Team Vodafone Warriors will be out in force around Wellington and the surrounding region from tomorrow morning ahead of the club’s 22nd-round NRL clash against St George Illawarra at Westpac Stadium on Saturday.
The game day schedule will feature three matches starting with the Wellington Rugby League’s grand final between the Te Aroha Eels and the Wainuiomata Lions at 12.30pm followed by the Vodafone Junior Warriors facing the Dragons in the NYC fixture (2.40pm) and the NRL contest kicking off at 5.05pm.
Ahead of that the Vodafone Warriors will be out and about in the community for the next four days visiting schools, making sponsor appearances and also attending pre-grand final functions at the Te Aroha and Wainuiomata clubs.
The squad to play St George Illawarra arrives in Wellington early on Friday afternoon, trains at Westpac Stadium soon after and the players will then meet fans at a one-hour signing session at their hotel between 5.00pm-6.00pm.
Fronting the Vodafone Warriors’ community appearances from tomorrow are Thomas Leuluai and Ben Henry along with Vodafone Junior Warriors captain Toafofoa Sipley and community ambassador Jerome Ropati. On Thursday they’ll be joined by rugby league legend Ruben Wiki.
The group will visit a total of 13 schools including travelling out of Wellington on Thursday to meet pupils at Otaki School and then Kapiti College at Raumati Beach. Many of the visits will be built around the ACC SportSmart initiative while the Vodafone Warriors will present their Konica Minolta-sponsored League in Libraries programme at two schools tomorrow and will combine with charity partner KidsCan at another school on Wednesday.
As well as attending functions at the Te Aroha and Wainuiomata clubs, the community team will also visit major sponsor Vodafone’s offices and meet fans when they drop in at sponsor Wendy’s Paraparaumu store on Thursday. In another feature Leuluai, Henry, Sipley, Wiki and Ropati are due to make an appearance at a fans’ party on Thursday evening.
This is the Vodafone Warriors’ third home game in Wellington in consecutive seasons after hosting Canterbury-Bankstown in 2013 and Wests Tigers last year.
THE VODAFONE WARRIORS IN WELLINGTON
COMMUNITY PROGRAMME
TUESDAY, AUGUST 04-SATURDAY, AUGUST 08
TUESDAY, AUGUST 04
11.00am
COMMUNITY EVENT (ACC SportSmart)
South Wellington Intermediate School
30 Waripori Street
Berhampore
Attending | Vodafone Warriors utility Ben Henry and Vodafone Warriors community ambassador Jerome Ropati.
11.00am
COMMUNITY EVENT (ACC SportSmart)
Evans Bay Intermediate School
14 Kemp Street
Kilbirnie
Attending | Vodafone Warriors utility Thomas Leuluai, Vodafone Junior Warriors captain Toafofoa Sipley and Vodafone Warriors community relations manager Petrece Kesha.
1.30pm
COMMUNITY EVENT (League in Libraries)
Te Aro School
360 The Terrace
Wellington
Attending | Vodafone Warriors utility Ben Henry and Vodafone Warriors community ambassador Jerome Ropati.
1.30pm
COMMUNITY EVENT (League in Libraries)
Wilford School
100 William Street
Petone
Attending | Vodafone Warriors utility Thomas Leuluai, Vodafone Junior Warriors captain Toafofoa Sipley and Vodafone Warriors community relations manager Petrece Kesha.
7.00pm
COMMUNITY EVENT (Wellington Rugby League grand final function)
Wainuiomata Rugby League Club
1 Fitzherbert Road
Wainuiomata
Attending | Players: Thomas Leuluai, Ben Henry and Toafofoa Sipley. Staff: Vodafone Warriors community ambassador Jerome Ropati and Vodafone Warriors community relations manager Petrece Kesha.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 05
10.00am
COMMUNITY EVENT (ACC SportSmart)
Bishop Viard College
20 Kenepuru Drive
Porirua
Attending | Vodafone Warriors utility Ben Henry and Vodafone Warriors community ambassador Jerome Ropati.
10.00am
COMMUNITY EVENT (ACC SportSmart)
Tawhai School
69 Glen Road
Stokes Valley
Attending | Vodafone Warriors utility Thomas Leuluai, Vodafone Junior Warriors captain Toafofoa Sipley and Vodafone Warriors community relations manager Petrece Kesha.
