Kiwis name Hiku, eight debutants for Pacific Championships

Veteran centre Peta Hiku will fly from England to join eight debutants in the New Zealand Kiwis’ 21-man squad for their Pacific Championships campaign against the Kangaroos and Tonga this month.

The 31-year-old former Warrior Hiku has been in outstanding form in his first season with Hull Kingston Rovers in the Super League, helping the club to a 10-8 win over Warrington last Friday to clinch a spot in the grand final at Old Trafford for the first time this Saturday.

After last playing for the Kiwis in their semifinal loss to Australia at the 2022 Rugby League World Cup, Hiku becomes the first Super League player selected for New Zealand since Thomas Leuluai was brought back home from Wigan for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.

First a Kiwi 10 years ago in 2014, he boasts 17 Test appearances in a squad which has eight players in line to make their international debuts during the competition.

Brisbane second rower Jordan Riki, Gold Coast utility forward Erin Clark, his Titans teammate and fullback Keano Kini, Melbourne winger Will Warbrick and Roosters middle forward Naufahu Whyte have been in camp with the Kiwis over the last two years without making their Test debuts.

In the group for the first time are Newcastle hooker Phoenix Crossland, Penrith centre Casey McLean and his Panthers teammate and hooker Trent Toelau.

“While we’ve had a number of players ruled out through injury or unavailability, it’s a hugely exciting opportunity having the Kiwis playing at home in front of our fans again,” said new Kiwis head coach Stacey Jones of his first squad since taking on the job.

“We’ve still got a solid core of last year’s squad but, the way I see it, it’s a fantastic chance for us to build the group to provide lots of options and depth for following campaigns.”

Current Golden Boot winner James Fisher-Harris, fresh from an extraordinary fourth consecutive NRL grand final win with Penrith on Sunday, will again captain the side after leading the Kiwis to their record 30-0 win over Australia in last year’s Pacific Championships final in Hamilton.

Also named from that line-up are Warriors fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Dolphins winger Jamayne Isaako, Raiders centre Matt Timoko, Dally M Medal-winning Storm halfback Jahrome Hughes, back rowers Isaiah Papali’i (Wests Tigers) and Joseph Tapine (Raiders) plus bench forwards Leo Thompson (Knights) and Griffin Neame (Cowboys).

As well as Hiku, other 2022 World Cup players returning are Penrith’s four-times NRL premiership-winning back rower Scott Sorensen and Warriors second rower Marata Niukore plus Dolphins utility Kodi Nikorima, who last played for the New Zealand side in the 2019 home series against Great Britain.

The Kiwis start their campaign against the Kangaroos at Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch on October 27, the first time the Trans-Tasman rivals have squared off in the South Island centre since the opening Test of the 1989 series.

The New Zealanders then travel to Auckland to face Tonga at Go Media Stadium on November 2 before the competition moves to CommBank Stadium in Sydney for the finals on November 10.

The Pacific Championships start with the Kangaroos meeting Tonga in Brisbane on October 18.

• Players ruled out through injury were Ronaldo Mulitalo (knee), Dylan Brown (knee), Kieran Foran (ankle), Moses Leota (shoulder), Brandon Smith (knee), Jeremy Marshall-King (knee), Briton Nikora (ankle), Kayal Iro (hamstring), Te Maire Martin (neck).
• Suspended: Nelson Asofa-Solomona.
• Rugby union: Joseph Manu.

2024 PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS NEW ZEALAND KIWIS