Former Mount Albert Grammar School pupil Nathaniel Roache has been added to the bench for the Vodafone Junior Warriors’ ninth-round NYC encounter with Canberra at Eden Park today (2.40pm kick-off).
He comes into the squad for his fifth appearance due to the originally-selected Solomone Kata being called into the club’s New South Wales Cup side to take on the Mounties in the first leg of today’s tripleheader.
The starting line-up is the same as coach Stacey Jones named on Tuesday with fullback Brad Abbey and centre Ken Maumalo making their ninth consecutive appearances of the season.
The Vodafone Junior Warriors will field a young halves competition of debutant Mikaere Beattie and Ata Hingano with co-captain Mason Lino turning out in the New South Wales Cup.
After a good run of results the Vodafone Junior Warriors lost 14-36 to Melbourne on Anzac Day.
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS v CANBERRA RAIDERS
Eden Park, Auckland
2.40pm, Saturday, May 10
Referees: Chris Butler and Kasey Badger
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS
1 BRAD ABBEY
2 PAUL ULBERG
3 ADAM TUIMAVAVE-GERRARD
4 KEN MAUMALO
5 JOHN WESLEY TAUTI
6 MAFOA’AEATA HINGANO
7 MIKAERE BEATTIE
8 SAM LISONE (c)
9 KURT ROBINSON
10 KOUMA SAMSON
11 MICHAEL KI
12 MATIU LOVE-HENRY
13 JAMES BELL
Interchange:
14 JAMES TAYLOR
15 ALAMOTI FINAU
16 JORDAN BALDWINSON
23 NATHANIEL ROACHE
COACH: STACEY JONES
TELEVISION COVERAGE
Live on SKY Sport 2, 2.40pm
