Vodafone Warriors Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Shaun Johnson and Simon Mannering plus new signings Adam Blair and Gerard Beale have all been included in the Kiwis’ line-up for their opening Rugby League World Cup clash against Toa Samoa at Mount Smart Stadium on Saturday (8.10pm kick-off).
Tuivasa-Sheck will start at fullback while Beale is in the centres inside left wing Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Johnson is paired in the halves with Kodi Nikorima.
Kiwi captain Blair, playing his 42nd Test, starts in the front row with Marty Taupau while Mannering is at loose forward for his 43rd Test.
Named to make his Kiwi debut is centre Brad Takairangi with Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Isaac Liu and Danny Levi set for their New Zealand Test debuts from the bench.
Also included on the extended bench are Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, new Vodafone Warriors signing Peta Hiku, Te Maire Martin and Addin Fonua-Blake.
The other three players in the New Zealand squad are Jason Nightingale, Elijah Taylor and Dean Whare.
RLWC2017 | NEW ZEALAND KIWI v TOA SAMOA
8.10pm, Saturday, October 28
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
NEW ZEALAND KIWIS
(Kiwi numbers in brackets)
1 ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK (#779)
2 DALLIN WATENE-ZELEZNIAK (#794)
3 GERARD BEALE (#767)
4 BRAD TAKAIRANGI (Debut)
5 JORDAN RAPANA (#798)
6 KODI NIKORIMA (#793)
7 SHAUN JOHNSON (#774)
8 MARTY TAUPAU (#785)
9 THOMAS LEULUAI (#704)
10 ADAM BLAIR (c) (#732)
11 KENNY BROMWICH (#796)
12 JOSEPH TAPINE (#800)
13 SIMON MANNERING (#731)
Interchange:
14 NELSON ASOFA-SOLOMONA (Debut)
15 RUSSELL PACKER (#768)
16 ISAAC LIU (Debut)
17 DANNY LEVI (Debut)
18 JARED WAEREA-HARGREAVES (#755)
19 PETA HIKU (#781)
20 TE MAIRE MARTIN (#802)
21 ADDIN FONUA-BLAKE (Debut)
HEAD COACH | DAVID KIDWELL
BUY TICKETS NOW | KIWIS v TOA SAMOA, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, MOUNT SMART STADIUM (8.10PM)
