Kini welcomes Ponga challenge: Predicted Kiwis team

Keano Kini is chasing more than a World Cup debut.

For 22-year-old Kini, pulling on the Kiwis jersey is a chance to represent his family, heritage and the country that shaped him.

“New Zealand is where my culture, identity and roots are,” Kini said. 

“I take it very seriously when I put on the black jersey. There’s a certain standard to uphold when you're in the black jersey - the jersey is never yours.”

Born and raised in Auckland, Kini moved to the Gold Coast at 16 years-of age to pursue a rugby league career through the Titans pathway, but his connection to New Zealand and his Māori culture held strong.

“It's something deep within my roots," he said.

Kini has represented the Kiwis in five Tests so far - an honour he doesn’t take lightly, declaring: "Every time I go into camp, it's an honour and privilege to be there”.

However, he faces a challenge for the No.1 jersey at the World Cup, with Kayln Ponga set to be a new addition to the New Zealand squad after changing his international allegiance to recognise his father's Māori lineage.

The pair played alongside each other for Māori All Stars in 2025 and Kini is prioritising national pride over personal ambition as he prepares to learn from one of the leading fullbacks in the game.

“I'm excited to have Kayln in the team. He's someone that I've watched and looked up to growing up," Kini said.

“I loved being around him in the Māori All-Stars camp. I was buzzing to learn from him and watch what he does.

He’s getting into his culture now, it's going to be an awesome experience for him in the New Zealand camp. I know that he's deeply rooted in the Kiwis.

Keano Kini on Kalyn Ponga

“As a Kiwi’s team, we believe in what we're doing; we believe in our system and what we're working towards.”

Kini won‘t be the only young gun in the Kiwis squad, with Panthers’ sensation Casey McLean set to feature in the World Cup side after a stunning international debut in 2024.

With McLean’s current try-scoring rate, he is on course to become New Zealand’s leading try scorer.

“He's a freak. Every time he plays, he seems to score two or three tries,” Kini said. “It's a testament to how hard he works and how smart he is.”

Backed by a world-class forward pack led by James Fisher-Harris and Joseph Tapine, Kini believes New Zealand will be one of the tournament’s biggest threats.

“James is very much a lead-by-action sort of fella," he said. “You just see what he does on the field and all those little things. It's just inspiring to get behind.

“Taps is a freakish sort of player. I think he stands up in every single tackle he goes in. He's another inspiring fella who goes hard all day.”

Fisher-Harris will lead his side out in the opening match of the Rugby World Cup against the Kangaroos at Allianz Stadium on October 15.

The Kiwis will look to open their campaign with a win over the defending champions when the sides go head-to-head before what is set to be the biggest Test attendance in Sydney for almost two decades.

“It'll be an honour to play in the World Cup opener. I know everyone is going to watch that game," Kini said.

In the final group-stage fixture, Kini will return to familiar territory on the Gold Coast when the Kiwis face Fiji Bati as part of a triple-header.

“There are so many Kiwis and Māori people in Southeast Queensland and the Gold Coast, so I'm sure they'll be turning up in their black jerseys,” he said.

But for Kini, representing New Zealand at the World Cup means more than rugby league. It allows him to celebrate his roots on the international stage.

“It makes me emotional thinking about how much it means to the country, my family, the team and me," he said.