Kiwis recall SJ and Smith
Shaun Johnson and Brandon Smith have been recalled by the Kiwis for Saturday’s second league test against the Great Britain Lions at Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch.
Johnson comes back in at standoff, replacing the injured Kieran Foran, while Smith, stood down last week, returns at hooker as the Kiwis seek a series-clinching win after winning last Saturday’s first test 12-8 at Eden Park.
Kodi Nikorima, brought in at the 11th hour to replace
Smith, moves to the interchange after his heroic performance in Auckland. Nikorima was on the field for 76 minutes, making a game-high 53 tackles.
In another change, rookie international Corey Harawira-Naera is named in the second row for Kenny Bromwich, who returned to Melbourne on Sunday to be with his wife for the birth of their second child. Bromwich is on an extended bench should he be able to return in time for the test. Added to the bench in Harawira-Naera’s place is the experienced Kevin Proctor.
The Kiwis go into the contest hunting their first series victory against the Great Britain Lions since 1998.
Meanwhile, Foran is reportedly fending off retirement rumours after another devastating blow to his NRL career.
The 29-year-old Foran will have shoulder surgery tomorrow, following the dislocation which forced him out of the clash at Eden Park.
Brisbane Bronco Matt Gillett and South Sydney’s Sam Burgess, both aged 31, have recently retired prematurely because of shoulder issues. The NRL is yet to determine whether their contracts will be exempt from the salary cap.
Foran’s injury is a big blow to the resurgent Bulldogs, who will be without the Kiwi for at least the first two months of the 2020 season. He had only just returned to the Kiwis, replacing Johnson who was dropped after a nondescript display against the Kangaroos.
The 29-year-old managed to play just 12 games with the Bulldogs in 2018 and only 14 last season, battling injury. “There is no way in the world I’m going to quit football,” Foran told Sydney’s Daily Telegraph newspaper yesterday.
The Bulldogs are expected to make inquiries with the NRL for salary cap relief for Foran. Clubs can apply for a maximum $350,000 of salary cap relief if a player is injured while playing representative football and misses 12 weeks of the regular season.