SEVEN TO DEBUT FOR KIWIS IN DENVER
Via NZRL
Head Coach Michael Maguire has confirmed the seven players chosen in the squad to travel to Denver will all make their Test debuts for the Kiwis in the international against England at Mile High Stadium on Saturday.
In a match which will also mark his international initiation, Maguire will use three new faces in the backline, one in the starting pack and three on the interchange.
Warriors wing Ken Maumalo teams up on the left edge with experienced club-mate Peta Hiku while Esan Marsters (Wests Tigers) and Jamayne Isaako (Brisbane Broncos) are paired on the right edge.
Greymouth-raised hooker Slade Griffin (Newcastle Knights), props Leeson Ah Mau (St George Illawarra) and Herman Ese’ese (Newcastle Knights) plus back rower James Fisher-Harris (Penrith Panthers) make up the bench.
Maguire has named Jared Waerea Hargreaves (Sydney Roosters) and Nelson Asofa-Solomona (Melbourne Storm) as his starting props with Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles middle forward Marty Taupau starting at loose forward.
Ah Mau, Maumalo, Ese’ese and Faitala-Mariner have all previously played at Test level for Toa Samoa while Marsters has represented Cook Islands.
Your Kiwis to face England this weekend
Sunday 24 June (8am NZT)
Sports Authority Field, Denver, CO. #DenverTest #TeIwiKiwi— NZ Rugby League (@NZRL_Kiwis) June 21, 2018
NEW ZEALAND KIWIS v ENGLAND
Mile High Stadium, Denver
2.00pm, Saturday, June 23, 2018
No Player Club Kiwi No Tests 1 DALLIN WATENE-ZELEZNIAK Penrith 794 6 2 JAMAYNE ISAAKO Brisbane – – 3 ESAN MARSTERS Wests Tigers – – 4 PETA HIKU Warriors 781 10 5 KEN MAUMALO Warriors – – 6 TE MAIRE MARTIN North Queensland 802 3 7 KODI NIKORIMA Brisbane 790 8 8 JARED WAEREA-HARGREAVES Sydney Roosters 755 23 9 ISSAC LUKE Warriors 749 42 10 NELSON ASOFA-SOLOMONA Melbourne 804 4 15 RAY FAITALA-MARINER Canterbury-Bankstown – – 12 JOSEPH TAPINE Canberra 800 7 13 MARTIN TAUPAU Manly-Warringah 785 20 Interchange 11 JAMES FISHER-HARRIS Penrith 801 1 14 SLADE GRIFFIN Newcastle – – 16 HERMAN ESE’ESE Newcastle – – 17 LEESON AH MAU St George Illawarra – – 18 JORDAN KAHU Brisbane 788 9 19 ISAAC LIU Sydney Roosters 805 3
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