Huge fan of empty seats
THE Diamonds hope to use the absence of spectators to their advantage against the Silver Ferns in Tuesday’s opening Constellation Cup series match in Christchurch.
Due to a COVID alert around New Zealand, all games of the series will now be played in Christchurch.
In addition, all matches will be closed to the public, taking away the prospect of a parochial home crowd.
“Hopefully playing with no crowds will mean the Silver Ferns won’t have any homeground advantage,” Diamonds defender Jo Weston said.
THE Cowboys have swooped to snap up an exciting Ipswich teenager from Allan Langer’s former school after he impressed in a oneon-one session with NRL giant Jason Taumalolo.
Ipswich State High secondrower Kulikefu Finefeuiaki signed a three-year contract after a training camp in Townsville in December. A Redbank Plains Bears junior, Finefeuiaki said a 30-minute one-on-one training session with Taumalolo was a highlight of the camp.
Ipswich SHS coach Joshua Bretherton said the way the 1.92m rookie played football was fearless.
“He truly enjoys the physicality of rugby league,” Bretherton said.
“On the field he brings absolute intensity and commitment.”
Unlike many top schoolboys recruited by NRL clubs, Finefeuiaki will enter the Cowboys system through the back door.
“Kuli isn’t one of these boys who has been an elite player since he was young, as he only made his first rep team in Year 10 after moving to us,” Bretherton said.
Finefeuiaki said he was happy to get his future settled before the start of the 2021 Langer Cup schoolboy competition in May, and the Cowboys contract was a thank you to his family.
“I want to be successful for them because of the sacrifices they made for my football,” he said.