Sam Rapira in '˜best shape' to boost Huddersfield Giants' prospects

Huddersfield Giants' Sam Rapira.
Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe. — Huddersfield Giants' Sam Rapira. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.

During his long career with New Zealand Warriors, he came up against a raft of them in the NRL so has an inkling of what to expect when the competition starts next month.

“I’ve played versus the Burgess boys, James Graham and, going back further, even had a couple of rounds with Adrian Morley,” said the West Yorkshire club’s big signing for 2016.

“I know what they are like and they were just as good as any props really – big, physical and people who stand their ground.

“I’m not expecting anything different here. I’m looking forward to starting in Super League.”

Huddersfield need Rapira to adapt quickly to the new competition – they visit Hull KR in Sunday’s friendly but play St Helens in the opening round on February 5 – given they are already missing fellow prop Craig Huby to injury and saw another, in Craig Kopczak, move to Salford last autumn.

He had an injury-ravaged campaign last term but the experienced New Zealand international insists he is now in the best possible shape to fire up the West Yorkshire club.

Rapira, who won the 2008 World Cup with the Kiwis and reached an NRL Grand Final three years later, said: “I’ve had a good off-season so hopefully I can take that into the season and stay on the field as much as I can.

“My job here is to take us forward and make sure no one comes through us.

“I’ve heard that Huddersfield have got a tag for being good then collapsing towards the end of the year, but as long as we all switch on we can go as far as we want this season.

“Personally, I think it (getting to a final) is sticking to what you are good at instead of trying to push things or thinking you need to do something else to get that extra step.

“That’s what I’ll be telling the guys here.”

England international Gareth Widdop has been appointed as co-captain of St George Illawarra for the 2016 NRL season.

Salford have signed former St Helens second-row Josh Jones after he asked to leave Exeter Chiefs just four months into his deal with the rugby union side.