Aussie call for Ponga
THE Kangaroos appear to have landed the first blow ahead of next week’s transTasman Test with the Kiwis conceding defeat in the chase for wonderkid Kalyn Ponga.
The Courier Mail has revealed New Zealand management has been informed the Cowboys’ young star will pledge allegiance to Queensland and Australia.
Ponga, whose father Andre is from New Zealand, is eligible to play for both countries but is yet to play senior representative football.
The Kiwis had their eye on the teenage for the season- ending World Cup and he would have come into contention the May 6 Test in Canberra.
He may have been called into an expanded Kiwi squad for some experience before the end- of- year tournament, but also to force his hand on eligibility and keep him away from the Aussies.
But Kiwi management revealed yesterday they had been told Ponga would not play for New Zealand.
While the Kiwis have been notified of Ponga’s decision, he is yet to inform Maroons coach Kevin Walters.
Walters did not select Ponga for this year’s Emerging Origin camp as he left the 19year- old to ponder his representative future and said he would not pressure Ponga for an answer.
“I haven’t heard anything,” Walters said.
“We have left Kalyn alone. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do. We’re not going to force him into anything.
“He’s got to go where his heart is and who he feels the most allegiance to. That’s where he belongs.”
Ponga has been the centre of an international tug of war since bursting on to the scene in the under- 20s.
He decided to not play representative football last year after both the Junior Kiwis and Kangaroos planned to pick him and will do the same in 2017.
The Queensland Rugby League has a policy of not selecting players for Maroons under- 20s who have played five NRL games in a season.
Ponga played his fifth NRL match of the season in last Saturday’s win against Newcastle, the club he will join next year on a multi- million dollar deal.
Maroons under- 20s coach Justin Hodges said Ponga had a bright future in State of Origin, but it wouldn’t come easy.
“He’s a great, young, talented player,” he said.
“If he keeps on the path he’s on now, there is no doubt he will play Origin.
“The big question is when he goes to Newcastle, hopefully he can still continue to learn and evolve into a great Origin player.”