Rising Warriors star on Christchurch countdown

For rising New Zealand Warriors star Jazz Tevaga next month’s trans-Tasman clash against the Manly Sea Eagles in Christchurch is a chance to get back to his roots.

The 22- year-old was born in Christchurch and his first footy memories are of frosty mornings spent at the Burnham Military Camp watching his dad play for the Burnham Chevaliers.

Jazz Tevaga trains with the Warriors ahead of next month's match in Christchurch against the Manly Sea Eagles.

Tevaga moved with his family to Palmerston North and made his debut for the Warriors in 2016, but Christchurch still holds a special place in his heart and he is excited about having the chance to play here next month.

“I played in Christchurch against Penrith two years ago and it was an amazing night, so hopefully the stadium will be packed again,’’ he says.

“It will be special to play in front of all my family down there, because they will all be there.’’

Match organiser Justin Wallace again expects a sold-out AMI Stadium, like the Penrith Panthers match against the Warriors, and encourages the fans not to leave their ticket purchase too late.

The organisers have introduced a staggered early-bird pricing model to reward the most decisive fans.

“If you wait until the last minute, there is a good chance the cheaper seats will be gone or you can miss out altogether,’’ Mr Wallace says.

“AMI Stadium has a limited capacity and we had a lot of disappointed fans in 2016 who wanted tickets in the last few weeks when the match was already sold out.’’

Tickets for the 9 June game are available from www.ticketek.co.nz. Kick-off is at 5pm.