{"id":65587,"date":"2025-10-08T13:29:06","date_gmt":"2025-10-08T13:29:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/65587\/"},"modified":"2025-10-08T13:29:06","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T13:29:06","slug":"new-zealand-tonga-samoa-teams-png-fiji-cook-islands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/65587\/","title":{"rendered":"New Zealand, Tonga, Samoa teams, PNG, Fiji, Cook Islands"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>New Zealand, Tonga and Samoa have named their star-studded squads for the upcoming Pacific Championships competition.<\/p>\n<p>Kiwis head coach Stacey Jones has called on veteran playmaker Kieran Foran, who returns to the squad after announcing his retirement from the NRL at the end of the 2025 season.<\/p>\n<p>James Fisher-Harris has once again been named captain, with a host of players returning to national duties after missing out on the 2024 Pacific Championships due to injury.<\/p>\n<p>Watch LIVE coverage of the 2025 Betfred Super League season on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? <a href=\"https:\/\/kayosports.com.au?pg=default&amp;extcamp=fsaeditoriallinkleague-edt-fsp-lnk-awr-grc-nrl-kyo&amp;channel=fsa&amp;campaign=fsacontra&amp;voucher=\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer<\/a><\/p>\n<p>WHAT&#8217;S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.<\/p>\n<p>Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Dylan Brown, Moses Leota, Ronaldo Mulitalo and Briton Nikora have all been named after sitting out, while Jeremy Marshall-King and Sebastian Kris make their first appearances since the 2022 World Cup.<\/p>\n<p>New Zealand will also be without Jahrome Hughes and Kodi Nikorima due to injuries.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Tonga have named four newcomers to their squad in Robert Toia, Stefano Utoikamanu, Leka Halasima and Demetric Vaimauga.<\/p>\n<p>Head coach Kristian Woolf has named Addin Fonua-Blake and Jason Taumalolo as co-captains.<\/p>\n<p>Elsewhere, Ben Gardiner has named his Samoa squad which includes superstar Payne Haas after he defected from the Kangaroos to represent his heritage.<\/p>\n<p>Haas is joined by Jeremiah Nanai, who also pledged his allegiance to Samoa, as well as superstars Brian To\u2019o, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Jarome Luai.<\/p>\n<p>FULL SQUAD LISTS<\/p>\n<p>NEW ZEALAND SQUAD<\/p>\n<p>Nelson Asofa-Solomona<\/p>\n<p>Dylan Brown<\/p>\n<p>Erin Clark<\/p>\n<p>Phoenix Crossland<\/p>\n<p>James Fisher-Harris (c)<\/p>\n<p>Kieran Foran<\/p>\n<p>Jamayne Isaako<\/p>\n<p>Keano Kini<\/p>\n<p>Sebastian Kris<\/p>\n<p>Moses Leota<\/p>\n<p>Jeremy Marshall-King<\/p>\n<p>Casey McLean<\/p>\n<p>Ronaldo Mulitalo<\/p>\n<p>Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad<\/p>\n<p>Briton Nikora<\/p>\n<p>Isaiah Papali\u2019i<\/p>\n<p>Scott Sorensen<\/p>\n<p>Joseph Tapine<\/p>\n<p>Matt Timoko<\/p>\n<p>Naufahu Whyte<\/p>\n<p>Xavier Willison<\/p>\n<p>Walsh among seven debutants for Ashes | 02:45<\/p>\n<p>TONGA SQUAD<\/p>\n<p>Paul Alamoti<\/p>\n<p>Kulikefu Finefeuiaki<\/p>\n<p>Addin Fonua-Blake \u00a9<\/p>\n<p>Moeaki Fotuaika<\/p>\n<p>Leka Halasima <\/p>\n<p>Siliva Havili<\/p>\n<p>Lehi Hopoate<\/p>\n<p>Eliesa Katoa<\/p>\n<p>Isaiya Katoa<\/p>\n<p>Sione Katoa,<\/p>\n<p>Felise Kaufusi<\/p>\n<p>Tolu Koula<\/p>\n<p>Isaiah Iongi<\/p>\n<p>Soni Luke<\/p>\n<p>Will Penisini<\/p>\n<p>Jason Taumalolo \u00a9<\/p>\n<p>Robert Toia<\/p>\n<p>Daniel Tupou<\/p>\n<p>Stefano Utoikamanu<\/p>\n<p>Demitric Vaimauga<\/p>\n<p>Siua Wong<\/p>\n<p>Broncos call for stadium upgrades | 02:04<\/p>\n<p>SAMOA SQUAD<\/p>\n<p>Ata Mariota (Canberra Raiders)<\/p>\n<p>Benaiah