League: Surprise! That makes 50 in a row

Wairangi Koopu has been playing for the Warriors since 1999, and says he has been lucky in avoiding injuries. Picture / Greg Bowker

Tell Wairangi Koopu that he will notch up a notable milestone in the NRL in Auckland tonight and the news comes as a surprise to the durable second rower.

When the Warriors run out to face Parramatta at Mt Smart Stadium, Koopu will be making his 50th first-grade appearance in a row, a streak that started two years ago this week.

The feat is particularly impressive as the three-test Kiwi operates in the forwards and is often on the field for the full 80 minutes.

"I'm really surprised by that," he said of the half-century.

"I guess I've been very lucky with injuries and my body has held together well. "I like to keep in shape and tryto have to see the physio as little as possible."

Koopu, 26, played his first game with the Warriors in early 1999 and has made 133 appearances for the club.

His durability was again in evidence in the golden point loss to the Bulldogs last weekend.

He played all but nine minutes of an intense 83-minute encounter, and his tally of 24 tackles was the second highest among the Warriors.

Koopu, who is also among the season's top dozen off-loaders in the NRL, said the Warriors had got over the huge disappointment of the 22-18 loss to the Bulldogs.

They now wanted a strong effort against Parramatta to take a win before their second bye of the season.

"We went through the video, and there wasn't a lot we did wrong against the Bulldogs," he said.

"The mood at the moment is great. This is the last game before the bye, and we want to put on a big show."

Koopu also hoped for some traditional mid-winter weather to unsettle the Eels, who have won three on the trot and have been showing some good form in a season blighted by off-field dramas.

But they will face the Warriors without halfback Tim Smith, who suffered a season-ending shoulder injury against Newcastle last weekend.

As well, their propping stocks are running low, with Michael Vella, Justin Tsoulos and Auckland-born Aaron Cannings all on the casualty list.

But Koopu said the Eels were obviously pulling things around under replacement coach Jason Taylor, who took over from the long-serving Brian Smith two months ago.

"Their senior players are standing up and they've got young guys coming through that have nothing to lose," he said.

"They're loving it and enjoying themselves. It's going to be real tough. I hope it's going to be cold and wet."

Both sides are outside the top eight, and the losers can probably wave goodbye to the playoffs.

Saturday night is starting to become a regular feature of the Warriors' season.

They have had eight matches in that slot this year, winning all three at home.

Their next four fixtures, three of them at Mt Smart, will also be at the same time, a schedule with which coach Ivan Cleary was more than happy.

Despite the Warriors' small crowd numbers, there was always a good atmosphere on a Saturday night, he said.

"As a player, I really liked Saturday nights and I think the boys do, too," he said.

"Hopefully the fans will come out and have a look."

NZ Warriors
Mt Smart Stadium 7.30 tonight

NZ Warriors

Brent Webb
Patrick Ah Van
Tony Martin
Simon Mannering
Manu Vatuvei
Jerome Ropati
Grant Rovelli
Ruben Wiki
Nathan Fien
Steve Price (c)
Awen Guttenbeil
Wairangi Koopu
Louis Anderson
Interchange: George Gatis, Evarn Tuimavave, Sione Faumuina, Micheal Luck.

Eels

Wade McKinnon
Jarryd Hayne
Luke O'Dwyer
Ben Smith
Eric Grothe
John Morris
Jeremy Smith
Nathan Cayless
Mark Riddell
Fuifui Moimoi
Nathan Hindmarsh
Chad Robinson
Glenn Morrison
Interchange: PJ Marsh, Dean Widders, Josh Cordoba, Daniel Wagon.

- NZPA