NRL: Warriors recall Kemp, Rapira

Kiwis prop Sam Rapira and winger Denan Kemp have been recalled to join team-mate Jerome Ropati for his 100th first-grade appearance when the Warriors take on North Queensland in Sunday's 10th-round NRL encounter at Mount Smart Stadium.

A chest injury ruled 70-game front rower Rapira, 22, out of the club's 11-12 loss to St George Illawarra in Wollongong as well as the Kiwis' Anzac test against the Kangaroos in Brisbane last Friday.

Kemp also missed the game against the Dragons ahead of last weekend's bye round.

Rapira has been named to start in the front row against the Cowboys with Jesse Royal reverting to the interchange bench while Kemp returns on the right wing for Patrick Ah Van, who has been chosen as 18th man.

Other than those two changes, the starting line-up is the same that ran on against St George Illawarra with Nathan Fien at standoff and Joel Moon in his alternative position in the centres.

Joining Royal on the bench are fellow prop Russell Packer, utility Lance Hohaia and second rower Ben Matulino.

The match will be a personal highlight for Ropati, 24, who started his NRL career with a one-off outing in 2003.

He will become the 14th player - and the second this season after Nathan Fien - to reach the 100-game mark for the Warriors. Also on the 100 list are two other members of this year's NRL squad - Stacey Jones (245) and Lance Hohaia (124).

"It's a sign of the stability we have in the club that more and more players are reaching these milestones," coach Ivan Cleary said.

"It's a real achievement for Jerome, who has had some injury issues here and there which prevented him reaching the mark sooner."

Rapira is set to return after missing his first match for the club since 2006. He had played 66 games on end before missing the one-point loss to the Dragons.

Winger Manu Vatuvei, who scored his 11th test try last Friday night, goes into the North Queensland game needing one more try to bring up his 50th for the club.

The team is:

Wade McKinnon, Denan Kemp, Joel Moon, Jerome Ropati, Manu Vatuvei, Nathan Fien, Stacey Jones, Sam Rapira, Ian Henderson, Steve Price (captain), Simon Mannering, Jacob Lillyman, Micheal Luck (vice captain).

Interchange: Lance Hohaia, Russell Packer, Jesse Royal, Ben Matulino.

- NZPA