Newcastle front rower Leo Thompson returns to the international stage in the only change to the New Zealand Kiwis for their must-win Pacific Championships encounter with Tonga at Go Media Stadium on November 2 (8.05pm kick-off).
The 24-year-old Gisborne-born Thompson, outstanding off the bench in all three Tests in last year’s title-winning campaign, is named on the interchange.
He was forced to watch on from the sideline on Sunday as he served a one-match ban for a careless high tackle charge in the Knights’ final game of the NRL season.
Thompson comes into the lineup for Brisbane Broncos second rower Jordan Riki, who became Kiwi #840 when he debuted in the Kiwis’ 10-22 loss to the Kangaroos in his Christchurch home town.
The starting pack shows a positional swap with Sydney Roosters prop Naufahu Whyte this week listed to run on at loose forward and Canberra’s Joseph Tapine named in the front row after being selected in jersey #13 against Australia.
The imposing Auckland-born Whyte was impressive on his Test debut last week.
After being included on the bench, he was switched to start at prop where he had a 32-minute opening shift and another 10 minutes late in the match, finishing with 147 metres from 15 runs, 65 post-contact metres – the best of any forward on the field – five tackle breaks, three off loads and 29 tackles with no misses and no ineffective tackles.
Tapine played 52 minutes in total making 148 metres from 16 runs and 36 tackles while captain James Fisher-Harris was used for 67 minutes finishing with 121 metres from 16 runs and a perfect defensive effort (38 tackles, no misses).
Debutant hooker Phoenix Crossland and second rower Scott Sorensen had heavy defensive workloads with 48 tackles and 45 tackles while interchange prop Griffin Neame and second rower Isaiah Papali’i both made 31 tackles.
Of the backs fullback Keano Kini excelled in his first Test with a game-high 254 metres from 26 runs while winger Will Warbrick (182), centre Matt Timoko (173), winger Jamayne Isaako (121) and halfback Shaun Johnson (107) all topped 100 metres.
While the Kangaroos came into the match with a game behind them, the Kiwis had no such benefit but were still ahead in most key measures with a better completion rate (86%-79%), more metres (1814-1707), post-contact metres 597-463), tackle breaks (36-32) and more average metres per set plus fewer missed tackles and errors.
Now they must beat Tonga to reach the Pacific Championships final in Sydney after the Tongans went down 0-18 to Australia in the first round. In seven previous clashes, the Kiwis have beaten Tonga six times and lost once taking out the last two at Go Media Stadium (34-14 in 2019 and 26-6 in 2022).
Tonga have made just the one change, with Sydney Roosters forward Siua Wong added to the bench in place of Keaon Koloamatangi, who has left the squad to be with his partner, who is due to give birth.
Wong will make his second Test appearance for Tonga after debuting last year against England in Leeds.
The rest of Kristian Woolf's squad remains the same after a first-up loss to the Kangaroos in Brisbane, with Tolu Koula listed as 18th man.