Ioelu (Sydney Roosters)<\/p>\n<p>Blaize Talagi-Seuala (Penrith Panthers)<\/p>\n<p>Brian To\u2019o (Penrith Panthers)<\/p>\n<p>Chanel Harris-Tavita (New Zealand Warriors)<\/p>\n<p>Deine Mariner (Brisbane Broncos)<\/p>\n<p>Francis Molo (Dolphins)<\/p>\n<p>Izack Tago (Penrith Panthers)<\/p>\n<p>Jarome Luai (Wests Tigers)<\/p>\n<p>Jaydn Su\u2019A (St George Illawarra Dragons)<\/p>\n<p>Jazz Tevaga (Manly Sea Eagles)<\/p>\n<p>Jeremiah Nanai (North Queensland Cowboys)<\/p>\n<p>Josh Papalii (Canberra Raiders)<\/p>\n<p>Junior Paulo (Parramatta Eels)<\/p>\n<p>Lyhkan King-Togia (St George Illawarra Dragons)<\/p>\n<p>Murray Taulagi (North Queensland Cowboys)<\/p>\n<p>Payne Haas (Brisbane Broncos)<\/p>\n<p>Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (New Zealand Warriors)<\/p>\n<p>Simi Sasagi (Canberra Raiders)<\/p>\n<p>Taylan May (Wests Tigers)<\/p>\n<p>Terrell May (Wests Tigers)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"New Zealand, Tonga and Samoa have named their star-studded squads for the upcoming Pacific Championships competition. Kiwis head&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":65588,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[32727,12587,2652,53141,53120,9504,275,9498,32686,35008,53124,1634,53134,2024,53126,2647,53125,53122,9499,53139,39828,8052,53121,53145,32717,19539,53128,31678,53142,53131,32719,32699,111,8049,139,53133,64,13902,53127,69,2659,53123,22595,9486,281,13905,53130,2666,53137,53135,32710,32716,53132,213,53129,53143,53119,53144,2654,53138,33815,53140,53136],"class_list":{"0":"post-65587","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-addin-fonua-blake","9":"tag-america","10":"tag-australia-and-new-zealand","11":"tag-ben-gardiner","12":"tag-betfred-super-league","13":"tag-brisbane-broncos","14":"tag-canada","15":"tag-canberra-raiders","16":"tag-casey-mclean","17":"tag-cook-islands","18":"tag-daniel-tupou","19":"tag-england","20":"tag-erin-clark","21":"tag-europe","22":"tag-felise-kaufusi","23":"tag-fox-league","24":"tag-francis-molo","25":"tag-george-wood","26":"tag-getty-images-inc","27":"tag-hull","28":"tag-jahrome-hughes","29":"tag-james-fisher-harris","30":"tag-jason-taumalolo","31":"tag-jeremy-marshall-king","32":"tag-joseph-tapine","33":"tag-josh-papalii","34":"tag-junior-paulo","35":"tag-kieran-foran","36":"tag-kiwis-head","37":"tag-kristian-woolf","38":"tag-manly-sea-eagles","39":"tag-moses-leota","40":"tag-new-zealand","41":"tag-new-zealand-warriors","42":"tag-newzealand","43":"tag-north-queensland-cowboys","44":"tag-north-america","45":"tag-northern-america","46":"tag-northern-europe","47":"tag-nz","48":"tag-oceania","49":"tag-pacific-championships-squads","50":"tag-payne-haas","51":"tag-penrith-panthers","52":"tag-quebec","53":"tag-reece-walsh","54":"tag-robert-toia","55":"tag-roger-tuivasa-sheck","56":"tag-rugby-league-squads","57":"tag-rugby-league-world","58":"tag-scott-sorensen","59":"tag-sebastian-kris","60":"tag-siua-wong","61":"tag-sports","62":"tag-squad-lists","63":"tag-st-george-illawarra-dragons","64":"tag-stacey-jones","65":"tag-star-studded-squads","66":"tag-sydney-roosters","67":"tag-tonga-squad","68":"tag-wests-tigers","69":"tag-zealand-squad","70":"tag-zealand-warriors"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65587","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65587"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65587\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65588"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65587"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65587"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65587"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}