Petero Civoniceva is ready to do something he has never done before - play for his country feeling totally refreshed.

The Fiji born Australian prop will enter the World Cup in peak physical fitness, because for the first time ever he has had a break between NRL competition and Test duty.

Penrith's late season demise might have cost the Panthers a place in the NRL finals, but it afforded 32-year-old Civoniceva his first break from football since he starting pulling on rep jumpers way back in 2001.

Over the past eight years Civoniceva has played 236 games - 183 NRL, 31 Tests and 23 origins - at an average of 29.5 games per season.

He has been named in the Australian Kangaroos starting line-up for their opening Rugby League World Cup match against New Zealand on Sunday.