New Zealand Under 85kg v Sri Lanka
Kick-off: 1:30am, Sunday 26 April (NZT)
Racecourse Ground, Colombo
Watch LIVE on NZR+ HERE.
After a stunning debut tour in 2025, the New Zealand Under 85kg team is back in Sri Lanka. They play the Tuskers this Saturday night (Sunday morning NZT), in the first of two matches that are once again expected to draw huge crowds.
The team recorded two comfortable victories last year, showcasing the sort of fast and skillful rugby the weight grade is known for. This time around, coach Ben Sinnamon is predicting a physical battle.
“We have an advantage this year of kind of knowing what to expect,” he said.
“They’re fast, they like to throw it around as well. So we have to front up and weather the storm. We’ve picked a squad that can play an expansive game, but also one that can come together and play a tight, defensive one too.”
Sinnamon said that a key motivation was to “showcase what this 85s grade is all about”, not just to Sri Lankan fans, but everyone watching around the world.
“It can be fast, it can be highly skilled, and it’s one where people can play a whole bunch of positions.”
The team has had a busy week of not just acclimatising to the Colombo heat, but also a series of engagements with tour sponsors Maliban and the seven star City Of Dreams hotel. Given they are usually club players across the country any other weekend, the experience has been an exciting one.
“We’re really aware that we couldn’t be here without our sponsors, so with that comes responsibility. We’re here to do a job and do it really well,” said Sinnamon, who named his team on Thursday.
There are six new players across the starting line up and bench. However, only one is in the starting pack, with lock Bailey Clark packing down in the second row alongside Rory Cavanagh.
In a new look backline, Nick ‘Road Runner’ Robertson starts on the wing. Maifea Feso starts in the midfield, part of a large contingent of the national champion 2025 HSOB Light Bears side. Ben Kelt will wear the 15 jersey, while on the bench Sunia Vosikata and Chad Crenfeldt-Smith will earn their first caps.
The side is once again led by Jarred Percival, who memorably scored in both games last year. Vice-captain Josh Gellert is expecting a tough challenge from a Tuskers side keen to improve.
“We know they’re going to be hungry after last year’s performance,” said vice-captain Josh Gellert.
“I don’t think the scores really reflected how tough those games were. They will have a few new guys, so we need to match that energy.”
In all, the team will represent 12 clubs across seven provinces. Halfback Taine Cordell-Hull is the sole Heartland rep, coming out of Timaru Celtic RFC in South Canterbury. Auckland University has six players as well as assistant coach John Afoa, while last year’s National Club Cup finalists Pōneke FC will be cheering on Robertson and Pasia Asiata.
After the success of last year’s tour, it’s hoped that these fixtures can once again help grow the concept of international weight grade rugby. Both are being broadcast live on Sky Sport NZ and on NZR+.
NZ Under 85kg team to face Sri Lanka:
1. Simon Sia, 2. Callum Nimmo, 3. Jeandre du Toit, 4. Rory Cavanagh, 5. Bailey Clark, 6. Josh Purdon, 7. Josh Gellert, 8. Pasia Asiata, 9. Taine Cordell-Hull, 10. Jarred Percival, 11. Pieter Swarts, 12. Maifea Taiulu Feso, 13. Campbell Busby, 14. Nick Robertson, 15. Ben Kelt
Bench: 16. Matt Treeby, 17. Tom Rowland, 18. Frazer Harrison, 19. Jack Laity, 20. Sunia Vosikata, 21. Ned Milne, 22. Adam Preston, 23. Chad Crenfeldt-Smith
