NZ Warriors captain Tohu Harris insists he hasn't even thought about returning to international rugby league, as he leads the Auckland club towards the NRL playoffs.
NZ Rugby League has confirmed the Kiwis will face both finalists from last year's World Cup in a Pacific Cup format - Samoa in an October 21 tripleheader at Auckland's Eden Park, followed by Australia at Melbourne on October 28.
While Harris welcomes the news as great for the game, he's reluctant to commit to the national team, with so much still on the line for the Warriors.
"To be honest, I haven't thought past this week," he said. "I'm trying to get my body right for this week and improve my performance.
"If I start looking past that, with the opportunity we have in front of us right now, we're going to miss the mark. My focus is solely on the week at hand."
Harris, 31, has played 16 tests for the Kiwis, but his international career got off to a rocky start, when he was named for the 2013 World Cup squad and then dropped to make way for crosscode superstar Sonny Bill Williams.
He played key roles in the Kiwis' 2014 Four Nations triumph and 2014 Anzac Test victory over Australia, including three straight test wins over Australia, but hasn't represented New Zealand since signing with the Warriors in 2017, citing shoulder and foot injuries for missing that year's World Cup.
Wear and tear to his body has been a recurrent threme throughout his stay at Mt Smart, and this season has proved no different, as he manages a knee injury that has seen him hobble through several games.
"I certainly try and get as much training in as possible, but it's just being smarter with recovery and strengthening muscles around the injuries," he explained. "Just being more diligent with that and recovery.
"Some injuries are out of your hands, but it's how you respond. I'm just trying to make sure I do every little thing possible to get my body the best it can be."
Despite his own doubts, Harris is enthusiastic for the sport to build on the success of last year's World Cup in England, where New Zealand were eliminated by the Kangroos in the semi-finals and Samoa shocked the hosts to reach the final.
"Any rugby league in New Zealand, especially after the last three years is huge," he said. "Having international footy back - and not just one-off tests either, but a series against a couple of teams - that's huge for the country.
"You see at the Warriors games and even the ones we have over in Australia, how much it means to NZ supporters of rugby league."
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