The Mudgee product will represent the green and golds in the mixed open division, the same division he made his “open” debut two years ago.

Lang played a crucial role in Australia’s 2-1 series win over the Touch Blacks when the trans-Tasman series was last played in 2014 at Glen Willow.

In front of his hometown, family and friends, Lang scored two touchdowns in the three-game series.

He has not played for Australia since that series win.

However, playing the Kiwis in their backyard is no easy task as Australia found out in 2013 when they lost the mixed and men’s open divisions, and surrendered the trans-Tasman trophy.

“They [New Zealand] go to a different level,” said Australian mixed open captain Cameron Nicholls on the Touch Football Australia website.

“They find an extra level with this passion, determination and physicality. I cast my mind back to 2013 and we were just ambushed.”

New Zealand will still be smarting from their loss to Australia in the World Cup final last year, nearly a year to the day.

Nicholls is wary of this.

“As I have said to the team before, that feeling of losing to New Zealand you don’t ever want to know what it is like particularly on their home soil because it’s a long flight home.”

The series gets underway on Friday with the mixed, women and men’s open divisions.

Those three divisions will play a further two Test matches on Saturday and Sunday.

Australian mixed coach Michael Lovett said: “We’ve been quite lucky to get someone like Simon Lang back too. He unfortunately missed out on World Cup, but he’s a smart young player who is very passionate about the game.” 

Meanwhile, Japan will play exhibition matches against Australia and New Zealand in the men and women divisions prior to the start of the series.