Photo: © NRL Photos
Toa Samoa hooker Jazz Tevaga has been named in the team for this weekend's Pacific Championships match against Tonga, despite a failed head injury assessment last weekend.
Samoa's management is seeking an exemption to allow him to play.
Chanel Harris-Tavita and Benaiah Ioelu provide cover from the bench.
Prop Terrell May has been named in the reserves as he races to overcome the hamstring injury that kept him out oflast Sunday's loss to the Kiwis.
Melbourne Storm's Ativalu Lisati is in line for his Test debut off the bench.
Tyrone May has been called into the squad on the back of winning the Super League grand final with Hull KR.
Four players are in line to make their debuts for Tonga.
Photo: Tonga Rugby League Facebook
Eels youngster Isaiah Iongi will join Isaiya Katoa in the halves.
State of Origin centre Robert Toia is also set for his Test debut, as are Storm prop Stefano Utoikamanu and Warriors forward Leka Halasima.
Addin Fonua-Blake and Jason Taumalolo lead a star-studded side which includes 11 members of the side beaten by the Kangaroos in the 2024 Pacific Cup final.
Lachlan Lam will captain the PNG Kumuls in their Pacific Championships match against the Cook Islands on Saturday.
Lam is one of several inclusions who did not play in the Prime Minister's XIII match against Australia, as are hooker Edwin Ipape, back-rower Rhyse Martin, and winger Alex Johnston.
Morea Morea has been named at fullback and veteran Nene MacDonald moves to centre in his 20th international for Papua New Guinea.
KL Iro will again captain the Cook Islands Aitu.
Iro and winger Paul Ulberg broke 10 tackles between them in last weekend's loss to the Fiji Bati.
Esan Marsters has been named at fullback and Caelys-Paul Putoko at five-eighth, but they could swap on game day as they did against the Bati.
Kick-off against the Kumuls in Port Moresby is 3pm Saturday local time - which is 7pm Friday in the Cook Islands.
Women's teams
Fetu Samoa vice-captain Sienna Lofipo will miss this week's Pacific Championships match against the Australian Jillaroos, after a head knock against the Kiwi Ferns last week.
Jetaya Faifua moves from fullback to halfback, to take over from the injured Pauline Piliae-Rasabale.
Captain Annetta-Claudia Nu'uausala is in the prop number 8 jersey.
Three debutantes have been named in the Australian Jillaroos - Jesse Southwell takes over as halfback from the injured Tarryn Aiken, while props Rima Butler and Ellie Johnston also get their first taste of international league.
Co-captain Kezie Apps moves to her more favoured second-row position.
Kickoff on Sunday is at 1pm local time, 4pm Samoa time, at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.
The Cook Islands Moana have put Queensland under-19 player Keira Rangi in for her international debut at right centre for Saturday's game against Tonga.
The Moana come into the Pacific Championships second-round match off the back of a big 34-6 win over PNG last weekend.
Kiarah Siauane moves to the wing and Hannah Makira drops out.
Debutante Porche John and Jodeci Joseph are the new faces on the bench.
Bulldogs backs Moana Courtenay and Simina Lokotui are among multiple players set to make their Test debuts for Tonga.
Newcastle's Fane Finau, Parramatta's Martha Mataele and playmaker Malia Tuifua are also set for their first international caps against the Cook Islands Moana.
Last year's captain and assistant coach Vanessa Foliaki is in the extended squad as a reserve.
Kickoff is 1pm local time at Port Moresby's Santos National Football Stadium, which is 5pm Friday in the Cook Islands.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow of the Maroons celebrates after scoring a try during the State of Origin game two match between the Queensland Maroons and the NSW Blues. Photo: AAP / Photosport
'Hammer' switches to Samoa
Also this week, Dolphins superstar Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has declared his intentions to play for Toa Samoa at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup.
Tabuai-Fidow is unavailable for the Pacific Championships due to injury but joined the squad at a Samoa Fan Day on Tuesday afternoon to announce the news.
He made his test debut for Samoa at 21, at the 2022 World Cup, but got injured. He played for the Kangaroos six times in 2023-24.
Samoa prop Terrell May said Tabuai-Fidow's commitment for next year's World Cup was exciting for the future.
"I think the squad next year is going to be really strong with Hammer in and a couple of boys that are injured," May said on Tuesday.
"Samoa's building something special."
Samoa coach Ben Gardiner said Tabuai-Fidow is "an incredible talent" with representative experience at the highest level.
