An unchanged lineup has been named for the New Zealand Kiwis’ Pacific Championships encounter with Papua New Guinea at CommBank Stadium in Sydney on Sunday (6.20pm kick-off local time; 8.20pm NZT).
Following their 24-25 loss to Tonga in their Pacific Cup contest in Auckland, the Kiwis finished third on the table to set up a promotion-relegation clash against the Kumuls, the winners of the Pacific Bowl competition.
Tonga takes on the Kangaroos in the Pacific Cup final at 4.05pm local time which is preceded by the women’s Pacific Cup final between the titleholders the Kiwi Ferns and the Australian Jillaroos (1.50pm local time). The day’s programme begins with a women’s promotion-relegation encounter between the Papua New Guinea Orchids and Fetu Samoa.
While the New Zealanders lost to the Kangaroos and Tonga, the Kumuls beat Fiji Bati 22-10 in Suva and the Cook Islands Aitu 42-20 in Port Moresby on Sunday.
The Kiwis are coming off a devastating loss to Tonga which saw them climb back from a 0-24 halftime deficit to level the match up at 24-24 with 14 minutes to play only to lose by one one point in a controversial end to a dramatic match.
After conceding 24 points in the opening 32 minutes, the Kiwis responded with 24 points in 31 minutes starting with an Isaiah Papali’i try five minutes before the halftime break before Keano Kini (49th minute), Phoenix Crossland (58th minutes) and Joseph Tapine (66th minute) followed suit.
Head coach Stacey Jones has today listed the same side which staged the valiant second half comeback.
Captain James Fisher-Harris and second rower Isaiah Papali’i will be making their 12th consecutive Test appearances for the Kiwis, having featured in every international in the last three years.
The Kiwis will meet Papua New Guinea for the first time in 11 years since a 56-10 win in Leeds en route to the 2013 Rugby League World Cup final at Old Trafford.
It will be the 19th international between the two countries since the first in 1978 with New Zealand winning 18. Their sole loss was in Port Moresby in 1986.
NEW ZEALAND v PAPUA NEW GUINEA
CommBank Stadium
Auckland
6.20pm, Sunday, November 10, 2024
