“One to go.”
Sixteen years after his after his first international appearance in Game Three of the Four Nations in 2009, Kieran Foran has no regrets about his retirement as he prepares to run out for New Zealand for his final ever game.
Since announcing this year will be his last in the NRL, Foran has been soaking in every experience on his ‘farewell tour’ and would love nothing better than to claim another Pacific Championships title with a win over Samoa.
Kieran Foran in action for the Kiwis during the 2025 Pacific Championships.
©NRL Images
“It means so much to me; to be able to finish my playing career in this fashion is … I couldn’t have dreamt of it, really,” Foran said of his final fling in the black jersey.
“When I announced my retirement, I was of the belief that it would be it, in terms of my time with the Titans.
“But stranger things happened, and Stacey (Kiwis coach Stacey Jones) reached out with Jahrome (Hughes) going down and the opportunity was there.
“I’ve got to pinch myself, honestly.
“To think that I can finish my playing days wearing a Kiwi jersey, a jersey that means so much to me, it’s just means so much.”
Kieran Foran has been soaking in every experience during his final international campaign with his family.
©NRL Images
With his experience a key factor in the success of the Kiwi side so far, Foran said while he had been energised by the enthusiasm of the new faces in the squad – he was more content than ever with his call to hang up the boots, with a move into coaching with Manly and commentary with FOX next on his horizon.
“I’m sure,” Foran said.
“When you’re winning, it’s good and you do feel like you could keep playing forever.
“That’s what this camp’s given me, that feeling again.
“But I know that the 27 round NRL season is not full of winning every week.
“You’ve got to go through the arduous weeks of getting banged up and bashed and picking yourself back up off the canvas and going again.
“That’s what I know.
“My body’s sort of reached that point where I just wouldn’t be able to do that to the level that I want to be able to do it at.
“I’m really comfortable with the retirement decision, but it would mean everything to me to be able to finish with a win.
“A lot of young ones, they’ve just been incredibly eager since coming into camp and it’s great to have a balance between some old heads and some experience there and some young kids that are at the start of their journey, jumping out of their skin to be a part of it all.
“I’m going to miss it, I know that.
“I am going miss it, because there’s a feeling at the moment when I get off that bus to walk into the stadium like (at Eden Park), I still absolutely love it.
“Preparing myself for battle and just looking around the sheds and knowing you’re about to go into battle with all your mates is a feeling I know I’m going to miss, but it’s the younger guys’ turns now, I’ve done my fair share of it.
“(In this squad) I feel like we’ve got a really nice mix there at the moment between experience and youth and it’s all going to come down to next (game); that one to go.
“It doesn’t matter now what’s happened in the rounds, it’s all going to come down to the 80 minutes.”
After a hard-fought 24-18 win against the Samoan side at Go Media Stadium in Auckland to launch this year’s men’s Pacific Cup tournament, Foran knew both sides would lift to another level for the final.
“Us and Samoa, that Test match we played two weeks ago was one of the toughest Test matches I’ve ever played in,” Foran said.
“They went and backed it up against Tonga, and they were pretty impressive …
“I think our game against Tonga was the sort of game we needed as well after having a week off.
“We got to go out there and really got into the physical battle with Tonga and I thought we really matched them up front, which was pleasing.
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Last time they met: Kiwis v Toa Samoa
“(For me, I am) always looking to improve my kicks and that was something that I wanted to improve on after the first Test match against Samoa and certainly tried to be better in that area (against Tonga).
“That’s my role with within the side. I’ve got to kick well.
“I’ve got to be able to put it in the right spots for the guys, and nothing will change in terms of that heading into the final.
“I’ve got to get that right, and that’ll be a huge focus point for me.”