One New Zealand Warriors centre Stacey Waaka will aim to keep her hot scoring streak going in the Kiwi Ferns’ final Rugby League World Cup pool game against Papua New Guinea at Cbus Super Stadium in Robina on Saturday.
After scoring nine tries in 10 NRLW appearances this year, she grabbed a hat-trick in the Ferns’ record 92-0 win over France in Christchurch on Sunday to give her five tries in her first two Tests.
Waaka is one of four One New Zealand Warriors players named to face the Orchids alongside fullback Apii Nicholls – who’ll be playing her 21st international – second rower Kaiyah Atai and interchange prop Ivana Lauitiiti.
The Kiwi Ferns have already sealed their place in the semi-finals following their wins over Fiji and France, in the processing scoring 110 points with only 10 against.
They face a Papua New Guinea side coming off a 4-40 loss to Fiji after winning its first match 58-4 against France.
Head coach Ricky Henry has swapped some players this week bringing in Leianne Tufuga on the wing and Abigail Roache at centre with Shannon Mato back at prop.
NZ KIWI FERNS v PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Cbus Super Stadium, Robina
4.45pm, Saturday, October 31, 2026
1 Apii Nicholls
2 Leianne Tufuga
3 Abigail Roache
4 Stacey Waaka
5 Mackenzie Wiki
6 Zahara Temara
7 Raecene McGregor (c)
8 Alexis Tauaneai
9 Georgia Hale (c)
10 Shannon Mato
11 Shaniece Monchau
12 Kaiyah Atai
13 Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa
14 Ashleigh Quinlan
15 Otesa Pule
16 Brooke Anderson
17 Ivana Lauitiiti
18 Tenika Willison
19 Brianna Clark
20 Chantay Kiria-Ratu
21 Trinity Tauaneai
22 Annessa Biddle
