Via NZRL
Head Coach Michael Maguire has confirmed the seven players chosen in the squad to travel to Denver will all make their Test debuts for the Kiwis in the international against England at Mile High Stadium on Saturday.
In a match which will also mark his international initiation, Maguire will use three new faces in the backline, one in the starting pack and three on the interchange.
Warriors wing Ken Maumalo teams up on the left edge with experienced club-mate Peta Hiku while Esan Marsters (Wests Tigers) and Jamayne Isaako (Brisbane Broncos) are paired on the right edge.
Greymouth-raised hooker Slade Griffin (Newcastle Knights), props Leeson Ah Mau (St George Illawarra) and Herman Eseโese (Newcastle Knights) plus back rower James Fisher-Harris (Penrith Panthers) make up the bench.
Maguire has named Jared Waerea Hargreaves (Sydney Roosters) and Nelson Asofa-Solomona (Melbourne Storm) as his starting props with Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles middle forward Marty Taupau starting at loose forward.
Ah Mau, Maumalo, Eseโese and Faitala-Mariner have all previously played at Test level for Toa Samoa while Marsters has represented Cook Islands.
Your Kiwis to face England this weekend
Sunday 24 June (8am NZT)
Sports Authority Field, Denver, CO. #DenverTest #TeIwiKiwi ๐ณ๐ฟ pic.twitter.com/q6CsOGi0Lk— NZ Rugby League (@NZRL_Kiwis) June 21, 2018
NEW ZEALAND KIWIS v ENGLAND
Mile High Stadium, Denver
2.00pm, Saturday, June 23, 2018
No | Player | Club | Kiwi No | Tests |
1 | DALLIN WATENE-ZELEZNIAK | Penrith | 794 | 6 |
2 | JAMAYNE ISAAKO | Brisbane | โ | โ |
3 | ESAN MARSTERS | Wests Tigers | โ | โ |
4 | PETA HIKU | Warriors | 781 | 10 |
5 | KEN MAUMALO | Warriors | โ | โ |
6 | TE MAIRE MARTIN | North Queensland | 802 | 3 |
7 | KODI NIKORIMA | Brisbane | 790 | 8 |
8 | JARED WAEREA-HARGREAVES | Sydney Roosters | 755 | 23 |
9 | ISSAC LUKE | Warriors | 749 | 42 |
10 | NELSON ASOFA-SOLOMONA | Melbourne | 804 | 4 |
15 | RAY FAITALA-MARINER | Canterbury-Bankstown | โ | โ |
12 | JOSEPH TAPINE | Canberra | 800 | 7 |
13 | MARTIN TAUPAU | Manly-Warringah | 785 | 20 |
Interchange | ||||
11 | JAMES FISHER-HARRIS | Penrith | 801 | 1 |
14 | SLADE GRIFFIN | Newcastle | โ | โ |
16 | HERMAN ESEโESE | Newcastle | โ | โ |
17 | LEESON AH MAU | St George Illawarra | โ | โ |
18 | JORDAN KAHU | Brisbane | 788 | 9 |
19 | ISAAC LIU | Sydney Roosters | 805 | 3 |
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