Isaiah
Papali'i
Warriors back-rower Isaiah Papali’i was barely out of his teens when he was handed his first New Zealand Test cap, while he became recognised as one of the NRL's best forwards after switching to Parramatta.
The son of long-serving Kiwi Ferns rep Lorina Papali’i, Isaiah was a rugby union and rugby league star while attending Mount Albert Grammar School. He chose the 13-a-side code, debuting for the Warriors’ NYC side and the Junior Kiwis in 2016 while still only 17 years of age. Papali’i would go on to represent the Junior Kiwis again in 2017-18.
The 18-year-old received a surprise interchange call-up from incoming coach Stephen Kearney for the Warriors’ season-opening NRL clash with Newcastle in 2017. He returned to first grade for four late-season appearances off the bench.
Forging a regular second-row berth for the finals-bound Warriors in 2018, Papali’i played for Samoa in the mid-season Pacific Test against Tonga – but there were many more highlights to come. Mum Lorina featured for the Warriors’ women’s team in their historic NRLW encounter with Sydney Roosters at ANZ Stadium – just before Isaiah turned out for the club in its finals exit at the hands of Penrith at the same ground, his 20th appearance of the season.
Less than a month after captaining the Junior Kiwis against the Junior Kangaroos, he followed in Lorina’s footsteps by coming off the bench in New Zealand’s 34-0 win over England in the third Test at Leeds. Papali’i had the honour of kicking a late conversion on debut in the one-sided encounter.
Lorina and Isaiah are New Zealand’s only mother-son combination to represent the Kiwi Ferns and Kiwis.
Papali’i missed just one game for the Warriors in a trying 2019 campaign. He was named in an extended Kiwis squads for the mid-season showdown with Tonga and the post-season schedule against Australia and Great Britain but was not called upon by New Zealand coach Michael Maguire for any of the four Tests.
After 15 appearances for the Warriors in 2020 – taking his NRL total to 63 games – Papali’i was released by the club and took up a two-year deal with Parramatta Eels.
The move rejuvenated the tyro’s career. In sensational form as soon as he pulled on the blue-and-gold jersey, Papali’i missed just one of fifth-placed Parramatta’s games, was named in the Dally M Team of the Year, received the VB Hard Earned Player of the Year award and the Ken Thornett Medal as the Eels’ official Player of the Year – as well as being widely regarded as the best buy of the 2021 season. Papali’i also doubled his NRL career tally with seven tries, and finished third in the competition for post-contact metres and sixth for tackle breaks.
Unsurprisingly, the 23-year-old earned a spot in the Kiwis’ wider squad for the 2022 World Cup, capping one of the great individual success stories of the rugby league year.
Signing a deal with Wests Tigers from 2023, Papali'i maintained his stratospheric level of form for the Eels in 2022 and was chosen as a starting second-rower for New Zealand's midyear showdown with Tonga. In his second Test appearance, Papali'i starred with a try, 90 metres and 35 tackles in the Kiwis' 26-6 victory at the Mt Smart Stadium venue he previously called home at club level.
The 24-year-old brought up 100 NRL appearances during 2022 and played a huge role in Parramatta's drive to its first grand final in 13 years. Following the Eels' loss to the Panthers in the big one, Papali'i set off on his first World Cup campaign with the Kiwis, where he featured in all five matches before their semi-final elimination at the hands of the Kangaroos.
Papali'i played all but one game of the struggling Tigers' 2023 campaign, providing stability in a difficult season for the club and maintaining a level of individual form to ensure a place in the Kiwis' Pacific Championship squad.
Starting in the second-row in all three matches, he scored a try and topped the Kiwis' tackle count in the opening win over Samoa, and was equally industrious in the 30-0 demolition of the Kangaroos in the final.
Papali'i brought up 150 NRL appearances in 2024 and was named in the squad for New Zealand's title defence ahead of a move to four-time premiers Penrith Panthers. He played all three Tests and was especially impressive in the one-point loss to Tonga on his old Mt Smart stomping ground, chalking up 41 tackles and 134 metres in an industrious display and scoring a try.
After his maiden season with the Penrith Panthers in 2025, Papali’i returned to the Kiwis for his third international campaign and impressed across all three Tests. He topped the tackle count with 44 in the opening match against Toa Samoa, was dominant against Tonga with two tries and two line breaks, and ran for 135 metres in the Grand Final.
