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Find your Sport Nation frequencyNicoll-Klokstad and Watene-Zelezniak put friendship aside for World Cup blockbuster
Savannah Lendich Jonkers • November 5th, 2026 7:53 am
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak | Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad is preparing to go head-to-head with one of his closest friends in this week's Rugby League World Cup semi-final, with former Kiwis captain and Warriors teammate Dallin Watene-Zelezniak lining up for Tonga.
Nicoll-Klokstad has spent much of the tournament playing out of position in the centres, but will shift to the wing for the semi-final to cover for Ronaldo Mulitalo, who is serving a one-match suspension following a high tackle on Fiji's Ronald Philitoga that forced him from the field.
It's a position Nicoll-Klokstad knows well, having regularly filled in on the wing throughout the Warriors' season when players, including Watene-Zelezniak, were sidelined through injury.
He even crossed the line for four tries in a single game while playing on the wing and will now be tasked with stopping one of the players he knows better than most.
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak perform's a Sipi Tau with his Tongan teammates during the Rugby League World Cup 2026 | Photo: Joel Carrett/AAP
Despite their close friendship, Nicoll-Klokstad says there will be no room for sentiment when the two meet on the field.
“Me and him are real good mates, he gets on really well with my family and vice versa, so it'll be no mates until 12 o'clock New Zealand time, after that we'll be able to shake hands,” he told Sport Nation’s Scotty & Izzy.
The pair have kept their distance in the lead-up to the clash, with communication going silent as the highly anticipated match approaches.
“It's gone AWOL. We haven't messaged each other since last week. I just wished him luck for his game on the weekend.”
Former Kiwis captain Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is now representing Tonga in the Rugby League World Cup | Photo: Alex Whitehead/Photosport
For Nicoll-Klokstad, the opportunity to match up against one of the game's biggest names is exactly the sort of challenge he wants to be involved in.
“You want to be a part of big games and play against big name players and he's definitely one of them.
“He's able to finish tries that shouldn't be finished and he is able to do things that you shouldn't be able to do, especially with the way he carries the ball.
“So, it's going to be a good battle and I'm looking forward to it.”
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad celebrates a try against the Cook Islands | Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
While the World Cup has brought the opportunity to reconnect with familiar faces and build combinations with players from across the competition, the Warriors remain firmly on Nicoll-Klokstad's mind.
He admitted the experience of being around the group has sparked conversations about what it would be like to have an NRL team based on the current Kiwis side.
“It's been so cool to be able to connect with these boys and some of us boys are cracking up, just imagining what it would be like to have a team like this week in week out, and I said, ‘well, you can if you come back to the Warriors.’”
Listen to the full interview below:
