Introducing ‘Te Toka Tu Toa’, the jersey the Vodafone Warriors will wear into battle at the 2017 Downer NRL Auckland Nines at Eden Park on February 4 and 5.

Centre Solomone Kata and fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck model the stunning Canterbury of New Zealand-designed ‘Te Toka Tu Toa’ – The Warrior Rock – which can now be pre-ordered through www.warriorsstore.co.nz

The design continues the theme of incorporating natural elements into the Nines kit, like 2016’s ‘Spirit of the Warrior’ and 2015’s ‘Tangaroa’.

The 2017 jersey takes its name from a modified Maori whakatauki (proverb) comparing people to immovable and permanent geographical rock formations: “Ahakoa te aha, te toka tu toa, tu tonu.” It translates to: “No matter what, the warrior rock will endure.”

The proverb continues: “Ahakoa te awha te toka tu moana tu tonu, tu te ao, tu te po." Or: "Through all storms, the sentinel rock stands, through day and night it endures all."

‘Te Toka Tu Toa’ is a statement that, no matter what the opposition throws at the team, like te toka tu moana (the sentinel rock) the players and the team will endure all and be ready to fight again the next game.

The jersey features rock-inspired graphics with carved designs highlighting the Vodafone Warriors’ origins on the front and a mangopare tohu along the spine at the rear urging the players to “fight like the hammerhead shark” and never give up.

The Vodafone Warriors’ 2017 NRL home and away jerseys plus the full training range were revealed earlier this month and are also available on pre-order now.

\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25Te Toka Tu Toa 2017 Auckland Nines Jersey. Link in our bio ✅ #WarriorNation #Auckland #nz A photo posted by Vodafone Warriors (@nzwarriors) on Nov 13, 2016 at 6:08pm PST