Five Vodafone Warriors will back up while Shaun Johnson and Brandon Smith have been recalled by the New Zealand Kiwis for Saturday’s second Test against the Great Britain Lions at Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch (8.00pm kick-off).
Johnson comes back in at standoff replacing the injured Kieran Foran while Smith, stood down last week, returns at hooker as the Kiwis seek a series-clinching win after taking out last Saturday’s first Test 12-8 at Eedn Park.
Kodi Nikorima, brought in at the 11th hour to replace Smith, moves to the interchange after his heroic performance in Auckland.
Despite arriving in camp late on Friday night and not training with the side, Nikorima was on the field for 76 minutes, making a game-high 53 tackles.
In another change, rookie international Corey Harawira-Naera is named in the second row for Kenny Bromwich, who returned to Melbourne on Sunday to be with his wife for the birth of their second child. Bromwich is on an extended bench should he be able to return in time for the second Test.
Added to the bench in Harawira-Naera’s place is the experienced Kevin Proctor.
The Kiwis go into the contest hunting their first series victory against Great Britain since 1998.
NEW ZEALAND KIWIS v GREAT BRITAIN LIONS
8.00pm, Saturday, November 9, 2019
Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch
NEW ZEALAND KIWIS
1 ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK
(Vodafone Warriors)
2 KEN MAUMALO
(Vodafone Warriors)
3 CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD
(Canberra Raiders)
4 JOSEPH MANU
(Sydney Roosters)
5 JAMAYNE ISAAKO
(Brisbane Broncos)
6 SHAUN JOHNSON
(Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
7 BENJI MARSHALL (c)
(Wests Tigers)
8 ZANE TETEVANO
(Sydney Roosters)
9 BRANDON SMITH
(Melbourne Storm)
10 JARED WAEREA-HARGREAVES
(Sydney Roosters)
11 BRITON NIKORA
(Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
12 COREY HARAWIRA-NAERA
(Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
13 JOSEPH TAPINE
(Canberra Raiders)
Interchange:
14 KODI NIKORIMA
(Vodafone Warriors)
15 KEVIN PROCTOR
(Gold Coast Titans)
16 LEESON AH MAU
(Vodafone Warriors)
17 ADAM BLAIR
(Vodafone Warriors)
18 JAHROME HUGHES
(Melbourne Storm)
19 BRADEN HAMLIN-UELE
(Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
20 KENNY BROMWICH
(Melbourne Storm)
21 BAILEY SIMONSSON
(Canberra Raiders)
22 ISAIAH PAPALI’I
(Vodafone Warriors)
HEAD COACH | MICHAEL MAGUIRE
