You have skipped the navigation, tab for page content

New Vodafone Warriors signing Peta Hiku selection is among a host of changes head coach David Kidwell has made for the Kiwis' second RLWC2017 pool match against Scotland at AMI Stadium in Christchurch on Saturday (5.00pm kick-off).

Hiku comes onto the wing as one of seven changes to the playing 17 used in Saturday's 38-8 win against Toa Samoa in Auckland.

Both wings who lined up against Samoa - Jordan Rapana and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak - are sitting it out this week although they're both included on the extended eight-man bench.

Also missing are standoff Kodi Nikorima, injured centre Gerard Beale, hooker Thomas Leuluai, back rower Simon Mannering and debutant interchange forward Issac Liu.

Hiku is joined by veteran Jason Nightingale as the starting wings, Dean Whare comes into the centres and Te Maire Martin partners Shaun Johnson in the halves. In the forwards Elijah Taylor replaces Leuluai as the starting hooker and Kenny Bromwich is in the second row after being named to face Samoa before being ruled out with injury. The only change among the four interchange players is Manly prop Addin Fonua-Blake, who comes in for Liu to make his debut.

It means all 24 players in the squad are set to make at least one appearance in the Kiwis' first two matches before they face Mate Ma'a Tonga in Hamilton on November 11.

Fonua-Blake's inclusion means yet another 2014 Junior Kiwi has graduated to play for New Zealand at Test level. He was in the side which beat the Junior Kangaroos 15-14 at Mount Smart Stadium along with Martin, Nikorima, Joseph Tapine, Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Danny Levi.

The players not included in the 21-man extended squad are Liu and Nikorima along with the injured Beale.

The Bravehearts famously held the Kiwis to an 18-18 draw when the two sides met in the Four Nations in Workington last year. 

 

RLWC2017 | NEW ZEALAND KIWIS v SCOTLAND BRAVEHEARTS

5.00pm, Saturday, November 4

AMI Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland

 

NEW ZEALAND KIWIS

(Kiwi numbers in brackets)            

1            ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK (#779) 13 Tests

2            JASON NIGHTINGALE (#747) 32 Tests

3            DEAN WHARE (#776) 16 Tests

4            BRAD TAKAIRANGI (#803) 1 Test

5            PETA HIKU (#781) 9 Tests

6            TE MAIRE MARTIN (#802) 1 Test

7            SHAUN JOHNSON (#774) 22 Tests

8            MARTIN TAUPAU (#785) 17 Tests

9            ELIJAH TAYLOR (#770) 10 Tests

10          JARED WAEREA-HARGREAVES (#755) 20 Tests

11          KENNY BROMWICH (#796) 2 Tests

12          JOSEPH TAPINE (#800) 3 Tests

13          ADAM BLAIR (#732) 42 Tests (c)

Interchange:

14          NELSON ASOFA-SOLOMONA (804) 1 Test

15          RUSSELL PACKER (#768) 4 Tests

16          ADDIN FONUA-BLAKE (Debut)

17          DANNY LEVI (#806) 1 Test

18          THOMAS LEULUAI (#704) 39 Tests

19          DALLIN WATENE-ZELEZNIAK (#794) 4 Tests

20          SIMON MANNERING (#731) 43 Tests

21          JORDAN RAPANA (#798) 6 Tests

HEAD COACH | DAVID KIDWELL

BUY TICKETS NOW | RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP 2017
Acknowledgement of Country

The New Zealand Warriors honour the mana of the Indigenous peoples of Aotearoa, Australia and the Pacific. We acknowledge the traditional kaitiaki of the lands, elders past and present, their stories, their traditions, their mamae and their mana motuhake.

Principal Partner

Major Partners

Official Sponsors

View All Partners