New head coach David Kidwell has selected his first NZ Kiwis team, including seven changes from side that faced Australia in the Downer Trans-Tasman Test in May.
The starting line-up includes two players making their debuts for New Zealand, Solomone Kata and Jordan Rapana.
Seventeen-test veteran Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Kiwi #755) makes his return to the international arena, last wearing the black-and-white jersey at the 2013 World Cup. Re-joining him in the front row is the most-capped player in the side, Issac Luke (Kiwi #749), playing his 37th test match.
Jesse Bromwich (Kiwi #775) captains the team, supported by two other Melbourne Storm players who featured in the NRL Grand Final, Kevin Proctor (Kiwi #771) and Tohu Harris (Kiwi #778).
The 2016 joint Dally M medallist and RLPA Player of the Year Jason Taumalolo (Kiwi #786) starts at loose forward.
Adding experience in the spine is Thomas Leuluai (Kiwi #704), who first played for the Kiwis back in 2003. He will pair up with his NZ Warriors team-mate Shaun Johnson (Kiwi #774) in the halves.
Kiwis team to face Australia
1 Jordan Kahu
2 Jason Nightingale
3 Solomone Kata
4 Shaun Kenny-Dowall
5 Jordan Rapana
6 Thomas Leuluai
7 Shaun Johnson
8 Jesse Bromwich (c)
9 Issac Luke
10 Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
11 Kevin Proctor
12 Tohu Harris
13 Jason Taumalolo
Interchange:
14 Lewis Brown
15 Martin Taupau
16 Manu Ma’u
17 Adam Blair
18 Joseph Tapine
19 Gerard Beale
