New Zealand Rugby League CEO Greg Peters has welcomed the prospect of Kalyn Ponga going head-to-head with Reece Walsh in the opening match of the World Cup after the IRL Board unanimously approved his application to play for he Kiwis.

Ponga, the 2023 Dally M Medallist, requested to switch Tier 1 eligibility from Australia to New Zealand and his first match for the Kiwis is set to be in the RLWC2026 opener against the Kangaroos on October 15 at Allianz Stadium.

The Knights superstar was born in Western Australia to New Zealand parents. He spent time growing up in New Zealand before the family moved to Queensland.

He has played State of Origin for Queensland and represented his Māori heritage but has not been eligible for the Kiwis after representing Australia at World Cup 9s.

Australian Rugby League Commission Chair Peter V'landys supported Ponga's application after speaking to him about his desire to switch his international allegiance to New Zealand while in Vegas for the NRL season opener.

The move is in line with recent changes to State of Origin eligibility rules, enabling New Zealand and England players who qualify for NSW or Queensland to play for their state.

It means that Ponga and Walsh, the Kangaroos fullback, could line up together for Queensland in State of Origin before becoming Test rivals at the World Cup.

"We are delighted with the outcome and that the administrative hurdle for Kalyn to play for New Zealand has been cleared," Peters said.

"He will be very welcome in the Kiwis' environment at the World Cup later in the year."

IRL eligibility rules state that players who have “elected”, by being named in the 19-player-squad for a Senior International Match or selected in a squad for an official international 9s competition for a Tier 1 nation (Australia, England and New Zealand) are unable to switch to another Tier 1 nation.

Ponga represented Australia at the 2019 IRL 9s World Cup in Sydney but has not played a Senior International Match for the Kangaroos.

At the time, the World Cup 9s was part of IRL’s calendar planning and it was intended to be held every four years. However, the tournament has effectively been discontinued and is not part of IRL’s medium term planning.

Ponga said in his application that while he was grateful for the opportunity represent Australia at a young age his heart was with New Zealand.

Photo: Kalyn Ponga in action for Mãori All Stars. @NRL Photos

"While I was born in Australia, my connection to New Zealand runs deep through every generation of my family. My father, Andre Ponga, was born in Palmerston North, and my mother, Adine Ponga, was born in Wellington. All four of my grandparents were also born in New Zealand. My roots, my whakapapa, and my identity are firmly grounded in this country and its people," he wrote.

"I am immensely proud of my Mãori heritage, and that pride has oniy grown stronger with each passing year. I have had the privilege of representing the Mãori All Stars on three occasions, and those experiences have only deepened my connection to New Zealand rugby league and to the broader Mãori community.

"I want to be transparent about my representative history at the Australian level. My only appearances for Australia were in the Junior Kangaroos and the Rugby League World 9's, both in 2019. These were appearances I am grateful for.

"However, upon reflection, they do not reflect where my heart, my heritage, and my deepest sense of belonging truly lie.

"With the new State of Origin eligibility rules recently announced by the NRL, I am respectfully requesting an exemption that would make me available for the New Zealand Kiwis Test team going forward, as well as for Queensland in State of Origin.

"I believe this request is both reasonable and consistent with the spirit of the eligibility framework, given the strength and clarity of my New Zealand lineage.

"I approach this request with the utmost respect for the International Rugby League, for the process, and for the significance of the decision. I am committed to contributing at the highest level of the game and representing New Zealand with the saine pride, passion, and dedication I bring to every aspect of my career."

An IRL tribunal last year ruled that Gold Coast Titans utility AJ Brimson, who also played for Australia at the World Cup 9s in 2019, could switch allegiances to represent his English heritage, through his mother. Brimson played for England against Australia during the 2025 Ashes Series.

IRL Chair Troy Grant said: "I was honoured to inform Kalyn of the IRL Board's unanimous decision to approve his application to be eligible for New Zealand and he was very grateful.

“The strength of international rugby league is the passion of the players to represent their nations and families, and the aim of the international eligibility rules is to ensure that the best players play for nations that they are eligible to represent."

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