Dane Gagai, Stacey Waaka and Zahara Temara set to represent Aotearoa.
Ngāti Pikiao rugby league star Dane Gagai will make history this week as Aotearoa’s second-oldest Kiwis Test debutant, while fellow Te Arawa descendant Stacey Waaka prepares to make her Kiwi Ferns debut at the Rugby League World Cup.
The two players have been named in their respective New Zealand sides for the opening round of the tournament, with Gagai facing his former international team, the Australian Kangaroos, on Thursday night and Waaka lining up against Fiji on Sunday.
At 35 years old, Gagai will become the second-oldest player to debut for the Kiwis when he runs onto Allianz Stadium in Sydney alongside Newcastle Knights teammate Kalyn Ponga.
Gagai is an uri of Tamatea Tūtahi Kāwiti, a hapū of Ngāti Pikiao based on the eastern shores of Lake Rotoiti.
His selection marks a significant milestone for the veteran centre, who previously represented Australia in seven Tests and Queensland in State of Origin.
Nine years after making his Kangaroos debut at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, Gagai will now represent Aotearoa and his Māori whakapapa on the international stage.
He follows in the footsteps of fellow Ngāti Pikiao descendants Dean Bell, Josh Hoffman and pioneering brothers Albert and Ernie Asher, who have all represented New Zealand in rugby league.
Gagai’s debut will also see him join a wider legacy of Te Arawa rugby league representatives who have worn the black jersey.
The Newcastle Knights star has been named in the centres, while Ponga starts at fullback. Melbourne Storm playmaker Jahrome Hughes returns to Test football for the first time since 2023, partnering Kodi Nikorima in the halves.
Captain James Fisher-Harris will lead a formidable forward pack featuring Joseph Tapine, Moses Leota and Naufahu Whyte.
Australia has named an equally strong side, with coach Kevin Walters selecting Reece Walsh at fullback ahead of James Tedesco, while Mitch Moses takes the halfback role.
For Gagai, the occasion carries added significance as he prepares to face the country he once represented, this time wearing the black jersey of Aotearoa.
Stacey Waaka to make Kiwi Ferns debut
Te Arawa will also have representation in the women’s competition, with Olympic gold medallist Stacey Waaka named on the wing for the Kiwi Ferns’ opening match against Fiji on Sunday.
Waaka, who is closely affiliated with Ngāi Tūhoe and Ngāti Pūkeko, also has connections to Ngāti Rangitihi through her tupuna kuia, Pareraututu.
The former Black Ferns Sevens star has made a successful transition to rugby league with the New Zealand Warriors and will now add another international jersey to her sporting career.
Waaka was part of New Zealand’s Olympic gold medal-winning rugby sevens team at Tokyo 2020 and has since established herself in the NRL Women’s competition.
She will be joined in the Kiwi Ferns backline by Rotorua-born playmaker Zahara Temara, who has also been named to make her New Zealand debut after previously representing Australia.
Temara, who moved to Australia at the age of 11, has spoken about her long-held ambition to represent her country of birth.
The pair will form part of a strong Kiwi Ferns side captained by Georgia Hale and Raecene McGregor, as New Zealand begins its campaign for a fourth Women’s Rugby League World Cup title.
For Te Arawa whānau, the opening week of the World Cup provides an opportunity to celebrate descendants representing Aotearoa on the international stage.
The Kiwis face Australia at Allianz Stadium in Sydney on Thursday 15 October, kicking off at 10.05pm New Zealand time.
The Kiwi Ferns take on Fiji at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle on Sunday 18 October, with kick-off at 3.50pm New Zealand time.