Watene-Zelezniak Returns To Squad

York, England, November 3, 2022 – Winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak returns in the only change to the New Zealand Kiwis’ 19-man squad for their Rugby League World Cup quarter-final against Fiji Bati at MKM Stadium in Hull on Saturday (7.30pm kick-off local time; 8.30am Sunday NZT).The 27-year-old Watene-Zelezniak fills the vacancy created by prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves’ one-match suspension for a high tackle on Dan Norman in last Friday night’s win over Ireland in Leeds.The squad has been named in alphabetical order with the final line-up to be confirmed 75 minutes before kick-off on Saturday.Apart from Waerea-Hargreaves, the other players omitted are prop Moses Leota, centre-second rower Marata Niukore, centre Sebastian Kris and hooker Jeremy Marshall-King.For the second time in successive World Cups, the Kiwis and Fiji meet at the quarter-final stage of the tournament.When the two nations met for the first time in 2017, the Bati caused a major shock by winning 4-2 in a tryless contest in Wellington.Of the squad named today, Watene-Zelezniak, Jordan Rapana, Joseph Tapine, Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Isaac Liu all played in the 2017 encounter. Waerea-Hargreaves was also in the line-up that day while Kenny Bromwich and Peta Hiku weren’t selected.The Kiwis go into their quarter-final after topping Pool C with victories over the Lebanon Cedars (34-12), Jamaica’s Reggae Warriors (68-6) and the Ireland Wolfhounds (48-10).After losing 8-42 to the Kangaroos in their opening match, Fiji beat Italy’s Azzurri 60-4 and the Scotland Bravehearts 30-14 to finish runner-up in Pool B. NZ KIWIS v FIJI BATI MKM Stadium, Hull7.30pm, Saturday, November 5, 2022

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