League: Junior Warriors playoff success means changes for NZ Under 18s

Five-eighth Ata Hingano is one of three players to withdraw from the New Zealand Under 18s side as the Junior Warriors continue their NYC title quest. Photo/Getty.

Continued playoff success for the Junior Warriors has seen changes in the New Zealand Under 18s team to take on Australian Schoolboys in Brisbane next week.

Three players - halves Erin Clark and Ata Hingano, and prop Amoni Tufui - have withdrawn from the national side, as the Warriors prepare for their NYC preliminary-final against the Penrith Panthers at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Friday.

But in their place, New Zealand coach Rod Ratu has been able to promote two of the heroes of this week's New Zealand Secondary Schools 30-22 victory over NSW Combined High Schools, also under his watch.

Front-rowers Kenese Kenese and Isaiah Papalii follow Ratu across to the Under 18s programme, joined by Akarana's Josh Farrant.

The age-group side face the Australian Schoolboys at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday, September 27, and again on Thursday, October 1 at Wynnum.

New Zealand Under 18s squad: Tarquinn Alatipi (Wellington), Whitiroa Davis (Akarana), Keanu Dawson (Upper Central), Josh Farrant (Akarana), Rory Ferguson (Southern), Jackson Ferris (Mid Central), Bostyn Hakaraia (Akarana), Morgan Harper (Upper Central), Phoenix Hunt (Counties Manukau), Kenese Kenese (Counties Manukau), Dean Kouka-Smith (Akarana), Rory Marshall-Barton (Counties Manukau), Tyrone Nathan (Counties Manukau), Fabian Paletua-Kiri (Mid-Central), Isaiah Papalii (Akarana), David Phillips (Counties Manukau), Chris Sio (Akarana), Lewis Soosemea (Counties Manukau), Auzzie Tuwhangai (Akarana).