Dane Gagai will become the second oldest Test debutant in New Zealand rugby league history when the Kiwis open their Rugby League World Cup campaign against defending champions Australia in Sydney on Thursday. The 35-year-old centre is one of two first-time Kiwis in the side, alongside Knights teammate Kalyn Ponga at fullback.
The Kiwi Ferns, meanwhile, have named an experienced squad for their first-ever meeting with the Fiji Bulikula at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday, with several players, including Shannon Mato and Zahara Temara, lining up after switching allegiance from Australia to honour their birth country.
Why Gagai's debut is history in the making
Gagai, cleared to switch eligibility to New Zealand on the eve of Newcastle's NRL grand final against the Sydney Roosters, will run out for the Kiwis nine years after playing the first of his seven Tests for the Kangaroos at the 2017 World Cup in Melbourne. Only Alf Chorley, 36 years and 46 days when New Zealand faced Great Britain in 1910, debuted older. Canterbury hooker Jim Fisher, who died last month aged 85, was the next oldest at 30 years and 75 days in Salford in 1971.
Gagai, who has Māori heritage on his mother's side, has previously represented both the Māori All Stars and the Indigenous All Stars three times each. Ponga, also a three-time Māori All Star, finally realises his ambition to wear the black jersey.
Stacey Jones fields a battle-hardened pack
Head coach Stacey Jones has kept the core of the side that beat Toa Samoa 36-14 in last year's Pacific Championships final. Five forwards return, including captain James Fisher-Harris and Moses Leota as starting props, Briton Nikora and Isaiah Papali'i in the second row, and vice-captain Joseph Tapine at loose forward.
The only absence is Knights hooker Phoenix Crossland, suspended and replaced by Dolphins dummy half Jeremy Marshall-King. Jahrome Hughes returns at halfback for the first time since 2023, Kodi Nikorima, the squad's longest-serving Kiwi since his 2015 debut, wears the number 6, and Ronaldo Multialo is back on the left wing after injury. Keano Kini moves to the extended bench.
Kiwi Ferns embrace a new era of eligibility
The Ferns' side reflects how loosened eligibility rules are reshaping the women's game. Shannon Mato, a former World Cup winner with Australia, switched allegiance this year to represent her birth country.
“Getting the chance to debut this weekend, I know I'm going to get very emotional. I never thought this day would ever come, because of the rules, but I'm just grateful that God led me to this pathway. It's a sense of belonging for me, and I'm really excited.”
Mato is joined in the forwards by Whangarei-born NRLW champion Otesa Pule, Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa at lock, and back rowers Annessa Biddle and former Cook Islands international Kaiyah Atai. Five-eighth Zahara Temara, another former Australian representative, starts in an experienced spine alongside Apii Nicholls, co-captain and Raecene McGregor, co-captain and Georgia Hale.
Cross-code star Stacey Waaka debuts on the left wing, with Canberra Raiders Player of the Year Leianne Tufuga on the right and centres Mele Hufanga and Abigail Roache completing the backline. Ashleigh Quinlan, Alexis Tauaneai, Ivana Lauitiiti and Brianna Clark provide impact from the bench, with Brooke Anderson as 18th woman.
Head coach Ricky Henry, naming his first tournament squad, said the focus was on fundamentals.
“Our focus this week is on the basics; run hard, strong defence and make sure every play is properly executed. That's what is going to set us up well for Fiji, but also build a strong foundation for the weeks to come.”
He added that the group's experience would matter in the high-pressure moments of the tournament, with four players already seasoned at World Cup level: Hale, McGregor, Nicholls and Mato.
What the openers mean for New Zealand's campaign
Both matches will test New Zealand's depth early. The men face the toughest possible start against an Australian side that has dominated the World Cup era, while the women meet Fiji for the first time in a fixture Henry expects to be physical. With grand finalists from the NRL and a wave of players choosing the black jersey over their former ones, the Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns head into the tournament with a blend of experience and fresh ambition.
Who are the Kiwis playing in their World Cup opener?
The Kiwis open against defending champions Australia in Sydney on Thursday, with debutants Dane Gagai and Kalyn Ponga in the side.
Why is Dane Gagai's debut historic?
At 35, Gagai becomes the second oldest Test debutant in New Zealand rugby league history, behind only Alf Chorley, who was 36 years and 46 days in 1910.
Who do the Kiwi Ferns face first?
The Kiwi Ferns play the Fiji Bulikula at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday in the first-ever meeting between the two sides.