GWM Game Day Guide: Under southern lights

With the match sold out weeks ago, Christchurch’s Apollo Projects Stadium will be pumping for the One New Zealand Warriors’ groundbreaking third-round NRL clash against the unbeaten Canberra Raiders on Friday (8.00pm kick-off).

For the first time in their 30-season history, the Warriors will be the official home team for a match in the Garden City.

Gates open at 5.30pm for an occasion which also embraces the NRL’s Multicultural Round.

There’ll be significant recognition of the round throughout the evening with both pre-match and halftime cultural performances.  

At halftime St Thomas of Canterbury College’s Polyfest group will put on a six-minute show; the 92-strong ensemble competed at Canterbury Polyfest just last weekend.

Some of the performers are in the Sky Sport Future Warriors Christchurch-based academy and will actually play in the curtain raiser at Apollo Projects Stadium (5.40pm kick-off).

That under-16 match pits a One New Zealand Warriors Pasifika invitational team against a South Island invitational side, both line-ups featuring players from the academy.