News

Pukekohe youngster Keran van Staden is set for his PIC Steelers debut after being named on the bench to face Waikato in Sunday’s Bunnings Warehouse NPC clash at FMG Stadium.

Coach Reon Graham has turned to the talented prop after Suetena Asomua was ruled out as the PIC Steelers look to take a step towards the quarter-finals with an otherwise unchanged line-up from the side that beat Bay of Plenty.

Exciting winger Peniasi Malimali, who spent the first half of the year in Hamilton playing for the Chiefs, returns to the bench to give Graham some impact.

There is some injury relief on the horizon with a number of players due to return in the next couple of weeks.

Waikato sits just above the PIC Steelers on the NPC table in seventh – a point above the eighth-placed PIC Steelers.

The match kicks off at 4.35pm.

PIC Steelers v Waikato: 1. Kauvaka Kaivelata, 2. Ian West-Stevens, 3. Salesi Tuifua, 4. Alex McRobbie, 5. James Thompson, 6. Sam Tuifua, 7. Sean Reidy (capt), 8. Hoskins Sotutu, 9. Liam Daniela, 10. Riley Hohepa, 11. Toni Pulu, 12. Nikolai Foliaki, 13. Tevita Ofa, 14. Sione Molia, 15. Etene Nanai-Seturo. Reserves: Ioane Moananu, Ezekiel Lindenmuth, Keran van Staden, Jadin Kingi, Adam Brash, Cohen Brady-Leathem, Ahsee Tuala, Peniasi Malimali.