Joseph Tapine has joked he will take Canberra teammate Hudson Young’s head off when New Zealand hosts new-look Australia in a heavyweight Pacific Championships clash.

Sunday’s clash in Christchurch marks the two Raiders forwards’ first game as rivals after lining up together 103 times at NRL level since Young’s 2019 debut season.

A three-time NSW representative, Young was among six Kangaroos to earn a Test debut as coach Mal Meninga overhauled his side for the Pacific Championships opener against Tonga.

The Kiwis look set to provide a sterner test than Tonga did in Australia’s 18-0 win last Friday, having steamrolled their way to a 30-0 victory in the sides’ last clash.

Tapine starred in last November’s Pacific Championships final, running for 197 metres as the Kiwis middle forwards bullied their Australian counterparts

As New Zealand look to replicate last year’s feats, the prop forward has scoped his teammate out as a target.

“I already put in the (Raiders) group chat that I’d take his head off if we played, just joking around,” Tapine said.

“I’m looking forward to it. He’s a quality player.

“He’s been at the Raiders the whole time I’ve been there. There’s been no opportunities (to play against him). It’ll be good.” 

After calling Shaun Johnson out of retirement and into camp as an injury replacement, coach Stacey Jones has welcomed another familiar face to training in Christchurch this week.

Veteran playmaker Kieran Foran was unavailable for selection in the Pacific Championships following ankle surgery but will be in camp all week in a mentoring capacity.

“Kieran will just fit in wherever we need him to,” Jones said.

“He’s certainly near the back end of his career. Kieran I know wants to one day be a coach. 

“(This is) a good place for him to be a part of and get some experience, but also adds some experience to the group.”

Foran played in the last-start drubbing of Australia, but looks unlikely to spend the week reminiscing on the win as the Kiwis target another boilover.

“We’ve got to keep building, we don’t want to be that team that just won the one,” Tapine said.

“We’ve been doing the hard work already at the start of the week and we’ll continue that until game day.”