The Kiwis will be without former captain Simon Mannering for Saturday's transtasman test against Australia in Perth as he continues his recovery from minor knee surgery. The absence of Mannering, the Kiwis most experienced player with 41 test appearances, is a blow to new coach David Kidwell's plans of avenging the side's 16-0 loss to Australia in the Anzac test in Newcastle in May. Kidwell opted to retain Bromwich as skipper for this week's one-off test and the subsequent Four Nations campaign. The Kiwis had a light run yesterday and have their first full day of training today in cool conditions in Perth. The team will arrive back in New Zealand on Sunday and have three days break before re-entering camp in Auckland.

Source: New Zealand Herald October 10, 2016 01:27 UTC