Sorensen and Kris to debut for Kiwis

Two-time NRL premiership winner Scott Sorensen and Canberra Raiders outside back Sebastian Kris will make their Test debuts in the Kiwi’s second rugby league World Cup game against Jamaica in Hull this weekend.

Kris and Nicoll-Klokstad
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The 29-year-old Sorensen will become the fifth member of the remarkable Sorensen family to represent the Kiwis at Test level.

And Kris (24) caps a remarkable story of his own by earning his first Test jersey after he stepped aside from the NRL in 2020 before reviving his career in 2021.

He scored a first half hat-trick in his first appearance in the Kiwi jersey in the 74-0 match against Leeds on October 8.

Sorensen, a try scorer in Penrith’s second straight premiership win, has been brought onto the bench for the Kiwis’ second Pool C match against Jamaica’s Reggae Warriors, who are at the Rugby League World Cup for the first time.

Kris forms a new combination on the flanks with Warriors winger and former Kiwi captain Dallin Watene-Zelezniak returning to the side for his 13th Test after last appearing in the home Test win over Mate M’a Tonga in 2019.

They come in for Ronaldo Mulitalo and Jordan Rapana who both played in the opening 34-12 win over the Lebanon Cedars in Warrington last Sunday.

Head coach Michael Maguire has also made some other changes.

Parramatta’s Warriors-bound Marata Niukore has been named at left centre replacing ex-Raider Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and another of Penrith’s grand final winners Moses Leota will start in the front row with his clubmate James Fisher-Harris.

Scott Sorensen
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Leota was named for the match against Lebanon but was ruled out after picking up a minor groin injury in the team’s final field session. He comes into the side for captain Jesse Bromwich with Fisher-Harris chosen to lead the Kiwis on Saturday.

There’s a swap in the second row which sees Cronulla-Sutherland’s Briton Nikora moved from his bench role against Lebanon to start against Jamaica while Parramatta’s Wests Tigers-bound Isaiah Papali’i is switched to the interchange.

Also out of the side this week is Canberra loose forward Joseph Tapine with Gold Coast’s Isaac Liu recalled for his ninth Test.

Sorensen’s selection comes more than 70 years after his late grandfather Bill Sorensen (Kiwi #338) began his New Zealand career. He went on to play 24 Tests from 1951-1960.

His brother Dave (Kiwi #494), Scott’s great uncle, represented New Zealand in 1971-1972 before brothers Dane and Kurt Sorensen – Scott’s uncles – left an indelible mark on the rugby league landscape.

Between them Dane (#520) and Kurt (#524) played 45 Tests for New Zealand in the course of their outstanding professional careers spanning the 1970, ’80s and ’90s.

Dane finished his NRL career with 229 appearances for Cronulla-Sutherland and Eastern Suburbs including a then-club record 216 for the Sharks. Kurt made almost 130 NRL appearances for the Sharks and more than 250 for Widnes, ending his career with the club with a try in the 1993 Challenge Cup grand final loss to Wigan.

NZ KIWIS to play JAMAICA

Fullback 1 Joseph MANU

Wing 24 Sebastian KRIS

Centre 3 Marata NIUKORE

Centre 4 Peta HIKU

Wing 19 Dallin WATENE-ZELEZNIAK

Five Eighth 6 Dylan BROWN

Halfback 14 Kieran FORAN

Prop 15 Moses LEOTA

Hooker 9 Brandon SMITH

Prop 10 James FISHER-HARRIS (c)

Second Row 12 Kenny BROMWICH

Second Row 17 Briton NIKORA

Loose Forward 20 Isaac LIU

Interchange 11 Isaiah PAPALI’I

Interchange 16 Nelson ASOFA-SOLOMONA

Interchange 22 Jeremy MARSHALL-KING

Interchange 23 Scott SORENSEN

18th Man 21 Charnze NICOLL-KLOKSTAD

19th Man 8 Jesse BROMWICH