LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
Te Maire Martin, a utility for the New Zealand Warriors, is set to make his Test debut after a seven-year hiatus when the Kiwis take on Tonga in the upcoming Pacific Championships match at Eden Park.
The 30-year-old last represented New Zealand in 2018 during a historic match against England at Mile High Stadium in Denver. This event marked the first Test for Michael Maguire as the Kiwi coach, where New Zealand lost 18-36. The squad also featured current Kiwis like James Fisher-Harris, Joseph Tapine, Jamayne Isaako, and Nelson Asofa-Solomona.
Although Martin was included in the Kiwis' squad for a 2022 match against Tonga, he didn't take to the field. This year, fellow Warriors players Fisher-Harris, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, and Erin Clark have retained their positions in a revamped New Zealand side with four changes from their previous match, which ended in a 24-18 victory over Toa Samoa on October 19.
Xavier Willison, a premiership-winning forward from the Brisbane Broncos, will make his debut coming off the interchange bench, replacing Melbourne Storm's powerhouse Nelson Asofa-Solomona. Willison, hailing from the Whatawhata Wolves and raised in the remote Waikato town of Tahāroa near Kawhia, previously represented the Cook Islands and made his NRL debut with the Broncos in 2021.
Throughout his 51 NRL appearances, he has scored 10 tries, with 21 of those outings occurring this year. During the current season, Willison averaged 111 metres and 23 tackles per game, boasting a tackle efficiency of 95.6 percent and making 39 tackle breaks.