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Tongue-tied Meninga can’t pronounce own player’s name

Mal Meninga must have been kicking himself when he realised he had to read out Sione Mata'utia’s name during an NRL All Stars media conference on Wednesday.

The Knights flyer was named in Meninga’s World All Stars team to take on Laurie Daley’s Indigenous All Stars in Newcastle on February 17.

Although the selection will no doubt excite Meninga when he sees Mata'utia in action on the football field, it presented the Kangaroos mentor with a sizeable headache when it came time to try and pronounce the youngster’s name.

Meninga breezed through the first two names of the players on his bench but after referring to him as Sione ‘Mata-tower’ and ‘Mar-tittier,’ the coach admitted he had no idea how to say it.

Hopefully for Mata'utia’s sake the World All Stars coach will come up with a nickname for him that’s a little easier to get his tongue around.

World All Stars: Jarryd Hayne, David Mead, Joseph Leilua, Konrad Hurrell, Nene Macdonald, Mitchell Moses, Adam Reynolds, Nate Myles, Jake Friend, Jordan McLean, Gavin Cooper, Bryce Cartwright, Jake Trbojevic. Interchange: Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Sosaia Feki, Sione Mata'utia, Sam Lisone, Moses Mbye, Tepai Moeroa, Jordan Turner.

Indigenous All Stars: Jack Wighton, Blake Ferguson, Greg Inglis, Will Chambers, Dane Gagai, Johnathan Thurston, Ash Taylor, Ryan James, Nathan Peats, Andrew Fifita, Joel Thompson, Wade Graham, Sam Thaiday. Interchange: Tyrone Peachey, Jack Bird, Leilani Latu, Latrell Mitchell, Aidan Sezer, Kyle Turner, Adam Elliott.