Coach Rohan Smith will take a radically reshaped Vodafone Warriors side into today’s ninth-round New South Wales Cup clash against the Mounties at Eden Park (12.40pm kick-off).
Most of the changes come in the backline where Smith has been forced to alter his line-up after losing original selections Braxton Stanley, Dominique Peyroux and Dane Nielsen to injury.
It means Carlos Tuimavave, named at standoff, will now start in the centres while Tuimoala Lolohea comes into the halves after not being listed on Tuesday.
Solomone Kata, named on the bench, will start in the centres, and selected from Auckland’s Fox Memorial championship on the wing is Otahuhu’s Christian Mika.
There’s one change in the forwards with Upu Poching in for Nathaniel Peteru while utility Sam Cook is brought onto the bench.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v MOUNTIES
Eden Park, Auckland
12.40pm, Saturday, May 10
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 STEVE WAETFORD (c)
20 CHRISTIAN MIKA
21 SOLOMONE KATA
6 CARLOS TUIMAVAVE
5 JARROD TUA
22 TUIMOALA LOLOHEA
7 MASON LINO
16 UPU POCHING
9 SILIVA HAVILI
10 CHARLES P GUBB
11 AGNATIUS PAASI
12 RAYMOND FAITALA-MARINER
13 JOHN PALAVI
Interchange:
14 ABRAHAM PAPALII
15 ALBERT VETE
17 MICHAEL SIO
23 SAM COOK
18 DANIEL PALAVI
COACH: ROHAN SMITH
TELEVISION COVERAGE
Live on SKY Sport 2, 12.40pm
