Thursday, October 5, 2017
New Zealand Kiwis naming for RLWC2017
New Zealand Rugby League has today revealed its 24-man squad to represent the Kiwis in this year’s Rugby League World
Cup to be jointly hosted between New Zealand and Australia.
The squad includes five debutants, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Addin Fonua-Blake, Danny Levi, Isaac Liu and Brad Takairangi
as well as three from the victorious 2008 Rugby League World Cup Kiwis side, Captain Adam Blair and veterans Thomas
Leuluai and Simon Mannering.
Three players who featured in the recent NRL Grand Final have been selected including Kenneath Bromwich and Nelson
Asofa-Solomona who were a part of the victorious Melbourne Storm.
Dally M Winger of the Year Jordan Rapana has also been named alongside Shaun Johnson, Te Maire Martin, Roger
Tuivasa-Sheck, Jason Nightingale, Kodi Nikorima, Peta Hiku, Gerard Beale, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Dean Whare.
Martin Taupau, Russell Packer, Elijah Taylor, Joseph Tapine and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves round out the 24-man squad.
Coach David Kidwell says he and his fellow selectors, Tawera Nikau, Hugh McGahan and Tony Iro are all proud and excited
to name an enthusiastic squad that includes leadership, experience and a real want to work hard for each other.
"This is a unique opportunity, a World Cup in our country is a great honour and I can't wait to get into camp and work
this this group of men and women who are all committed to the Kiwis."
"There's a great mix of enthusiasm and experience in this side and a real desire to win this World Cup, I can't wait to
show the people around New Zealand all the work we have been doing and how committed we are to this campaign."
Players not considered due to injury include Tohu Harris, Jordan Kahu, Kieran Foran and Ben Matulino.
PLAYERS NAME
24-Man Squad
(In Alphabetical Order By Surname)KIWI NO.NAMEDebutant*NELSON ASOFA-SOLOMONA767GERARD BEALE732ADAM BLAIR796KENNEATH BROMWICHDebutantADDIN FONUA-BLAKE781PETA HIKU774SHAUN JOHNSON704THOMAS LEULUAIDebutant*DANNY LEVIDebutant*ISAAC LIU731SIMON MANNERING802TE MAIRE MARTIN747JASON NIGHTINGALE793KODI NIKORIMA768RUSSELL PACKER798JORDAN RAPANADebutant*BRAD TAKAIRANGI800JOSEPH TAPINE795MARTIN TAUPAU770ELIJAH TAYLOR779ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK755JARED WAEREA-HARGREAVES794DALLIN WATENE-ZELEZNIAK776DEAN WHARE
* Been In Kiwis Camp Previously But Have Not Played