New Zealand winger Jason Nightingale has backed debutant Kalifa Fafai Loa to step into the big boots of Manu Vatuvei, as the Dragons NRL star prepares to lead a youthful Kiwi backline against Australia.
Nightingale aside, the four other Kiwi outside backs named to take on the Kangaroos in Newcastle on Sunday have won just one cap between them.
Lewis Brown won that in the Anzac Test earlier this year, but centre partner Gerard Beale of Brisbane, Cowboys winger Fafai Loa and Warriors fullback Kevin Locke will each undergo a Test initiation this weekend.
The total of debutants will be five, with Warriors prop Russell Packer and Brisbane second-rower Alex Glenn also earning their first Test caps.
''It's exciting for our future that we're in a position to give these five young players their Test debuts,'' coach Stephen Kearney said. ''They've all put in the work to earn the opportunity.''
Nightingale, the granddaddy of the outside backs with 11 caps, is confident Fafai Loa can produce on the Test stage in place of proven match winner Vatuvei.
''He [Vatuvei] is a big powerful thing who is hard to stop,'' Nightingale said yesterday. ''But I don't think we lose too much with Kalifa coming in having seen a few of the things he can do.''
Fafai Loa was only called into the squad last Friday.
''It's all been unreal for me,'' Fafai Loa said. ''I couldn't be happier.''
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