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Isaiah
Papali'i
Warriors back-rower Isaiah Papali’i was barely out of his teens when he was handed his first New Zealand Test cap, while he became recognised as one of the NRL's best forwards after switching to Parramatta.
The son of long-serving Kiwi Ferns rep Lorina Papali’i, Isaiah was a rugby union and rugby league star while attending Mount Albert Grammar School. He chose the 13-a-side code, debuting for the Warriors’ NYC side and the Junior Kiwis in 2016 while still only 17 years of age. Papali’i would go on to represent the Junior Kiwis again in 2017-18.
The 18-year-old received a surprise interchange call-up from incoming coach Stephen Kearney for the Warriors’ season-opening NRL clash with Newcastle in 2017. He returned to first grade for four late-season appearances off the bench.
Forging a regular second-row berth for the finals-bound Warriors in 2018, Papali’i played for Samoa in the mid-season Pacific Test against Tonga – but there were many more highlights to come. Mum Lorina featured for the Warriors’ women’s team in their historic NRLW encounter with Sydney Roosters at ANZ Stadium – just before Isaiah turned out for the club in its finals exit at the hands of Penrith at the same ground, his 20th appearance of the season.
Less than a month after captaining the Junior Kiwis against the Junior Kangaroos, he followed in Lorina’s footsteps by coming off the bench in New Zealand’s 34-0 win over England in the third Test at Leeds. Papali’i had the honour of kicking a late conversion on debut in the one-sided encounter.
Lorina and Isaiah are New Zealand’s only mother-son combination to represent the Kiwi Ferns and Kiwis.
Papali’i missed just one game for the Warriors in a trying 2019 campaign. He was named in an extended Kiwis squads for the mid-season showdown with Tonga and the post-season schedule against Australia and Great Britain but was not called upon by New Zealand coach Michael Maguire for any of the four Tests.
After 15 appearances for the Warriors in 2020 – taking his NRL total to 63 games – Papali’i was released by the club and took up a two-year deal with Parramatta Eels.
The move rejuvenated the tyro’s career. In sensational form as soon as he pulled on the blue-and-gold jersey, Papali’i missed just one of fifth-placed Parramatta’s games, was named in the Dally M Team of the Year, received the VB Hard Earned Player of the Year award and the Ken Thornett Medal as the Eels’ official Player of the Year – as well as being widely regarded as the best buy of the 2021 season. Papali’i also doubled his NRL career tally with seven tries, and finished third in the competition for post-contact metres and sixth for tackle breaks.
Unsurprisingly, the 23-year-old earned a spot in the Kiwis’ wider squad for the 2022 World Cup, capping one of the great individual success stories of the rugby league year.
Signing a deal with Wests Tigers from 2023, Papali'i maintained his stratospheric level of form for the Eels in 2022 and was chosen as a starting second-rower for New Zealand's midyear showdown with Tonga. In his second Test appearance, Papali'i starred with a try, 90 metres and 35 tackles in the Kiwis' 26-6 victory at the Mt Smart Stadium venue he previously called home at club level.
The 24-year-old brought up 100 NRL appearances during 2022 and played a huge role in Parramatta's drive to its first grand final in 13 years. Following the Eels' loss to the Panthers in the big one, Papali'i set off on his first World Cup campaign with the Kiwis, where he featured in all five matches before their semi-final elimination at the hands of the Kangaroos.
Papali'i played all but one game of the struggling Tigers' 2023 campaign, providing stability in a difficult season for the club and maintaining a level of individual form to ensure a place in the Kiwis' Pacific Championship squad.
Starting in the second-row in all three matches, he scored a try and topped the Kiwis' tackle count in the opening win over Samoa, and was equally industrious in the 30-0 demolition of the Kangaroos in the final.
Papali'i brought up 150 NRL appearances in 2024 and was named in the squad for New Zealand's title defence ahead of a move to four-time premiers Penrith Panthers. He played all three Tests and was especially impressive in the one-point loss to Tonga on his old Mt Smart stomping ground, chalking up 41 tackles and 134 metres in an industrious display and scoring a try.
After his maiden season with the Penrith Panthers in 2025, Papali’i returned to the Kiwis for his third international campaign and impressed across all three Tests. He topped the tackle count with 44 in the opening match against Toa Samoa, was dominant against Tonga with two tries and two line breaks, and ran for 135 metres in the Grand Final.
