Brisbane Broncos star Payne Haas has confirmed he will play for Samoa at this year's Rugby League World Cup, shutting the door on a potential backflip.
Haas made one of the biggest international calls of last year when he elected to turn out for Samoa instead of Australia in the 2025 Pacific Championships.
Australia were understood to be privately hoping the call from Haas may have been a one-off, and he has now emphatically told AAP that the door has been slammed shut on any chance of him wearing green and gold at the end of this year.
"I made my decision last year to move to Samoa from Australia," Haas told the publication.
"The kind of person I am, I wouldn't back flip on them. I want to represent my mum, my grandmother and my granddad as well and there is no way in hell that I would (back flip)."
The move will ensure Australia are without potentially the best prop in the game, and boosts Samoa's chances of performing strongly in the tournament by plenty.
The small island nation in blue made the final of the last World Cup, held in England, and while they came up short against the Kangaroos, they will take a formidable team into the 2026 tournament.
Haas headlines, but he will be joined by the likes of Brian To'o and Jarome Luai, as well as a number of forwards, with Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and Jeremiah Nanai among the players yet to determine whether they will play for Australia or Samoa, while Stephen Crichton, Murray Taulagi, Jaydn Su'a and Josh Papalii are likely to be among the other Origin-experienced players who will turn out for Samoa.
Samoa will however be without Roger Tuivasa-Sheck as he recovers from an ACL injury.
Haas, who has played 151 games for the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL, is regarded as the game's best props and has 18 Origins for the NSW Blues, as well as four Tests for Australia, under his belt since debuting back in 2018.
The South Sydney Rabbitohs-bound forward committing to Samoa is another slap for Australia, althoughthey have plenty of players to choose from, with the likes of Patrick Carrigan, Lindsay Collins, Reuben Cotter, Keaon Koloamatangi (who could also play for Tonga), Lindsay Smith, Isaah Yeo and Fa'asuamaleaui touring the United Kingdom on last year's Ashes tour against England which resulted in a 3-0 win.
Based on form and Origin selections, it would also be that Cameron Murray is a walk up selection in the Kangaroos squad, while Thomas Flegler's return from shoulder problems, and form of Max Plath, could create intriguing selection questions for coach Kevin Walters, who will confirm his World Cup squad the day after the NRL grand final.
