Marshall and Halatau to miss Tri
Nations

Shoulder surgery has ruled Wests Tigers duo Benji Marshall and Dene Halatau out of the Tri Nations rugby league series and the World Club Challenge.

Tigers chief executive Steve Noyce says the pair has been booked for shoulder surgery early next week and won't be available for New Zealand selection in the Tri Nations series against Australia and Great Britain.

Both will endure a six-month recuperation, ruling them out of the international series and the Tigers' World Club Challenge game against the English champions. Marshall and Halatau were last night named in a 40-man Kiwi squad that included players for the Tri Nations opener against Australia on October 15 as well as the New Zealand A team.

New Zealand A plays the Junior Kangaroos in the curtain raiser for the Tri Nations opener at Sydney's Telstra Stadium on Saturday.