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Vodafone Junior Warriors captain Toafofoa Sipley  scores against the Cowboys, one of seven tries he has scored in nine NYC games so far this season.

Vodafone Junior Warriors captain Toafofoa Sipley has been promoted to the club’s New South Wales Cup side for Sunday’s 12th-round New South Wales Cup clash against Newcastle at Mount Smart Stadium (11.40am kick-off; match day sponsor: TNT).

Sipley has been named alongside regular starting prop Nathaniel Peteru in a pack which also includes NRL players Dominique Peyroux, Raymond Faitala-Mariner and Charlie Gubb. 

The 20-year-old has had an outstanding season so far, earning the players’ player of the day accolade in each of the Vodafone Junior Warriors’ last two games and also representing the Junior Kiwis against the Junior Kangaroos in Robina on May 2.

While regularly gaining 150 metres plus a game, Sipley has also been a try-scoring weapon for the Vodafone Junior Warriors with seven in nine games this season and 14 in his 43-match NYC career.

The Vodafone Warriors will be without a number of their regulars with back rower Sebastine Ikahihifo and hooker Siliva Havili called into the club’s NRL side while captain John Palavi is out with an ankle injury and back rower Sione Lousi – who played in the NRL victory against the Eels on May 16 – is in rehab with a hamstring injury. Veteran prop Sam Rapira has been sidelined by a knee injury picked up in training and former Vodafone Warriors prop Upu Poching is also injured.

Centre Matt Allwood and outside backs David Fusitu’a and Glen Fisiiahi are sidelined as well although Fusitu’a and Fisiiahi are slated to return next week, Allwood in round 14.

Coming back into the NSW Cup squad are Peyroux and wing Ken Maumalo, both used in the NRL side against the Eels, as well as outside back Viliami Kaveinga. Named to partner Kaveinga in the centres is former Vodafone Junior Warrior Arden McCarthy while Zac Tippins replaces Havili at hooker and Stedman Lefau, another ex-Vodafone Junior Warrior, and Paki Ahu have been named on a five-man bench.

After being trounced 6-48 by Wentworthville before last week’s bye, the Vodafone Warriors will be seeking to extend their perfect four-from-four home record this weekend. They’re fourth on the ladder with 14 points while the Knights are third on the same number of points but with a better points for and against record.

When the two sides met in the opening round of the season the Stacey Jones-coached side beat the Knights 26-18.

BUY TICKETS NOW | VODAFONE WARRIORS v NEWCASTLE

VODAFONE WARRIORS v NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS

Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland

11.40pm, Sunday, May 31

Referee: Jamal Thompson

 

VODAFONE WARRIORS

1          SAM COOK

2          KEN MAUMALO

3          ARDEN McCARTHY

4          VILIAMI KAVEINGA

5          PAUL ULBERG

6          API PEWHAIRANGI

7          MASON LINO

8          TOAFOFOA SIPLEY

9          ZAC TIPPINS

10        NATHANIEL PETERU

11        DOMINIQUE PEYROUX

12        RAYMOND FAITALA-MARINER

13        CHARLIE GUBB

Interchange:

14        DAVID BHANA

15        PAKI AFU

16        STEDMAN LEFAU

17        JAMES BELL

18        JARROD TUA

COACH: STACEY JONES

Acknowledgement of Country

The New Zealand Warriors honour the mana of the Indigenous peoples of Aotearoa, Australia and the Pacific. We acknowledge the traditional kaitiaki of the lands, elders past and present, their stories, their traditions, their mamae and their mana motuhake.

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