Vodafone Warriors hitting the Capital

Author: Richard Becht
Timestamp: Mon 3 Aug 2015, 12:35 PM

Team Vodafone Warriors will be out in force around Wellington and the surrounding region from tomorrow morning ahead of the club’s 22^nd-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

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.