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
