Shaun Johnson has joined One New Zealand Warriors teammates Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Marata Niukore in the New Zealand Kiwis’ 21-man squad for the Pacific Championships campaign against the Kangaroos and Tonga this month.
The New Zealanders go into the competition as titleholders after last year’s remarkable 30-0 record win over Australia in the final in Hamilton.
The 34-year-old Johnson, a 32-Test veteran, came into the squad on Thursday to replaced injured halfback Jahrome Hughes who had been ruled out earlier.
He's reunited with the 29-year-old Nicoll-Klokstad, who produced a stunning man of the match display in last November's win over Australia. In his 10th Test when he carried the ball 30 times for 277 metres with two line break assists, a try assist and six tackle breaks.
Like Nicoll-Klolstad, Niukore (28) is a former Cook Islands international who comes back into the Kiwis after making his debut against Tonga in 2022 and then making two appearances at the Rugby League World Cup later in the year.
Also making a comeback to the New Zealand side is former Warrior Peta Hiku, who will fly home from England to join a Kiwi squad including eight debutants.
The 31-year-old Hiku has been in outstanding form in his first season with Hull Kingston Rovers in the Super League, helping the club to a 10-8 win over Warrington last Friday to clinch a spot in the grand final at Old Trafford for the first time this Saturday.
After last playing for the Kiwis in their semifinal loss to Australia at the 2022 Rugby League World Cup, Hiku becomes the first Super League player selected for New Zealand since Thomas Leuluai was brought back home from Wigan for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.
First a Kiwi 10 years ago in 2014, he boasts 17 Test appearances in a squad which has eight players in line to make their international debuts during the competition.
Brisbane second rower Jordan Riki, Warriors-bound Gold Coast utility forward Erin Clark, his Titans teammate and fullback Keano Kini, Melbourne winger Will Warbrick and Roosters middle forward Naufahu Whyte have been in camp with the Kiwis over the last two years without making their Test debuts.
In the group for the first time are Newcastle hooker-halfback Phoenix Crossland, Penrith centre Casey McLean and his Panthers teammate and hooker Trent Toelau.
“While we’ve had a number of players ruled out through injury or unavailability, it’s a hugely exciting opportunity having the Kiwis playing at home in front of our fans again,” said new Kiwis head coach Stacey Jones of his first squad since taking on the job.
“We’ve still got a solid core of last year’s squad but, the way I see it, it’s a fantastic chance for us to build the group to provide lots of options and depth for following campaigns.”
Current Golden Boot winner and Warrior-in-waiting James Fisher-Harris, fresh from an extraordinary fourth consecutive NRL grand final win with Penrith on Sunday, will again captain the side.
Apart from Fisher-Harris and Nicoll-Klokstad, other players named from the 2023 Pacific Championships grand final line-up are Dolphins winger Jamayne Isaako, Raiders centre Matt Timoko, ex-Warriors back rower Isaiah Papali’i (Wests Tigers) and loose forward Joseph Tapine (Raiders) plus bench forwards Leo Thompson (Knights) and Griffin Neame (Cowboys). Melbourne's Dally M Medal-winning halfback Hughes was also named initially but was ruled out two days later with a neck injury which he picked up later in the season.
As well as Hiku and Niukore, another 2022 World Cup player returning is Penrith’s four-times NRL premiership-winning back rower Scott Sorensen along with Dolphins utility Kodi Nikorima, who last played for the New Zealand side in the 2019 home series against Great Britain.
The Kiwis start their campaign against the Kangaroos at Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch on October 27, the first time the Trans-Tasman rivals have squared off in the South Island centre since the opening Test of the 1989 series.
The New Zealanders then travel to Auckland to face Tonga at Go Media Stadium on November 2 before the competition moves to CommBank Stadium in Sydney for the finals on November 10.
The Pacific Championships start with the Kangaroos meeting Tonga in Brisbane on October 18.
Apart from Hughes, other players ruled out through injury were Ronaldo Mulitalo (knee), Dylan Brown (knee), Kieran Foran (ankle), Moses Leota (shoulder), Brandon Smith (knee), Jeremy Marshall-King (knee), Briton Nikora (ankle), Kayal Iro (hamstring), Te Maire Martin (neck).
Suspended: Nelson Asofa-Solomona.
Rugby union: Joseph Manu.
2024 PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS | NZ KIWIS
Erin Clark (Gold Coast Titans)
Phoenix Crossland (Newcastle Knights)
James Fisher-Harris (Penrith Panthers) captain
Peta Hiku (Hull Kingston Rovers)
Jamayne Isaako (Dolphins)
Shaun Johnson (One New Zealand Warriors)
Keano Kini (Gold Coast Titans)
Casey McLean (Penrith Panthers)
Griffin Neame (North Queensland Cowboys)
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (One New Zealand Warriors)
Kodi Nikorima (Dolphins)
Marata Niukore (One New Zealand Warriors)
Isaiah Papali’i (Wests Tigers)
Jordan Riki (Brisbane Broncos)
Scott Sorensen (Penrith Panthers)
Joseph Tapine (Canberra Raiders)
Leo Thompson (Newcastle Knights)
Matthew Timoko (Canberra Raiders)
Trent Toelau (Penrith Panthers)
William Warbrick (Melbourne Storm)
Naufahu Whyte (Sydney Roosters)
