The teams for Sunday’s Pacific Championships Finals have now been confirmed, with Wakefield Trinity recruit Jazz Tevaga among the headline names in action.
Sunday’s two showpiece finals, one for the Women’s competition and one for the Men’s, form part of an international triple header at Sydney’s CommBank Stadium, with the Cook Islands and South Africa kicking off the day in a World Cup qualifier.
Jazz Tevaga starts Samoa as New Zealand name unchanged 17
The Trinity-bound hooker comes straight into Samoa’s starting group this weekend, after coming off the bench in their win over Tonga, with Benaiah Ioelu moving to the interchange bench.
Elsewhere, returning forward Jaydn Su’A comes into the starting pack for Jeremiah Nanai, who misses out through a shoulder injury. Su’A is also making his return to action after suffering a concussion in their opening defeat to the Kiwis.
There is no room for Hull KR ace Tyrone May in the wider 21-man squad, with Blaize Talagi and Jarome Luai starting in the halves, while Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Brian To’o, Izack Tago, Deine Mariner and Murray Taulagi form an exciting outside backs division.
Francis Molo and Payne Haas form a formidable front-row unit alongside hooker Tevaga, with Su’A and Simi Sasagi named in the back-row. Experienced middle Junior Paulo starts at loose forward.
Chanel-Haris Tavita, Terrell May and Josh Papali’i join the aforementioned Ioelu on the bench, with Ata Mariota, Ativalu Lisati, Clayton Faulalo and Lyhkan King-Togia rounding off the wider group.
For the Kiwis, head coach Stacey Jones has named an unchanged 17-man squad from their win over Tonga at Eden Park, as they look to claim their second Pacific Championships title in three years. Keano Kini starts at full-back, with Jamayne Isaako and Casey McLean named on the wings. Matthew Timoko and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad get the nod again in the centres, with Golden Boot contender Dylan Brown partnering Kieran Foran in the halves.
James Fisher-Harris skippers the side from prop, joining Moses Leota in an imposing middle unit. Phoenix Crossland starts at hooker.
Elsewhere, Briton Nikora and Isaiah Papali’i start in the back-row, with Joseph Tapine rounding off the starting group at loose forward.
Te Maire Martin, Naufahu Whyte, Erin Clark and Xavier Willison form the interchange bench, while Scott Sorensen, Zach Dockar-Clay and Josiah Karapani are listed as the reserves.
Jillaroos and Kiwi Ferns make changes
The Jillaroos have made five changes to their squad from last weekend’s victory over the Kiwi Ferns, as they seek to make it two on the spin against their rivals from across the ditch.
Full-back Tamika Upton returns after overcoming a calf injury, replacing last week’s debutant Abbi Church. Olivia Higgins comes in at hooker, with Keeley Davis missing out through injury. Elsewhere, Jakiya Whitfeld starts on the wing, moving Jess Sergis onto the bench, while Sarah Togatuki comes in as the 18th player.
Julia Robinson, Isabelle Kelly and Tiana Penitani join the aforementioned Upton and Whitfeld in the outside backs unit, with Ali Brigginshaw and Jesse Southwell named in the halves.
Ellie Johnston and Jessika Elliston get the nod at prop, joining Higgins in the front-row, while Kezie Apps and Yasmin Clydsdale are named in the back-row. Olivia Kernick is named at loose forward.
Quincy Dodd, Keilee Joseph and Rima Butler join Sergis on the interchange bench, with Church and Jocelyn Kelleher named in the reserves with Togatuki.
The Kiwi Ferns have also made changes to their squad, as they seek to attone for last weekend’s defeat. Ash Quinlan replaces Patricia Maliepo in the starting half-back combination, with Maliepo named in the reserves, Olympic gold medallist Tyla King comes onto the interchange bench and Tysha Ikenasio replaces Leianne Tufuga.
Apii Nicholls, Tysha Ikenasio, Mele Hufanga, Abigail Roache and Shanice Parker start in the backline, with Raecene McGregor partnering Quinlan in the halves. Ange Teakaraanga Katoa and Tiana Davison are named at prop, with Brooke Anderson slotting in at hooker. Annessa Biddle and Otesa Pule start in the back-row, while Georgia Hale starts at loose forward.
King is joined on the bench by Shanice Monschau, Alexis Tauaneai and Ivana Lauitiiti, while Shakira Baker and Trinity Tauaneai join Maliepo in the reserves.
Pacific Championships Finals team news in full
Women’s Pacific Cup Final – Australia v New Zealand – 13:35 AEDT/ 02:35 GMT
Australia Jillaroos: 1 Tamika Upton, 2 Julia Robinson, 3 Isabelle Kelly, 4 Tiana Penitani, 5 Jakiya Whitfeld, 6 Ali Brigginshaw, 7 Jesse Southwell, 8 Ellie Johnston, 9 Olivia Higgins, 10 Jessika Elliston, 11 Kezie Apps, 12 Yasmin Clydsdale, 13 Olivia Kernick
Interchanges: 14 Quincy Dodd, 15 Keilee Joseph, 16 Jessica Sergis, 17 Rima Butler
Reserves: 18 Sarah Togatuki, 19 Abbi Church, 20 Jocelyn Kelleher
New Zealand Kiwi Ferns: 1 Apii Nicholls, 2 Tysha Ikenasio, 3 Mele Hufanga, 4 Abigail Roache, 5 Shanice Parker, 6 Ash Quinlan, 7 Raecene McGregor, 8 Angelina Teakaraanga Katoa, 9 Brooke Anderson, 10 Tiana Davison, 11 Annessa Biddle, 12 Otesa Pule, 13 Georgia Hale
Interchanges: 14 Tyla King, 15 Shaniece Monschau, 16 Alexis Tauaneai, 17 Ivana Lauitiiti
Reserves: 18 Shakira Baker, 19 Patricia Maliepo, 20 Trinity Tauaneai
Men’s Pacific Cup Final – New Zealand v Samoa – 4:05pm AEDT/ 05:05 GMT
New Zealand: 1 Keano Kini, 2 Jamayne Isaako, 3 Matthew Timoko, 4 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 5 Casey McLean, 6 Dylan Brown, 7 Kieran Foran, 8 James Fisher-Harris, 9 Phoenix Crossland, 10 Moses Leota, 11 Briton Nikora, 12 Isaiah Papali’i, 13 Joseph Tapine
Interchanges: 14 Te Maire Martin, 15 Naufahu Whyte, 16 Erin Clark, 17 Xavier Willison
Reserves: 18 Scott Sorensen, 19 Zach Dockar-Clay, 20 Josiah Karapani
Samoa: 1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 2 Brian To’o, 3 Izack Tago, 4 Deine Mariner, 5 Murray Taulagi, 6 Blaize Talagi, 7 Jarome Luai, 8 Francis Molo, 9 Jazz Tevaga, 10 Payne Haas, 11 Jaydn Su’A, 12 Simi Sasagi, 13 Junior Paulo
Interchanges: 14 Chanel Harris-Tavita, 15 Benaiah Ioelu, 16 Terrell May, 17 Josh Papali’i
Reserves: 18 Ata Mariota, 19 Ativalu Lisati, 20 Clayton Faulalo, 21 Lyhkan King-Togia
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