Australia welcome Samoa to Townsville in the opening of the inaugural Pacific Championships in Townsville.
This is the first clash of the heavyweight nations since the Kangaroos won the World Cup final last November, with the match kicking off at 8.10pm AEDT.
MATCH CENTER: Australia v Samoa, teams, stats, video
The Kangaroos are without more than half the squad that started their World Cup final, with Nathan Cleary and Latrell Mitchell (injured), Valentine Holmes and Josh Addo-Carr (suspended), Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Angus Crichton (unselected) and Jack Wighton (retired) at full tilt.
Sea Eagles veteran Daly Cherry-Evans starts for Cleary at halfback, while four debutants will replace Mitchell, Holmes, Addo-Carr and Wighton.
Dolphins fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow comes into the centers – where he plays for Queensland – to partner Broncos star Kotoni Staggs.
Brisbane youngster Selwyn Cobbo and Panthers full-back Dylan Edwards make their debuts on the wings.
Among the forwards, another Broncos star, superstar prop Payne Haas, replaces Campbell-Gillard, while South skipper Cameron Murray this time starts in place of Crichton.
Samoa rookie coach Ben Gardiner made a shock move at the selection table this week, naming Stephen Crichton as Jarome Luai’s replacement in the No.6 jersey.
“Stephen, as people know, is just an elite player, it’s a new position and a new challenge for him that he wants to take on, he wants to do it for his country,” Gardiner said .
“I told Stephen it wouldn’t be a ball playing in a half position, he would run in a half position, he would have a bit of freedom to get the ball in his hands wherever he could throughout the game. Run the ball, that’s what I tell him, do what you normally do.
Brian To’o, Izack Tago and Spencer Leniu are the other Penrith premiers in his squad, while former Blues prop Junior Paulo will once again captain the team. Murray Taulagi played for Australia at the World Cup but missed selection this year and will make his debut. for Samoa.
Kangaroos Team: 1. James Tedesco 2. Dylan Edwards 3. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 4. Kotoni Staggs 5. Selwyn Cobbo 6. Cam Munster 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Payne Haas 9. Ben Hunt 10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui 11. Cameron Murray 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaac Yeo 14. Harry Grant 15. Lindsay Collins 16. Patrick Carrigan 17 Reuben Cotter 18. Nicho Hynes 19. Jake Trbojevic
Samoa team: 1. Sualauvi Faalogo 2. Murray Taulagi 3. Izack Tago 4. Young Tonumaipea 5. Brian To’o 6. Stephen Crichton 7. Daejarn Asi 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Gordon Chan Kum Tong 10. Junior Paulo 11. Luciano Leilua 12. Connelly Lemuelu 13. Keenan Palasia 14. Spencer Leniu 15. Terrell May 16. Heilum Luki 17. Ronald Volkman 18. Royce Hunt 19. Justin Matamua 20. Greg Marzhew 21. Tommy Talau
