Head coach Michael Maguire has confirmed 20-year-old back rower Isaiah Papali’i will debut for the Kiwis in the third Test against England at Elland Road in Leeds on Remembrance Day on Sunday (3.15pm kick-off local time; 4.15am Monday NZT).

After initially indicating he would name his final line-up an hour and a half before kick-off, Maguire has revealed Papali’i will become Kiwi No 817 coming off the interchange in the New Zealanders’ final outing of the year.

Named the Vodafone Warriors’ 2018 NRL Rookie of the Year, Papali’i captained the Junior Kiwis against the Junior Kangaroos in Auckland last month. He comes onto a bench which also includes utility forward Kenny Bromwich, front rower Leeson Ah Mau and second rower Joseph Tapine. Tapine returns to the line-up after being used in the first Test in Hull while Marty Taupau and James Fisher-Harris make way.

The other change to the line-up sees Jamayne Isaako re-introduced on the right wing to replace the experienced Jordan Rapana, who has returned to Australia after being ruled out of the tour with a shoulder injury. Isaako, the Dally M NRL Rookie of the Year, will make his second Test appearance after his debut against England in Denver.

Maguire has included three players in his extended squad with Jahrome Hughes and Fisher-Harris joined by Vodafone Warriors utility back Gerard Beale, whose last Test was in the Kiwis’ opening match of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup against Toa Samoa.

The 32-year-old Adam Blair will edge closer to becoming just the eighth player in history to play 50 or more Tests when he makes his 48th appearance on Sunday.

The build-up to the Test will centre on a Remembrance Day commemoration marking the centenary of the end of the First World War.

 

NEW ZEALAND KIWIS v ENGLAND

 

3.15pm, Sunday, November 11, 2018

Elland Road, Leeds

Referee: Gerard Sutton (Australia)

 

NEW ZEALAND KIWIS

 

1 DALLIN WATENE-ZELEZNIAK (Penrith Panthers) captain

2 KEN MAUMALO (Vodafone Warriors)

3 ESAN MARSTERS (Wests Tigers)

4 JOSEPH MANU (Sydney Roosters)

5 JAMAYNE ISAAKO (Brisbane Broncos)

6 SHAUN JOHNSON (Vodafone Warriors)

7 KODI NIKORIMA (Brisbane Broncos)

8 JESSE BROMWICH (Melbourne Storm)

9 BRANDON SMITH (Melbourne Storm)

10 JARED WAEREA-HARGREAVES (Sydney Roosters)

11 KEVIN PROCTOR (Gold Coast Titans)

12 ISAAC LIU (Sydney Roosters)

13 ADAM BLAIR (Vodafone Warriors)

Interchange:

14 KENNY BROMWICH (Melbourne Storm)

15 LEESON AH MAU (St George Illawarra Dragons)

16 ISAIAH PAPALI’I (Vodafone Warriors)

17 JOSEPH TAPINE (Canberra Raiders)

 

Extended squad:

18 JAHROME HUGHES (Melbourne Storm)

19 JAMES FISHER-HARRIS (Penrith Panthers)

20 GERARD BEALE (Vodafone Warriors)

 

HEAD COACH | MICHAEL MAGUIRE

 

 

NEW ZEALAND KIWIS | END OF SEASON CAMPAIGN

(includes first Test v England, KCOM Stadium, Hull)

 

Player Club Kiwi No Tests for NZ
LEESON AH MAU St George Illawarra Dragons 812 4
GERARD BEALE Vodafone Warriors 767 11
ADAM BLAIR Vodafone Warriors 732 47
JESSE BROMWICH Melbourne Storm 775 27
KENNEATH BROMWICH Melbourne Storm 796 6
JAMES FISHER-HARRIS Penrith Panthers 801 5
PETA HIKU Vodafone Warriors 781 11
JAHROME HUGHES Melbourne Storm
JAMAYNE ISAAKO Brisbane Broncos 808 1
SHAUN JOHNSON Vodafone Warriors 774 28
ISAAC LIU Sydney Roosters 805 6
JOSEPH MANU Sydney Roosters 815 3
ESAN MARSTERS Wests Tigers 809 4
KEN MAUMALO Vodafone Warriors 810 4
KODI NIKORIMA Brisbane Broncos 790 12
AGNATIUS PAASI Vodafone Warriors
ISAIAH PAPALI’I Vodafone Warriors
KEVIN PROCTOR Gold Coast Titans 771 20
JORDAN RAPANA Canberra Raiders 798 11
BRANDON SMITH Melbourne Storm 816 3
JOSEPH TAPINE Canberra Raiders 800 9
MARTIN TAUPAU Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 785 24
JARED WAEREA-HARGREAVES Sydney Roosters 755 27
DALLIN WATENE-ZELEZNIAK Penrith Panthers 794 10

 

 

PROGRAMME

Saturday, October 13 | v Australia, Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland | Won 26-24

Saturday, October 27 | v England, KCOM Stadium, Hull | Lost 16-18

Sunday, November 4 | v England, Anfield, Liverpool | Lost 14-20

Saturday, November 11 | v England, Elland Road, Leeds