“Warriors Face Rematch Against Kaiviti Silktails in Jersey Flegg Cup”
For the second time in six weeks, the One New Zealand Warriors will face the Kaiviti Silktails on their home ground in the Jersey Flegg Cup tomorrow, with a kick-off at 12:00 pm.
The Warriors arrived in Lautoka today for the 20th-round under-21 match at Churchill Park, where the weather is again expected to play a significant role.
When the teams last met at this venue on June 8, the Warriors overcame a 6-10 deficit to win 16-10, with the midday temperature reaching 28 degrees. Similar conditions are anticipated for tomorrow’s game.
The Silktails are currently 14th and last in the competition, having not won any of their 17 games. The Warriors are 13th, with five wins, one draw, and 12 losses from 18 games.
However, the Fijian team has shown improvement, narrowly losing 14-20 to the Rabbitohs and 14-18 to the Bulldogs in Lautoka. This suggests that the Warriors will face a tough challenge tomorrow, especially since they have not won in their last five matches since defeating the Silktails.
With the New South Wales Cup side having a bye this weekend, the Jersey Flegg team has been strengthened by the addition of prop Tanner Stowers-Smith. The 20-year-old, who started at SG Ball Cup level last season, has mostly played in reserve grade, including a notable 46-28 comeback win over the Eels last week.
Also joining from the NSW Cup squad are fullback Sio Kali and half Caleb Laiman.