Kiwis Axe Stars From World Cup

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David Kidwell Photo: Getty Images

New Zealand coach David Kidwell has ruled captain Jesse Bromwich and Kevin Proctor out of this year's World Cup following their drugs scandal last weekend.

The international ban is the latest blow for the Kiwis after the pair were accused of consuming an illegal substance after their Test loss to Australia in Canberra on Friday.

Bromwich was already punished with a two-game ban by NRL club Melbourne, and was also forced to donate his Test match fee to charity and stood down from the leadership group.

Proctor has yet to face sanction from Gold Coast, however has already stepped down from playing duties and the captaincy of the NRL side.

Jesse Bromwich Photo: Getty Images

An emotional Kidwell said both players - who stand to lose $120,000 each from a maximum six games at the World Cup - had broken his trust.

"It's something that had been churned out in my guts. I was really gutted," Kidwell said in Sydney on Monday.

"But I had to look at the integrity of the jersey, the values that we're trying to build here. And they broke that trust, and they put the integrity of that jersey on the line."

"They were the first two people I rang as soon as I come to this decision and obviously they were remorseful, but they understood the decision and they accepted to it."

Kevin Proctor Photo: Getty Images

Kidwell, who has now won just one from seven games since taking over last year, was non-committal on whether the duo would be considered for the Kiwis under his watch.

"They're out of this campaign, it's clear," he said.

"But I'll be working closely and monitoring closely with their clubs to see if they are doing that their clubs require of them, that the NRL require of them, and the Kiwis require of them."

He also said there would be a review of the team's rules whilst in camp for the World Cup - to be held across Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea - including a possible curfew.

Titans chief executive Graham Annesley on Sunday said he would reach out to the governing body over why there wasn't stricter supervision of players whilst on representative duties.

"These are grown men, they were professionals," he said.

"I trust these guys, I'm not going to begrudge them from having a beer with their friends and family. We set an early recovery session on there and they know they were professionals.

"We have to review (supervision) , and we're going through that process at the moment."

A Canberra man is facing charges for supplying the players and while Bromwich and Proctor said they were too drunk to remember the incident, they could not deny the allegations.

Neither are expected to face police charges.

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8 May 2017




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