PROFILE
Height M
182
WEIGHT KG
108
DOB
Sep 20, 1998
HIGHLIGHTS
Test matches
15
Test points
18
PENRITH PANTHERS (2025)
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‘Amazing for Christchurch’: Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns Embrace World Cup Homecoming
Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns players have welcomed the opportunity to play a double-header at Christchurch’s new indoor stadium during next year’s IRL Rugby League World Cup 2026.
The Kiwis will begin their World Cup campaign in a blockbuster tournament opener against Australia at Allianz Stadium on October 15, while the Kiwi Ferns meet Fiji Bulikula at Newcastle’s McDonald Jones Stadium on October 18.
Both New Zealand teams will then travel home to play their Round 2 matches at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch, which is due to open in April.
The Kiwis will host the Cook Islands, while the Kiwi Ferns take on France, in the 30,000 roofed stadium – a new experience for many of the players.
“That will be amazing to play a game in Christchurch, let alone in a World Cup,” star fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad said. “There will be a lot of excitement and a real buzz in the air in Christchurch.
“Everyone down there loves their rugby league so for us to play a World Cup game in Christchurch will be amazing. It is going to packed out with black-and-white fans, and everyone is going to get behind us.”
Recent matches in Christchurch involving the Kiwis or Warriors, including the 2024 Test double-header against Australia, have attracted capacity crowds at the 17,000 seat Apollo Projects Stadium.
Kiwis second-rower Isaiah Papali’i said that playing a pool match in Christchurch would be a boost for New Zealand’s World Cup campaign.
“Playing a game at home, in our country, is what every Kiwi looks forward to and I love playing down there,” Papali’i said.
“It is going to be in the new stadium, so I am looking forward to that. I have never played in an indoor stadium so it will be something different but just being at home is a big advantage, so I am looking forward to that game.”
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Both New Zealand teams will also feature in a Round 3 double-header at Cbus Stadium on the Gold Coast, with the Kiwis to meet Fiji Bati and the Kiwi Ferns playing the PNG Orchids.
Kiwi Ferns forward Alexis Tauaneai said she was excited about the chance to play against France in Christchurch, as well as the Bulikula and Orchids, ahead of the semi-finals and final.
"To play in the World Cup is on my bucket list," Tauaneai said. "I am looking forward to seeing all of the other countries, as well, to see how they go on the world stage.
"I reckon it will be very exciting and a different type of footy, especially with the way they play compared to how we play.
Prop Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa said the World Cup was an opportunity to showcase the development of women's rugby league and the talent and skill within the Kiwis Ferns squad.
"I think the game has already gone leaps and bounds and for us Kiwi Ferns we just want to put on a good product and show what we can do as a footy team," Teakaraanga-Katoa said.
"I know the girls have been building over the last couple of World Cup campaigns to win one so if we could do that it would be awesome."
See the Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns draws for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup here.
Kiwis claim Pacific Cup glory in Foran’s farewell
The New Zealand Kiwis have crowned their Pacific Championships campaign with a 36–14 victory over Toa Samoa at CommBank Stadium, delivering the perfect send-off for veteran playmaker Kieran Foran in his final Test match.
Trailing 14–6 at halftime, the Kiwis stormed home with 30 unanswered points in a dominant second half. Foran was instrumental in the comeback, combining brilliantly with Dylan Brown, who produced a standout performance featuring three try assists, 10 tackle breaks and 181 running metres.
Isaiah Papali’i crossed for two tries, while Casey McLean, Erin Clark, and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad also found the line. Clark’s powerful run early in the second half shifted momentum, before Papali’i’s second try in the 76th minute sealed the result.
Fullback Keano Kini continued his breakout tournament with 125 metres, six tackle breaks and four offloads, while Naufahu Whyte made a huge impact off the bench with 194 metres and seven tackle breaks.
The win secures New Zealand’s second Pacific Cup title in three seasons and confirms their status as a leading contender ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Head coach Stacey Jones praised his side’s resilience and composure under pressure, noting the leadership of Foran and the team’s ability to respond after a tough first half.
It was a night of pride and celebration for New Zealand Rugby League, closing out the Pacific Championships with silverware and a fitting farewell for one of the Kiwis’ most respected players.
