Brothers Sam and Steve Rapira are to play in a Vodafone Warriors NRL side for the first time. Photo: Photosport.
While theyve played in the same side before in trials, tonights season-opening encounter with the Parramatta Eels at Parramatta Stadium (5.30pm start, 7.30pm NZT) is their first together in the NRL since Steve returned home after a stint with the North Queensland Cowboys.
Sam will start in the front row while younger brother Steve has been confirmed on the bench. The other interchange players are Pita Godinet, Jacob Lillyman who turned 29 on Thursday and Sebastine Ikahihifo. Charlie Gubb is the 18th man.
Making their NRL debuts for the club are 2012 NRL premiership winners Todd Lowrie and Dane Nielsen while Thomas Leuluai will play his first NRL match since 2004.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v PARRAMATTA EELS
Parramatta Stadium, Parramatta
5.30pm, Saturday, March 09
Referees: Jared Maxwell & Adam Gee
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 KEVIN LOCKE
2 GLEN FISIIAHI
3 DANE NIELSEN
4 KONRAD HURRELL
5 MANU VATUVEI
6 THOMAS LEULUAI
7 SHAUN JOHNSON
8 SAM RAPIRA
9 ELIJAH TAYLOR
10 BEN MATULINO
11 FELETI MATEO
12 SIMON MANNERING (c)
13 TODD LOWRIE
Interchange:
15 JACOB LILLYMAN
16 SEBASTINE IKAHIHIFO
17 PITA GODINET
20 STEVE RAPIRA
18TH MAN: CHARLIE GUBB
HEAD COACH: MATTHEW ELLIOTT
While theyve played in the same side before in trials, tonights season-opening encounter with the Parramatta Eels at Parramatta Stadium (5.30pm start, 7.30pm NZT) is their first together in the NRL since Steve returned home after a stint with the North Queensland Cowboys.
Sam will start in the front row while younger brother Steve has been confirmed on the bench. The other interchange players are Pita Godinet, Jacob Lillyman who turned 29 on Thursday and Sebastine Ikahihifo. Charlie Gubb is the 18th man.
Making their NRL debuts for the club are 2012 NRL premiership winners Todd Lowrie and Dane Nielsen while Thomas Leuluai will play his first NRL match since 2004.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v PARRAMATTA EELS
Parramatta Stadium, Parramatta
5.30pm, Saturday, March 09
Referees: Jared Maxwell & Adam Gee
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 KEVIN LOCKE
2 GLEN FISIIAHI
3 DANE NIELSEN
4 KONRAD HURRELL
5 MANU VATUVEI
6 THOMAS LEULUAI
7 SHAUN JOHNSON
8 SAM RAPIRA
9 ELIJAH TAYLOR
10 BEN MATULINO
11 FELETI MATEO
12 SIMON MANNERING (c)
13 TODD LOWRIE
Interchange:
15 JACOB LILLYMAN
16 SEBASTINE IKAHIHIFO
17 PITA GODINET
20 STEVE RAPIRA
18TH MAN: CHARLIE GUBB
HEAD COACH: MATTHEW ELLIOTT
