Salford sign Rapira

Steve Rapira is to join Salford on a two-year contract, according to his current club New Zealand Warriors. 

Rapira, 24, will leave the Warriors at the end of the season to be the latest City Reds signing ahead of 2014

The utility forward, who spent two seasons with North Queensland in 2009 and 2010, has had a cruel run of injuries since returning to Mount Smart Stadium.

He has been limited to just 14 NRL appearances in three years and his 2013 campaign was ended by an ACL knee injury.

Warriors general manager of football operations, Dean Bell, said the club was full of admiration for the way in which Rapira had conducted himself:

“Steve has been a model professional throughout.

“The bad luck he has had with injuries has been unbelievable but he has still had a fantastic attitude despite spending so long on the sideline.

“We would have loved things to turn out a lot better for Steve and wish him and his family all the best in England.”

Rapira himself had this to say:

“That’s football. That’s the way it works out sometimes.

“While I haven’t played as much football as I would have liked here I love it at this club. It’s been a great experience but now I’m looking forward to testing myself in England, getting myself right and playing football again.”

Steve will be leaving his older brother Sam, a New Zealand international, behind when he leaves the Warriors.