Semi Final -
home Team
New Zealand
2nd Position
away Team
Tonga
Venue: McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
The Kiwis will face Tonga in the men’s semi final in Newcastle on Saturday, taking to the field after the Kiwi Ferns and Fetu Samoa go head-to-head in the women’s playoff.
- All matches will be broadcast live and exclusive in Australia on Seven and 7plus, on Sky Sport in New Zealand and Digicel in Papua New Guinea.
