Source: Radio New Zealand
Taine Tuaupiki at Warriors training. Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
NRL: NZ Warriors v Sydney Roosters
Kickoff: 8pm Friday, 6 March
Go Media Stadium, Auckland
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For now, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad is the NZ Warriors fullback, but he can feel the heat being applied for his No.1 jersey.
Coach Andrew Webster has stuck with the status quo for his first team of the NRL season to meet Sydney Roosters on Friday, naming Nicoll-Klokstad in the starting line-up and understudy Taine Tuaupiki on the newlook, extended interchange bench.
Tuaupiki, 26, has been so impressive in his limited opportunities in first grade that many think he will eventually supplant the veteran at the back, maybe sooner than later. The club has added further fuel to that fire by extending his contract through the 2028 season.
Among those most excited by this news is Nicoll-Klokstad himself.
“Firstly, very grateful and very stoked for Taine,” he said. “He’s done his apprenticeship and deserves his extension, he’s worked really hard at his craft and, if there’s anyone who deserves an extension, it’s him.
“Competition is healthy, it makes sure we’re both on our game and always getting better. In sports, that’s what you need or you get left behind.
“You have to evolve your game, and make sure you’re sticking to the standard that the team needs and personally you need. It’s really exciting, and I’m really pumped and happy for his little family.”
Tuaupiki has logged 25 games for the Warriors, since his 2023 debut, but most of them came last season, when Webster switched him to the wing to cover injuries to Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.
His best performance came during the 2024 ‘Magic Round’, when Nicoll-Klokstad was moved to the halves in a depleted line-up and Tuaupiki scored a late try, which he also converted, for a 22-20 win over reigning champions Penrith.
Both have made no bones about their desire to play fullback, but Nicoll-Klokstad’s versatility makes him the most likely to find employment elsewhere in the backline. He’s played on the wing for the Warriors, centre for the NZ Kiwis and halves for Māori All Stars.
Last season, when the Warriors were plagued by midfield injuries, he was eventually shifted to address a glaring need and concedes that may be necessary again.
“It’s already happened,” Nicoll-Klokstad said. “We had little goes at that last season.
“At the end of the day, it’s a team sport and you need to do what you can for the team. Webby makes those decisions and we’ll cross bridges when we need to, but I’m at the back for now.”
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad is far from a spent force at fullback for the Warriors. David Neilson/Photosport
Nicoll-Klokstad, 30, is far from a spent force, finishing sixth across the competition in run metres with 4099 in 22 games last season, just behind Tuivasa-Sheck (4121 in 19 games).
He re-signed with the Warriors for another two years, so the rivalry with Tuaupiki promises to be ongoing.
Aside from his NRL exploits, Tuaupiki was instrumental for the Warriors reserves in their NSW Cup and NRL State Championship triumphs.
Webster seems comfortable that the pair will continue to bring the best from one another.
“He’s a team guy first,” he said of Tuaupiki. “He’s unbelievably ambitious, not just sitting there to be No.2.
“He wants to play and, when he does, he does an awesome job. He and Charnze are really good friends, and push each other and make each other better, so it’s a no-brainer.
“Lots of clubs would love Taine, and we love him at our place and wanted to keep him.”
The NRL’s decision to extend the interchange has made Tuaupiki more valuable, with Webster now able to accommodate his x-factor on the bench.
His presence and Nicoll-Klokstad’s flexibility mean any injury among the backs is covered, although Webster warns coaches are still coming to grips with the implications of this apparent luxury.
“You can go more specialist, if you get an injury in a certain position,” he agreed.
“The thing everyone doesn’t realise is, if the NRL bunker radios down to the referee to take player A off and you put player B on, and he’s an outside back, but then player A returns, that player is now activated, but only plays for 15 minutes, and that’s one less player you can put on the field.
“You might have to hold your nerve a little bit on how you do your subs, because if you put the specialist player on straight away and he plays 15 minutes, that means a forward misses out.
“It’s something that’s not that clear yet, until we get into scenarios and we know better. We’ve certainly gone through every single scenario if something happens and guys like Taine add a lot of value to your team.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
