The New Zealand Kiwis squad has been named to defend their Pacific Championships crown with a combination of a hearty core, clear development channels and the regular dose of funky eligibility wins for Aotearoa.

The 2024 Aotearoa Kiwis mixer needs an update after injuries to Brandon Smith and Dylan Brown, both of whom were penciled in as top-17 players for New Zealand.

As youngsters from Aotearoa roll through every NRL/NRLW pipeline and the group of top-tier rugby league players from Aotearoa continues to grow, remember that New Zealand Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns finished last year with wins over Australia.

The strength of Aotearoa rugby league has been laid out for all to see as the Kiwis defeated Australia 30-0, a week after Aotearoa's Kiwi Ferns defeated Australia 12-6.

Aotearoa play Australia in a Rugby League World Cup semi-final on Saturday morning (NZT) with a team that is among, if not the best Aotearoa Kiwis outfit since millennials emerged.

Rugby League World Cup quarter-finals have arrived and after celebrating Test footy through the group stages, knockout footy amplifies all that is fabulous about international rugby league.

Rugby league is in a strange ol' spot mid-way through 2021. Nah, this isn't about any of the many weird NRL antics ... well apart from the already monumental Kiwi-NRL numbers.