October 28 at Mt Smart

Kiwis Coach David Kidwell has named an attacking line up to tackle Samoa in their opening Rugby League World Cup match at Mt Smart on Saturday October 28.

The mix of youth and enthusiasm as well as experience in Kidwell’s side is displayed with the fact the Kiwis will cap player #804 during the match, whilst Kiwi #704 Thomas Leuluai will start at hooker.

Brad Takairangi will become Kiwi #803 earning his first start in the centres alongside Gerard Beale while Kodi Nikorima will partner Shaun Johnson in the halves.

Martin Taupau will be joined in the front row by skipper Adam Blair with the back row made up of Simon Mannering, Joseph Tapine and Kenny Bromwich.

Russell Packer who will provide a further spark off the bench along with Danny Levi, Isaac Liu and Nelson Asofa-Solomona will also earn their first Kiwis cap.

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves is named in 18 with Peta Hiku in 19, Te Maire Martin 20 and Addin Fonua-Blake in 21.

NEW ZEALAND v SAMOA
MOUNT SMART STADIUM
AUCKLAND
Saturday 28 October 2017

KIWI NO. JERSEY NO. NAME TEST APPEARANCES
779 1 ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK 12
794 2 DALLIN WATENE-ZELEZNIAK 3
767 3 GERARD BEALE 10
* 4 BRAD TAKAIRANGI –
798 5 JORDAN RAPANA 5
793 6 KODI NIKORIMA 5
774 7 SHAUN JOHNSON 21
785 8 MARTY TAUPAU 16
704 9 THOMAS LEULUAI 38
732 10 ADAM BLAIR (C) 41
796 11 KENNY BROMWICH 2
800 12 JOSEPH TAPINE 2
731 13 SIMON MANNERING 42
* 14 NELSON ASOFA-SOLOMONA –
768 15 RUSSELL PACKER 3
* 16 ISAAC LIU –
* 17 DANNY LEVI –
755 18 JARED WAEREA-HARGREAVES 19
781 19 PETA HIKU 9
802 20 TE MAIRE MARTIN 1
* 21 ADDIN FONUA-BLAKE –