LeagueNews.co | Robbie Hamilton
The Kiwis will begin their Pacific Championships campaign in Auckland against Samoa, who are determined to bounce back after a heavy defeat to the Kangaroos.
According to a report on raiders.com.au, the match preview highlights the excitement that will be generated by the passionate Samoan fans at Eden Park.
The battle between the forwards in the opening 15 minutes of the game is expected to be a spectacle in itself.
The clash will see New Zealand's new captain, James Fisher-Harris, and his Panthers teammate, Moses Leota, face off against Samoa's Junior Paulo, Stefano Utoikamanu, and Terrell May.
May, who impressed as a substitute in the tournament opener, added a significant impact to the Samoan team.
Samoa will draw confidence from their performance in last year's World Cup, where they outperformed the Kiwis.
Sua Fa'alogo, the young fullback for Samoa, was outstanding in the match against the Kangaroos and is anticipated to deliver more memorable moments in just his second Test match.
The previous meeting between these two nations took place at the 2017 World Cup, with the Kiwis emerging victorious with a scoreline of 38-8 at Mt Smart Stadium.