Brisbane Broncos and New South Wales Blues star Payne Haas has confirmed he will represent Samoa at this year’s Pacific Championships.
The decision means he will turn his back on the Ashes tour to England with the Australian Kangaroos, who are also set to lose Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow from their set-up.
Under current international rugby league rules, players with eligibility to play for both a Tier 1 and Tier 2 team may select their national allegiance annually, meaning Haas could revert to a Kangaroos jumper for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup, which will be hosted in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Samoa, who take Australia’s spot in the Pacific Championships after touring England themselves last year, will face New Zealand and Tonga in their end-of-year internationals and are looking to build towards that World Cup after stunning the rugby league world to make the final of the last tournament, held in England during 2021.
In confirming the news, Samoan coach Ben Gardiner said Haas was a ‘proven performer’.
“We’re excited to welcome Payne into the Toa Samoa family,” Gardiner said.
“He’s a proven performer on the biggest stages, and we can’t wait to see him in blue.”
Meanwhile, Samoan rugby league president Fiu Ponifasio Vasa said it would mean a lot to Samoa’s people to have Haas play for the nation.
“Having a player of Payne’s standing in the game pledging for Samoa means so much to our people in Samoa and the wider Samoan community around the world,” he said.
“It’s been a dream to have all our sons of Samoa from the NRL represent their heritage, and Payne’s decision will inspire many.”
Gardiner will have his hands full picking a 21-man squad for the tournament, with Samoa to play Tonga in Brisbane and New Zealand in Auckland before a final to be held in Sydney.
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