{"id":336140,"date":"2023-10-04T02:21:54","date_gmt":"2023-10-04T02:21:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=336140"},"modified":"2023-10-04T05:02:47","modified_gmt":"2023-10-04T05:02:47","slug":"nrl-flyer-switches-allegiance-as-kiwi-squad-revealed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=336140","title":{"rendered":"NRL flyer switches allegiance as Kiwi squad revealed"},"content":{"rendered":"

T\ufeffhe Kiwis have revealed their squad for the inaugural Pacific Championships but absent is brilliant winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak<\/a>, who's switched his allegiance to Tonga.<\/p>\n

The Pacific Championships, set to run across four consecutive weekends from October 14-15, will see Australia, New Zealand and Samoa square off in the Pacific Cup, and Papua New Guinea, the Cook Islands and Fiji contest the Pacific Bowl.<\/p>\n

Tonga will not feature in the Pacific Championships because it'll be touring England for a three-Test series across October and November.<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Latrell hits back over Kangaroos no-show\ufeff<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Aussie kicked out of Shanghai Masters after hitting umpire<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Maxwell 'roars to form' to rescue Aussies again<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

However, \ufeffnor will Watene-Zelezniak, who's eligible to play for Tonga through his grandmother, be wearing red on the tour of England.<\/p>\n

In a statement announcing the Tongan squad, Watene-Zelezniak was among a host of players ruled out \ufeff"due to either off-season surgeries or being ruled medically unfit by their clubs".<\/p>\n

\"Dallin<\/p>\n

Among the other stars missing from the Tongan squad due to surgery or fitness are Cowboys co-captain Jason Taumalolo\ufeff, Titans weapon David Fifita, former Roosters forward Sio Siau Taukieaho and Sharks winger Sione Katoa.<\/p>\n

Knights second-rower Tyson Frizell has played 14 Tests for Australia but is set to make his debut for Tonga.<\/p>\n

A notable omission from the New Zealand squad is \ufeffveteran Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson, who's decided to take time off after leading his side to a preliminary final berth.<\/p>\n

New Zealand Rugby League chief executive \ufeffGreg Peters applauded Watene-Zelezniak's decision to change his allegiance to Tonga.<\/p>\n

"He's a wonderful bloke," Peters told Newshub.<\/p>\n

"That's one of the wonderful things about rugby league \u2014 players will make their decisions factoring in their family links, culture and things they should be considering.<\/p>\n

"Dallin is at that stage where he wants to pursue that, and we respect that."<\/p>\n

\"Collision<\/p>\n

Dolphins speedster Jamayne Isaako and Sharks flyer Ronaldo Mulitalo are expected to be picked as New Zealand's wingers.\ufeff<\/p>\n

The Roosters' Daniel Tupou and Wests Tigers' Starford To'a will likely be Tonga's wingers.<\/p>\n

New Zealand squad for\ufeff Pacific Championships<\/h2>\n

Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Dylan Brown, Fa'amanu Brown, James Fisher-Harris, Kieran Foran, Wiremu Greig, Jahrome Hughes, Jamayne Isaako, Keano Kini , Moses Leota, Danny Levi, Joseph Manu, Ronaldo Mulitalo, Griffin Neame, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Briton Nikora, Isaiah Papali'i, Joseph Tapine, Leo Thompson, Matthew Timoko, Naufahu Whyte<\/p>\n

Tongan squad for tour of England\ufeff<\/h2>\n

Latu Fainu, Addin Fonua-Blake, Moeaki Fotuaika, Tyson Frizell, Siliva Havili, William Hopoate, Konrad Hurrell, Isaiya Katoa, Eliesa Katoa, Felise Kaufusi, Keaon Koloamatangi, Tolutau Koula, Tuimoala Lolohea, Haumole Olakau'atu, Will Penisini, Hame Sele, Moses Suli, Tevita Tatola, Dion Teaupa, Starford To'a, Daniel Tupou, Siua Wong<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

T\ufeffhe Kiwis have revealed their squad for the inaugural Pacific Championships but absent is brilliant winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, who's switched his allegiance to Tonga. The […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":336142,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/336140"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=336140"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/336140\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":336145,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/336140\/revisions\/336145"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/336142"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=336140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=336140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=336140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}