An electric atmosphere is guaranteed in Auckland on Saturday when rugby league makes an emotional return to Mt Smart Stadium.
The Warriors' last home game before the COVID-19 panedemic on August 30, 2019, and the last Test match played at the ground was five weeks before that on June 22 when New Zealand beat Tonga 34-14.
On that occasion it was Shaun Johnson stealing the show with a hat-trick but the veteran playmaker has made way for Melbourne's Jahrome Hughes, who debuted off the bench in that Test and has gone on to establish himself as one of the game's premier No.7s.
Later that year the Tonga Invitational side produced one of the greatest upsets in the history of the international game when they stunned Australia 16-12 at Eden Park with Jason Taumalolo and Addin Fonua-Blake turning in phenomenal performances.
With those two warriors again leading from the front, Tonga are sure to provide stiff resistance for the Kiwis in a physical encounter that will whet the appetite for the World Cup later in the year in the UK.
Team News
New Zealand
The Kiwis will be captained by 29-Test veteran Jesse Bromwich, with coach Michael Maguire saying “it's a tribute to Jesse and the work he has done that has seen him earn respect as a true leader with Melbourne.
Parramatta's Dylan Brown is poised for a Test debut alongside Jahrome Hughes at the scrumbase while Ronaldo Mulitalo, Moses Leota, Scott Sorensen, Marata Niukore and Erin Clark are also in line for a first international cap.
Jesse and Kenny Bromwich will lead the forwards alongside Panthers juggernaut James Fisher-Harris, Raider Joe Tapine and Eel Isaiah Papali'i. Plenty of pace out wide with Joey Manu and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak joined by Te Maire Martin, who played the last of his four internationals in Denver in 2018.
Isaac Liu will miss the Test to be with his partner for the birth of the couple’s second child this week. A veteran of eight Tests for the Kiwis and five for Samoa, Liu has remained on the Gold Coast to support his partner Jessica for the birth.
“It’s straightforward for us at times like this. We’re always about family coming first,” said Maguire on Monday.
Tonga
Having been overlooked by NSW for Origin Two, Kotoni Staggs is expected to play five-eighth for Tonga alongside Dragons young gun Talatau Amone in the halves. Manly winger Christian Tuipulotu could get his shot on the wing, taking over from Daniel Tupou, who is with the Blues in Origin. The backline also looks set to feature Parramatta's Will Penisini, Manly flyer Tolotau Koula and Dragon Moses Suli.
The forward pack boasts awesome power in the shape of Addin Fonua-Blake, Jason Taumalolo, Haumole Olakau'atu, Keaon Koloamatangi and Tevita Pangai jnr. Tonga will be coached by caretaker coach Dean Young for this match with Kristian Woolf unavailable because of English Super League duties with St Helens.
Key match-up
Jahrome Hughes v Talatau Amone
Storm star Hughes has played in a winning grand final side and been victorious at Test level so he knows what to expect on the big stage in front of a raucous crowd. Dragons prodigy Amone is 25 games into his NRL career and looking more assured with each passing week, teaming nicely with Ben Hunt in the halves for the Red V. The 20-year-old has already had eight try assists and eight line break assists in 2022 while Hughes has been typically efficient with 10 try assists and six line break assists. A classic battle of experience and youth that will go a long way to determining the winner of this international showpiece.
Stat attack
The Kiwis played four Test matches in 2019, winning three and losing one. After beating Tonga in June they went on to lose 26-4 to Australia in Wollongong in November before beating Great Britain twice - 12-8 at Eden Park in Auckland and 23-8 in Christchurch.
The Kiwis' record at Mt Smart in Test matches is nine wins from 15 matches while Tonga have played three times here for three losses.
Story first published on NRL.com