Pacific Championship: Kiwis make one change to Tonga league tests

Front rower Leo Thompson returns from suspension to join the Kiwi squad as coach Stacey Jones makes minimal changes for Saturday’s must-win Pacific Championship game against Tonga in Auckland.

Gisborne-born Thompson, 24, came off the bench in all three Tests of last year’s title-winning campaign and will line up again this weekend.

Thompson missed the Kiwis’ first game of the Pacific Championship in Sunday’s loss to Australia as he served a one-match ban for a careless tackle in the Newcastle Knights’ final game of the NRL season.

In Saturday’s game, Thompson will replace second-rower Jordan Reekie, who made his Kiwi debut in his hometown of Christchurch.

The starting lineup shows a rotation of positions, with Sydney Roosters prop Naufahu White listed as a free forward this week and Canberra’s Joseph Tapine named in the front row after being selected in the No. 13 shirt against Australia.

After being benched for his Test debut last week, White was promoted to start in the stand, where he had a 32-minute first shift and a further 10 minutes later in the match, finishing with 147m from 15 runs and 65 meters after contact. – the best forward on the field – five breaks, three off-load and 29 tackles with no misses or ineffective tackles.

Tapine played a total of 52 minutes, completing 148 meters from 16 runs and 36 tackles, while captain James Fisher-Harris played 67 minutes, completing 121 meters from 16 runs and an excellent defensive effort (38 tackles, no misses) .

Debutant hooker Phoenix Crossland and second-rower Scott Sorensen carried out a heavy defensive workload with 48 and 45 tackles, while replacement prop Griffin Neame and second-rower Isaiah Papali made 31 tackles each.

Of the backs, fullback Keano Keaney excelled in his first Test, scoring 254 meters in 26 runs, while forward Will Warbrick (182), center Matt Timoko (173), forward Jamaine Isaako (121) and half Shaun Johnson (107) all exceeded 100 meters.

The Kiwis must beat Tonga to reach the final of the Pacific Championships in Sydney after the Tongans lost 0-18 to Australia in the first round.

In their previous seven matches, the Kiwis have beaten Tonga six times and lost once, thrashing their last two matches at Go Media Stadium (34-14 in 2019 and 26-6 in 2022).

The Kiwi team will play Tonga

1 Kiano Kini

2 Jamaine Isaaco

3 Matthew Timoko

4 Peta Hiku

5 William Warbrick

6 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad

7 Shawn Johnson

8 James Fisher-Harris (C)

9 Phoenix Crossland

10 Joseph Tapine

11 Isaiah Papalia

12 Scott Sorensen

13 Naufahu White

14 Cody Nikorima

15 Griffin Neame

16 Marata Nyukore

17 Leo Thompson

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