Another debutant for Vodafone Junior Warriors
Palmerston North’s Ngani Laumape will become the latest Vodafone Junior Warrior debutant when the 2010-2011 NYC premiers face South Sydney in their seventh-round clash at Mount Smart Stadium on Sunday.
A New Zealand Secondary Schools rugby union representative last year, Laumape returned to the field only last weekend after recovering from a knee injury.
He made an instant impact in the centres in his debut for his club Point Chevalier in Auckland’s Fox Memorial competition, scoring two tries in an impressive all-round performance in a 24-38 loss to Papakura.
A Palmerston North Boys’ High School First XV rugby union product, Laumape – who turns 19 on Sunday week (April 22) – is one of four players who have come into the Vodafone Warriors’ NYC squad from rugby union this year. Braxton Stanley (Auckland Grammar School), Ngataua Hukatai (King’s College) and Albert Vete (St Kentigern College) have already made their NYC debuts this season, Vete the most recent against the Sydney Roosters two weeks ago.
Laumape’s quick elevation to the Vodafone Junior Warriors after only one game back results in utility Sio Siua Taukeiaho moving into the second row. With Stanley suspended, Sione Feao, who started the campaign in the back row, remains in the centres where he performed strongly in last Sunday’s 38-32 loss to Canberra. The former Otahuhu College student scored a try, gained 146 metres from 15 runs, made a game-high 12 tackle breaks and made 15 tackles.
The Vodafone Junior Warriors will again be without standoff Carlos Tuimavave, still being troubled by a groin complaint.
They’ve suffered three setbacks to their propping resources in recent weeks, first losing Nathaniel Peteru with a knee injury expected to keep him out until round 10 followed by experienced front rower Donald Tony, forced off against the Roosters with an ACL knee injury. And last weekend, playing his first NYC match, Atu Tupou was helped off the field with an MCL tear scheduled to sideline him until round 12.
Ligi Sao and Siulongoua Fotofili have been named to start in the front row against the Rabbitohs on Sunday while Vete and Toka Likiliki, the players’ player of the day last weekend, are on the bench.
The Vodafone Junior Warriors will be seeking their first victory in three matches on Sunday. Their last was a 30-6 win against Gold Coast on March 24 but since then they’ve had a 28-28 draw with the Roosters and lost to Canberra. They now sit eighth on the ladder.
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS v SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
11.45am, Sunday, April 15
Referee: Shane Rehm
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS
1 OMAR SLAIMANKHEL
2 PETA HIKU
3 NGANI LAUMAPE
4 SIONE FEAO
5 DAVID FUSITUA
6 MASON LINO
7 JORDAN MEADS
8 LIGI SAO
9 SILIVA HAVILI
10 SIULONGOUA FOTOFILI
11 SIO SIUA TAUKEIAHO
12 JOHN PALAVI (c)
13 DAVID BHANA
Interchange:
14 JETHRO FRIEND
15 ALBERT VETE
16 ADAM TUIMAVAVE-GERRARD
20 TOKA LIKILIKI
COACH: JOHN ACKLAND
https://www.warriors.co.nz/default....another-debutant-for-vodafone-junior-warriors
Palmerston North’s Ngani Laumape will become the latest Vodafone Junior Warrior debutant when the 2010-2011 NYC premiers face South Sydney in their seventh-round clash at Mount Smart Stadium on Sunday.
A New Zealand Secondary Schools rugby union representative last year, Laumape returned to the field only last weekend after recovering from a knee injury.
He made an instant impact in the centres in his debut for his club Point Chevalier in Auckland’s Fox Memorial competition, scoring two tries in an impressive all-round performance in a 24-38 loss to Papakura.
A Palmerston North Boys’ High School First XV rugby union product, Laumape – who turns 19 on Sunday week (April 22) – is one of four players who have come into the Vodafone Warriors’ NYC squad from rugby union this year. Braxton Stanley (Auckland Grammar School), Ngataua Hukatai (King’s College) and Albert Vete (St Kentigern College) have already made their NYC debuts this season, Vete the most recent against the Sydney Roosters two weeks ago.
Laumape’s quick elevation to the Vodafone Junior Warriors after only one game back results in utility Sio Siua Taukeiaho moving into the second row. With Stanley suspended, Sione Feao, who started the campaign in the back row, remains in the centres where he performed strongly in last Sunday’s 38-32 loss to Canberra. The former Otahuhu College student scored a try, gained 146 metres from 15 runs, made a game-high 12 tackle breaks and made 15 tackles.
The Vodafone Junior Warriors will again be without standoff Carlos Tuimavave, still being troubled by a groin complaint.
They’ve suffered three setbacks to their propping resources in recent weeks, first losing Nathaniel Peteru with a knee injury expected to keep him out until round 10 followed by experienced front rower Donald Tony, forced off against the Roosters with an ACL knee injury. And last weekend, playing his first NYC match, Atu Tupou was helped off the field with an MCL tear scheduled to sideline him until round 12.
Ligi Sao and Siulongoua Fotofili have been named to start in the front row against the Rabbitohs on Sunday while Vete and Toka Likiliki, the players’ player of the day last weekend, are on the bench.
The Vodafone Junior Warriors will be seeking their first victory in three matches on Sunday. Their last was a 30-6 win against Gold Coast on March 24 but since then they’ve had a 28-28 draw with the Roosters and lost to Canberra. They now sit eighth on the ladder.
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS v SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
11.45am, Sunday, April 15
Referee: Shane Rehm
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS
1 OMAR SLAIMANKHEL
2 PETA HIKU
3 NGANI LAUMAPE
4 SIONE FEAO
5 DAVID FUSITUA
6 MASON LINO
7 JORDAN MEADS
8 LIGI SAO
9 SILIVA HAVILI
10 SIULONGOUA FOTOFILI
11 SIO SIUA TAUKEIAHO
12 JOHN PALAVI (c)
13 DAVID BHANA
Interchange:
14 JETHRO FRIEND
15 ALBERT VETE
16 ADAM TUIMAVAVE-GERRARD
20 TOKA LIKILIKI
COACH: JOHN ACKLAND
https://www.warriors.co.nz/default....another-debutant-for-vodafone-junior-warriors