11.00am
COMMUNITY EVENT (KidsCan)
Maraeroa School
47 Drivers Crescent
Cannons Creek
Attending | Players: Thomas Leuluai, Ben Henry and Toafofoa Sipley. Staff: Vodafone Warriors community ambassador Jerome Ropati and Vodafone Warriors community relations manager Petrece Kesha.
2.00pm
COMMUNITY EVENT (ACC Sportsmart)
Wainuiomata School
Homedale Road
Wainuiomata
Attending | Vodafone Warriors utility Ben Henry and Vodafone Warriors community ambassador Jerome Ropati.
2.00pm
COMMUNITY EVENT (ACC Sportsmart)
Wainuiomata Intermediate School
66 Konini Street
Wainuiomata
Attending | Vodafone Warriors utility Thomas Leuluai, Vodafone Junior Warriors captain Toafofoa Sipley and Vodafone Warriors community relations manager Petrece Kesha.
4.30pm
COMMUNITY EVENT (Wellington Rugby League grand final function)
Te Aroha Eels Rugby League Club
148 White Lines East
Waiwhetu
Attending | Players: Thomas Leuluai, Ben Henry and Toafofoa Sipley. Staff: Vodafone Warriors community ambassador Jerome Ropati and Vodafone Warriors community relations manager Petrece Kesha.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 06
10.00am
COMMUNITY EVENT (ACC SportSmart)
Otaki School
123 Mill Road
Otaki
Attending | Vodafone Warriors utility Ben Henry, Vodafone Warriors rehab coach Ruben Wiki and Vodafone Warriors community ambassador Jerome Ropati.
10.00am
COMMUNITY EVENT (ACC SportSmart)
Kapiti College
Margaret Road
Raumati Beach
Attending | Vodafone Warriors utility Thomas Leuluai, Vodafone Junior Warriors captain Toafofoa Sipley and Vodafone Warriors community relations manager Petrece Kesha.
12.30pm
SPONSOR EVENT (Wendy’s)
Wendy’s Store
46 Main Road South
Paraparaumu
Attending | Players: Thomas Leuluai, Ben Henry and Toafofoa Sipley. Staff: Vodafone Warriors community ambassador Jerome Ropati, Vodafone Warriors rehab coach Ruben Wiki and Vodafone Warriors community relations manager Petrece Kesha.
6.30pm
COMMUNITY EVENT (Fan Party)
The Residence
120 Courtenay Place
Te Aro
Wellington
Attending | Players: Thomas Leuluai, Ben Henry and Toafofoa Sipley. Staff: Vodafone Warriors community ambassador Jerome Ropati, Vodafone Warriors rehab coach Ruben Wiki and Vodafone Warriors community relations manager Petrece Kesha.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 07
11.00am
COMMUNITY EVENT (ACC SportSmart)
Ngaio School
45 Abbott Street
Ngaio
Attending | Vodafone Warriors utility Ben Henry, Vodafone Warriors rehab coach Ruben Wiki and Vodafone Warriors community ambassador Jerome Ropati.
11.00am
COMMUNITY EVENT (ACC SportSmart)
St Catherine’s College
14 Upper Bourke Street
Kilbirnie
Attending | Vodafone Warriors utility Thomas Leuluai, Vodafone Junior Warriors captain Toafofoa Sipley and Vodafone Warriors community relations manager Petrece Kesha.
1.50pm
AIRPORT ARRIVAL
Wellington Airport
The Vodafone Warriors (playing squad and football staff) are due to arrive at Wellington Airport on NZ439. There will be an opportunity for arrival footage and two all-in interviews.
2.45pm
TRAINING SESSION (CLOSED SESSION)
Westpac Stadium
The Vodafone Warriors will have their final training run at Westpac Stadium. There will be an opportunity for television cameras and still photographers to obtain some footage/shots of the early part of the session.
5.00pm
COMMUNITY EVENT (Signing session)
Rydges Wellington
75 Featherston Street
Wellington
Attending | Whole team playing squad will be in attendance for a one-hour signing session. Opportunity for television cameras and still photographers to obtain footage/shots.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 08
12.30pm
Wellington Rugby League Grand Final
Te Aroha Eels v Wainuiomata Lions
2.40pm
NYC
Vodafone Junior Warriors v St George Illawarra Dragons
5.05pm
NRL
Vodafone Warriors v St George Illawarra Dragons
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