LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
The 2025 Pacific Championships are drawing near, and notably, for the first time, Australia will not be participating in the tournament. This sets the stage for New Zealand, Samoa, and Tonga to contend for supremacy.
Following their match against England in 2024, Samoa aims to make a significant impact, especially after their impressive run to the Rugby League World Cup (RLWC) Final.
The squad is expected to feature a number of star players, prominently including current and former Penrith Panthers, with the halves combination of Blaize Talagi and Jarome Luai leading the way.
In contrast, Payne Haas has committed to representing Tonga, while Tino Fa'asuamaleaui is still weighing his options at the time of this publication.
This team will differ from the one that faced England, with the forward pack looking to dominate the center of the field, bolstered by powerful players Spencer Leniu and Junior Paulo coming off the bench.
Here is the potential 21-man squad for Samoa:
Starting Lineup
1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (New Zealand Warriors)
2. Brian To'o (Penrith Panthers)
3. Izack Tago (Penrith Panthers)
4. Stephen Crichton (Penrith Panthers)
5. Murray Taulagi (North Queensland Cowboys)
6. Blaize Talagi (Penrith Panthers)
7. Jarome Luai (Wests Tigers)
8. Payne Haas (Brisbane Broncos)
9. Jazz Tevaga (Wakefield Trinity)
10. Terrell May (Wests Tigers)
11. Jaydn Su'A (St George Illawarra Dragons)
12. Jeremiah Nanai (North Queensland Cowboys)
13. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui* (Gold Coast Titans)
Interchange
14. Chanel Harris-Tavita (New Zealand Warriors)
15. Spencer Leniu (Sydney Roosters)
16. Shawn Blore (Melbourne Storm)
17. Junior Paulo (Parramatta Eels)