Duo will feature for Kiwis
Leeds and Wigan have lost their tug of war with New Zealand over the release of players for next week's centenary Test in Sydney.
The Rugby League International Federation ruled that Leeds full-back Brent Webb and Wigan scrum-half Thomas Leuluai must be allowed to play for the Kiwis against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Both Super League clubs initially refused to release their players because the international clashes with the fifth round of the Carnegie Challenge Cup.
Leeds play fellow Super League club Harlequins on Sunday week, while Wigan meet Whitehaven a day later.
New Zealand escalated the row when coach Stephen Kearney named both players in his team and insisted that he expected them to arrive in camp on Monday evening.
The RFL tried to persuade the International Federation to make an exception to the rule but overnight, RLIF chairman Colin Love, in a telephone link-up with RFL chairman Richard Lewis and RLIF secretary David Gallop, rejected the plea.
The executive ruled in favour of New Zealand, stating the clubs had not proved under RLIF rules that the players should not be made available to play for their country.
As such, if Webb and Leuluai do not travel to Australia, they will not be permitted to play for their clubs within five days of the Test.
