Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Jahrome Hughes have been named to once again represent their homeland in the New Zealand squad for the upcoming Pacific Rugby League Championships.
Hughes will take the field for his seventh appearance in the black and white jersey, backing up from his run in the 2022 Rugby League World Cup where he scored three tries. The 28-year-old debuted for the side in 2019 and has yet to miss a game for his country.
Amongst Melbourne Storm players, Asofa-Solomona is the most Internationally experienced, representing the Kiwis on 12 occasions. After making his first appearance in the 2017 World Cup, the 27-year-old has become a mainstay amongst the New Zealand forward pack.
2023 Pacific Championships Schedule
Week One – October 14-15
- Australia v Samoa (men) at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville
- Australia v New Zealand (women) at Queensland Country Bank Stadium Townsville
- PNG v Cook Islands (men) at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby
- Samoa v Fiji (women) at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby
Week Two – October 21-22
- New Zealand v Samoa (men) at Eden Park, Auckland
- New Zealand v Tonga (women) at Eden Park, Auckland
- Fiji v Cook Islands (men) at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby
- PNG v Cook Islands (women) at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby
Week Three – October 28-29
- Australia v New Zealand (men) at AAMI Park, Melbourne
- Australia v New Zealand (women) at AAMI Park, Melbourne
- PNG v Fiji (men) at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby
Week Four – November 4-5
- The Final of the men’s Pacific Cup tournament on November 4 in Hamilton, New Zealand
- The Final of the men’s Pacific Bowl tournament on November 5 at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby
