Leo Thompson. New Zealand Kiwis Photo: Alan Lee / www.photosport.nz
Front rower Leo Thompson is returning from suspension to join the Kiwis line-up as coach Stacey Jones makes minimal changes for Saturday's must-win Pacific Championships game against Tonga in Auckland.
The 24-year-old Gisborne-born Thompson came off the bench in all three tests during last year's title-winning campaign and will start there again this weekend.
Thompson missed the Kiwis' first game of the Pacific Championships on Sunday, a loss to Australia, as he served a one-match ban for a careless high tackle charge in the Newcastle Knights' final game of the NRL season.
For Saturday's game Thompson will replace second rower Jordan Riki who made his Kiwis debut in his hometown of Christchurch.
The starting pack shows a positional swap with Sydney Roosters prop Naufahu Whyte this week listed to run on at loose forward and Canberra's Joseph Tapine named in the front row after being selected in jersey 13 against Australia.
After being included on the bench in his Test debut last week Whyte was switched to start at prop where he had a 32-minute opening shift and another 10 minutes late in the match, finishing with 147 metres from 15 runs, 65 post-contact metres - the best of any forward on the field - five tackle breaks, three off loads and 29 tackles with no misses and no ineffective tackles.
Tapine played 52 minutes in total making 148 metres from 16 runs and 36 tackles while captain James Fisher-Harris was used for 67 minutes finishing with 121 metres from 16 runs and a perfect defensive effort (38 tackles, no misses).
Debutant hooker Phoenix Crossland and second rower Scott Sorensen had heavy defensive workloads with 48 tackles and 45 tackles while interchange prop Griffin Neame and second rower Isaiah Papali'i both made 31 tackles.
Of the backs fullback Keano Kini excelled in his first Test with a game-high 254 metres from 26 runs while winger Will Warbrick (182), centre Matt Timoko (173), winger Jamayne Isaako (121) and halfback Shaun Johnson (107) all topped 100 metres.
The Kiwis must beat Tonga to reach the Pacific Championships final in Sydney after the Tongans went down 0-18 to Australia in the first round.
In seven previous clashes, the Kiwis have beaten Tonga six times and lost once taking out the last two at Go Media Stadium (34-14 in 2019 and 26-6 in 2022).
Kiwis team to play Tonga
1 Keano Kini
2 Jamayne Isaako
3 Matthew Timoko
4 Peta Hiku
5 William Warbrick
6 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
7 Shaun Johnson
8 James Fisher-Harris (C)
9 Phoenix Crossland
10 Joseph Tapine
11 Isaiah Papali'i
12 Scott Sorensen
13 Naufahu Whyte
14 Kodi Nikorima
15 Griffin Neame
16 Marata Niukore
17 Leo Thompson