Six ex-Warriors have been included in the Kiwi Ferns' line-up for their second Rugby League World Cup match against the Cook Islands on Sunday.
Apii Nicholls will line up at fullback, Madison Bartlett on the wing, Krystal Rota at hooker, Netta Nu'uausala at prop and Brianna Clark and Crystal Tamarua on the bench.
Also in the line-up are Warriors Community Foundation staff members Charlotte Scanlan and Laishon Albert-Jones.
Winger Mele Hufanga has been called up to make her New Zealand Test debut in the match at the LNER Community Stadium (6.00am kick-off NZT).
A rugby union convert, Hufanga represented the Blues Super Rugby team this year and earned her spot in the Kiwi Ferns World Cup squad following an impressive rugby league season with the Ponsonby Ponies.
Albert-Jones has been brought into the halves alongside Raecene McGregor.
In the forwards, Sydney Rooster’s Otesa Pule gets a starting spot in second row, while Charlotte Scanlan starts at lock.
Crystal Tamarua and Christyl Stowers were named to come off the bench.
KIWI FERNS v COOK ISLANDS
LNER Stadium, York
5.00pm, Sunday, November 6, 2022
KIWI FERNS
1 APII NICHOLLS
24 MELE HUFANGA
21 SHANICE PARKER
4 PAGE MCGREGOR
5 MADISON BARTLETT
6 LAISHON ALBERT-JONES
7 RAECENE MCGREGOR
8 MYA HILL-MOANA
9 KRYSTAL ROTA (c)
10 NETTA NU’UAUSALA
18 OTESA PULE
12 AMBER-PARIS HALL
16 CHARLOTTE SCANLAN
Interchange:
14 NITA MAYNARD
23 BRIANNA CLARK
20 CRYSTAL TAMARUA
17 CHRISTYL STOWERS
19 HAILEE-JAY ORMOND-MAUNSELL
22 KARLI HANSEN
