BENJI AND SJ REUNITED IN KIWIS HALVES
Veteran Benji Marshall will officially end a seven-year Kiwis hiatus on Saturday, lining up in the halves alongside Shaun Johnson for the first time since the latter’s 2012 Test debut. Warriors trio Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Ken Maumalo and Leeson Ah Mau – who becomes the club’s 69th New Zealand international – have also been named in coach Michael Maguire’s match-day 17, with Kieran Foran and Zane Tetavano the players to miss out.
Via NZRL Media
Benji Marshall and Shaun Johnson have been listed as the starting halves combination for the New Zealand Kiwis’ Oceania Cup Test against Mate Ma’a Tonga at Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland on Saturday, June 22 (5.40pm kick-off).
Head coach Michael Maguire has named Marshall (34) in the No 7 jersey for his 28th Test, seven years after his last. Johnson is listed in the No 6 jersey for his 30th international.
The Kiwis were required to submit their team tonight despite having just their first field session at Mount Smart Stadium today. Of the starting team used in the 34-0 third Test win over England in Leeds last November, four players are missing.
Captain Dallin Watene-Zelezniak has been named on the wing replacing Jamayne Isaako with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck at fullback in his first Test since the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.
Marshall replaces the unavailable Kodi Nikorima while debutant Briton Nikora and Kenny Bromwich – on the interchange in Leeds – come into the starting back row to replace the injured Kevin Proctor and Adam Blair.
The extended bench comprises Jahrome Hughes, Leeson Ah Mau, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, James Fisher-Harris, Zane Tetevano and Kieran Foran.
Kiwi Ferns coach Justin Morgan has also named his team to take on Fetu Samoa in the curtain-raiser on Saturday (3.10pm). It features debutantes Madison Bartlett and Kiana Takairangi.
The Kiwi Ferns also trained at Mount Smart Stadium today.
NEW ZEALAND KIWIS | v MATE MA’A TONGA
5.40pm, Saturday, June 22, 2019
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
Referee: Ben Cummins (Australia)
NEW ZEALAND KIWIS
1 ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK
(Vodafone Warriors) 2 KEN MAUMALO
(Vodafone Warriors) 3 ESAN MARSTERS
(Wests Tigers) 4 JOSEPH MANU
(Sydney Roosters) 5 DALLIN WATENE-ZELEZNIAK (c)
(Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs) 6 SHAUN JOHNSON
(Cronulla Sutherland Sharks) 7 BENJI MARSHALL
(Wests Tigers) 8 JESSE BROMWICH
(Melbourne Storm) 9 BRANDON SMITH
(Melbourne Storm) 10 JARED WAEREA-HARGREAVES
(Sydney Roosters) 11 KENNY BROMWICH
(Melbourne Storm) 12 BRITON NIKORA
(Cronulla Sutherland Sharks) 13 ISAAC LIU
(Sydney Roosters) Interchange: 14 JAHROME HUGHES
(Melbourne Storm) 15 LEESON AH MAU
(Vodafone Warriors) 16 NELSON ASOFA-SOLOMONA
(Melbourne Storm) 17 JAMES FISHER-HARRIS
(Penrith Panthers) 18 ZANE TETEVANO
(Sydney Roosters) 19 KIERAN FORAN
(Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs)
HEAD COACH | MICHAEL MAGUIRE
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NEW ZEALAND KIWIS | v MATE MA’A TONGA
Player Club Kiwi No Tests for NZ LEESON AH MAU Vodafone Warriors 812 5 NELSON ASOFA-SOLOMONA Melbourne Storm 804 5 JESSE BROMWICH Melbourne Storm 775 28 KENNEATH BROMWICH Melbourne Storm 796 7 JAMES FISHER-HARRIS Penrith Panthers 801 5 KIERAN FORAN Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs 757 21 JAHROME HUGHES Melbourne Storm – – SHAUN JOHNSON Cronulla Sutherland Sharks 774 29 ISAAC LIU Sydney Roosters 805 7 JOSEPH MANU Sydney Roosters 815 4 BENJI MARSHALL Wests Tigers 717 27 ESAN MARSTERS Wests Tigers 809 5 KEN MAUMALO Vodafone Warriors 810 5 BRITON NIKORA Cronulla Sutherland Sharks – – BRANDON SMITH Melbourne Storm 816 4 ZANE TETEVANO Sydney Roosters – – ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK Vodafone Warriors 779 16 JARED WAEREA-HARGREAVES Sydney Roosters 755 28 DALLIN WATENE-ZELEZNIAK Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs 794 11
KIWI FERNS v FETU SAMOA
3.10pm, Saturday, June 22, 2019
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
Referee: Paki Parkinson (New Zealand)
1 APII NICHOLLS 2 MADISON BARTLETT 3 HONEY HIREME (c) 4 KIANA TAKAIRANGI 5 HILDA MARIU 6 RAQUEL ANDERSON-PITMAN 7 RAECENE McGREGOR 8 ANNETTA-CLAUDIA NUUAUSALA 9 KRYSTAL ROTA 10 AEISHALEIGH SMALLEY 11 KATHLEEN WHARTON 12 TEUILA FOTU-MOALA 13 GEORGIA HALE 14 NITA MAYNARD 15 AMBER PARIS HALL 16 AMBER KANI 17 CRYSTAL TAMARUA 18 CHARNTAY POKO 19 JULES NEWMAN
HEAD COACH | JUSTIN MORGAN
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