James Fisher-Harris will lead the Kiwis for the 14th consecutive time when they face the Kangaroos in Sunday’s Rugby League World Cup final at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane (6.35pm kick-off local time; 9.35pm NZT).
After a season in which he was named the Dally M NRL captain of the year after his efforts with the One New Zealand Warriors, the 30-year-old will be leading from the front again in what is the biggest match of his career since succeeding Jesse Bromwich as Kiwi captain in 2023.
His ascension to the role has coincided with a rich era for the Kiwis.
Coming out of the Covid wasteland, the Kiwis have made telling inroads on the world stage through the quality of their performances and the players’ passion for the jersey.
They have won the Pacific Championships final twice, beating Australia 30-0 in 2023 and Toa Samoa 36-14 last year.
Now they have surged into the World Cup final for the fifth time in history (all against Australia) after losing in 1988 and 2000, winning the title for the first and only time so far in 2008 and succumbing in 2013.
In this tournament the Kiwis were widely regarded as the best side on the night when they lost to the Kangaroos on October 15 before piling on the points beating the Cook Islands 82-16, Fiji 78-0 and Tonga 34-10 in last Saturday’s semifinal in Newcastle.
Alongside Fisher-Harris for the final will be fellow Warriors Te Maire Martin, Erin Clark and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, all named on the six-man bench.
Nicoll-Klokstad has been replaced by regular left winger Ronaldo Mulitalo who returns after missing the semifinal win over Tonga serving a one-match ban for a high tackle charge following the 78-0 victory over the Fiji Bati in Robina.
Nicoll-Klokstad filled in impressively against the Tongans scoring a try and making a game-high 216 metres.
Loose forward Joseph Tapine, who debuted as Kiwi #800 in 2016, will make his 30th Test appearance in a familiar pack again including second rowers Isaiah Papali’i and Briton Nikora and props Fisher-Harris and Moses Leota.
Winger Jamayne Isaako is on the cusp of claiming the New Zealand record for most Test points. His five goals against Tonga lifted his career points tally to 225 level with Shaun Johnson.
The Christchurch-born sharpshooter reached the target in just 18 Tests while Johnson played 35 internationals.
Isaako’s total has rocketed up during the World Cup with hauls of 10 points against Australia, a New Zealand record 38 against the Cook Islands, 26 against Fiji and 10 against Tonga for a tally of 84 points with a goalkicking success rate of just on 95 per cent. He has also twice kicked a New Zealand Test record 13 goals against the Cooks and Fiji topping the previous best of 12 set by Tasesa Lavea in 2000.
Centre Casey McLean (20) goes into the final with 16 tries in just eight Tests including eight in four games in the tournament so far.
