Leuluai ruled out of Four Nations final
Tommy Leuluai will start at hooker for the Kiwis
New Zealand hooker Thomas Leuluai has been ruled out of Saturday’s Four Nations final against Australia in Wellington.
Leuluai, 29, sustained a shoulder injury and a badly gashed face in the 16-14 win over England last weekend, and will not be fit to retain the hooking role.
Isaac Luke will step up from the bench, with utility Lewis Brown joining the playing line-up.
Otherwise, Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney has stuck with the same team that played against England last week.
There are slight injury concerns over Tohu Harris (shoulder), Dean Whare (foot), and Jason Nightingale (face) but they are all expected to line-up as named.
Back Gerard Beale and forward Bodene Thompson have been named as 18th and 19th men as a precaution.
New Zealand squad: Peta Hiku, Jason Nightingale, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Dean Whare, Manu Vatuvei, Kieran Foran, Shaun Johnson, Jesse Bromwich, Isaac Luke, Adam Blair, Simon Mannering, Kevin Proctor, Jason Taumalolo, Lewis Brown, Greg Eastwood, Martin Taupau, Tohu Harris, Gerard Beale, Bodene Thompson.