Biography
Last updated:
November 20, 2025
Warriors back-rower Isaiah Papali’i was barely out of his teens when he was handed his first New Zealand Test cap, while he became recognised as one of the NRL's best forwards after switching to Parramatta.
The son of long-serving Kiwi Ferns rep Lorina Papali’i, Isaiah was a rugby union and rugby league star while attending Mount Albert Grammar School. He chose the 13-a-side code, debuting for the Warriors’ NYC side and the Junior Kiwis in 2016 while still only 17 years of age. Papali’i would go on to represent the Junior Kiwis again in 2017-18.
The 18-year-old received a surprise interchange call-up from incoming coach Stephen Kearney for the Warriors’ season-opening NRL clash with Newcastle in 2017. He returned to first grade for four late-season appearances off the bench.
Forging a regular second-row berth for the finals-bound Warriors in 2018, Papali’i played for Samoa in the mid-season Pacific Test against Tonga – but there were many more highlights to come. Mum Lorina featured for the Warriors’ women’s team in their historic NRLW encounter with Sydney Roosters at ANZ Stadium – just before Isaiah turned out for the club in its finals exit at the hands of Penrith at the same ground, his 20th appearance of the season.
Less than a month after captaining the Junior Kiwis against the Junior Kangaroos, he followed in Lorina’s footsteps by coming off the bench in New Zealand’s 34-0 win over England in the third Test at Leeds. Papali’i had the honour of kicking a late conversion on debut in the one-sided encounter.
Lorina and Isaiah are New Zealand’s only mother-son combination to represent the Kiwi Ferns and Kiwis.
Papali’i missed just one game for the Warriors in a trying 2019 campaign. He was named in an extended Kiwis squads for the mid-season showdown with Tonga and the post-season schedule against Australia and Great Britain but was not called upon by New Zealand coach Michael Maguire for any of the four Tests.
After 15 appearances for the Warriors in 2020 – taking his NRL total to 63 games – Papali’i was released by the club and took up a two-year deal with Parramatta Eels.
The move rejuvenated the tyro’s career. In sensational form as soon as he pulled on the blue-and-gold jersey, Papali’i missed just one of fifth-placed Parramatta’s games, was named in the Dally M Team of the Year, received the VB Hard Earned Player of the Year award and the Ken Thornett Medal as the Eels’ official Player of the Year – as well as being widely regarded as the best buy of the 2021 season. Papali’i also doubled his NRL career tally with seven tries, and finished third in the competition for post-contact metres and sixth for tackle breaks.
Unsurprisingly, the 23-year-old earned a spot in the Kiwis’ wider squad for the 2022 World Cup, capping one of the great individual success stories of the rugby league year.
Signing a deal with Wests Tigers from 2023, Papali'i maintained his stratospheric level of form for the Eels in 2022 and was chosen as a starting second-rower for New Zealand's midyear showdown with Tonga. In his second Test appearance, Papali'i starred with a try, 90 metres and 35 tackles in the Kiwis' 26-6 victory at the Mt Smart Stadium venue he previously called home at club level.
The 24-year-old brought up 100 NRL appearances during 2022 and played a huge role in Parramatta's drive to its first grand final in 13 years. Following the Eels' loss to the Panthers in the big one, Papali'i set off on his first World Cup campaign with the Kiwis, where he featured in all five matches before their semi-final elimination at the hands of the Kangaroos.
Papali'i played all but one game of the struggling Tigers' 2023 campaign, providing stability in a difficult season for the club and maintaining a level of individual form to ensure a place in the Kiwis' Pacific Championship squad.
Starting in the second-row in all three matches, he scored a try and topped the Kiwis' tackle count in the opening win over Samoa, and was equally industrious in the 30-0 demolition of the Kangaroos in the final.
Papali'i brought up 150 NRL appearances in 2024 and was named in the squad for New Zealand's title defence ahead of a move to four-time premiers Penrith Panthers. He played all three Tests and was especially impressive in the one-point loss to Tonga on his old Mt Smart stomping ground, chalking up 41 tackles and 134 metres in an industrious display and scoring a try.
After his maiden season with the Penrith Panthers in 2025, Papali’i returned to the Kiwis for his third international campaign and impressed across all three Tests. He topped the tackle count with 44 in the opening match against Toa Samoa, was dominant against Tonga with two tries and two line breaks, and ran for 135 metres in the Grand Final.
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