Fiji Bati

Holmes's stunning return came on the back of his five-try performance against Samoa last week, as the Kangaroos ran away with a 10-tries-to-one victory.

The Fijians started with intensity in the early exchanges and opened the scoring with a penalty goal in the second minute. 

Jarryd Hayne was in the thick of it early with a big hit on Billy Slater but his team conceded too many penalties to stay in the contest.

Just a week after falling 28-22 to Tonga, the Kiwis have been beaten by a second tier-two side in a low-scoring match they had never looked like winning.

Two Apisai Koroisau penalties to a sole Shaun Johnson effort on Saturday were enough to give the Bati a well-deserved win over a Kiwi team which never managed to get out of first gear.

An error-ridden performance from the Kiwis was comprehensively punished by a Fijian outfit, who showed more pace, poise and precision than the lacklustre New Zealanders.

The two nations had never met before Friday and they made up for lost time, producing a match that had everything a rugby league fan could ask for. 

The Bati have chalked up big wins against the United States and Wales to sit comfortably atop Group D with one match to play.

The Italians were stunned by Ireland in their tournament opener before beating the USA to keep their faint hopes alive.

The Azzurri would need to replicate their 46-0 victory against the Hawks to overturn Fiji's sizable points difference of +112.

While that's unlikely, Bati coach Mick Potter is predicting a difficult match all the same.

The Bati thrashed the United States 58-12 in their tournament opener last weekend and face a Welsh team on Sunday that conceded 50 points against Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby.

Despite scoring 11 tries, Potter said Fiji let in a couple that were preventable.

"We were just a little bit quick in our defence - we didn't make effective tackles and they probably could have had another try as well, just a guys stepped from outside the field of play to catch a ball," he said.

Hayne was instrumental in Fiji’s win, having a hand in most of the Bati’s 11 tries and leading the way in both attack and defence.

His 46th minute try took the star five-eighth try scoring tally in three World Cups with Fiji and Australia to 13, equalling the record held by the legendary Bob Fulton since 1975.

Hayne’s 13 tries include nine for Australia and four for Fiji.

Fiji's backline had a happy night, with Kevin Naiquama, Suliasi Vunivalu and Taane Milne all scoring doubles. 

Toa Samoa have called up six new caps: New Zealand Warriors quartet Mason Lino, Ken Maumalo, James Gavet and Bunty Afoa, Castleford Tigers back Denny Solomona and David Nofoaluma from Wests Tigers.

Meanwhile, Sam Lisone and Tim Lafai are back in blue after last representing the Toa in 2015 and 2014 respectively.

New Zealand Warriors quartet Mason Lino, Ken Maumalo, James Gavet and Bunty Afoa have all been selected in the Toa Samoa squad for the first time.

Rugby League Samoa President Tagaloa Faafouina Su'a said interest in the match was high.

Wests Tigers speedster Kevin Naiqama is set to play his 10th test for the Bati after missing the Melanesian Cup defeat to Papua New Guinea in May.

Manly hooker Apoisai Koroisau and Knights forward Korbin Sims are also poised to pull on the Fiji jersey for the first time in 2016, while Lautoka-born Panthers centre Waqa Blake is in line to make his test debut at Apia Park.

Etuate Qionimacawa, who starred with a hat-trick in the May test against the Kumuls, is absent from the 18-strong squad, with Pio Seci and Saimoni Lomaloma are the only locally based players included.

The 28 year old is back in the NRL after stints with the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL and the Fiji sevens team.

He represented Fiji at the 2008 World Cup and lifted the trophy in with the Australian team in 2013.

Bati coach Mick Potter said Jarryd Hayne told him he was very keen to represent at next year's World Cup.