Ponga has represented the Maori All Stars on three occasions, including last year. Injury has impacted his availability to be picked for Australia in years gone by. He drew controversy in late 2024 when attempted to make himself unavailable for selection in the Australia squad, but was ultimately overlooked. Soon after, Kiwis coach Stacey Jones expressed interest in selecting Ponga should he ever put his hand up for New Zealand. Ponga essentially has the rest of the season to decide, given there is no international footy scheduled until the World Cup.
