NRL: Tupou replaces injured Vatuvei

Warriors wing Manu Vatuvei tweaked his hamstring injury while playing against the Bulldogs last weekend. Photo / Getty Images

Winger Bill Tupou returns for the injured Manu Vatuvei in the only change to the Warriors side for the sixth-round National Rugby League match with the Penrith Panthers at Auckland on Sunday.

Tupou, 19, made his NRL debut in the club's last home game against Manly on April 4 but turned out for the Junior Warriors against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs last Saturday night, scoring a treble in the side's first youth competition win of the season.

Cleared to play against the Bulldogs after a week off, Vatuvei scored a try - his sixth in just four appearances this year - but was forced off the field just after halftime after aggravating his hamstring injury.

Apart from Tupou's inclusion, the line-up named is the same as that in last weekend's thrilling 30-24 win over the Bulldogs.

Frontrower Jesse Royal will play his 50th NRL match and 21st for the Warriors, while hooker Ian Henderson, named on the bench, will be making his 50th appearance for the club since signing on in 2008.

Brent Tate will again lead the side after savouring victory in his first outing as captain last weekend, and scoring his 48th NRL try.

Both the Warriors and Penrith head into the match with records of three wins and two losses with the Panthers coming off a decisive 28-6 victory over the Sydney Roosters.

The Warriors are sixth on the points table and the Panthers are eighth.

"They've won their last two games and looked impressive against the Roosters," Warriors coach Ivan Cleary said.

"Once again we're feeling the effects of a significant number of players who are injured but, in saying that, we've been really encouraged by the performances players are putting up when they come into the side, especially the less experienced ones."

The Warriors will again field a forward pack without one 100-game player while Penrith will have ample NRL experience in the forwards in the likes of Petero Civoniceva (more than 250 games), Trent Waterhouse and Frank Pritchard..

Warriors team to play Panthers on Sunday: Wade McKinnon, Kevin Locke, Brent Tate (captain), Joel Moon, Bill Tupou, Lance Hohaia, James Maloney, Sam Rapira, Aaron Heremaia, Jesse Royal, Lewis Brown, Ben Matulino, Jacob Lillyman. Interchange: Ian Henderson, Jeremy Latimore, Russell Packer, Ukuma Ta'ai.

- NZPA