Experienced prop Sam Rapira will captain the Warriors in their pre-season match against Wigan on Wednesday as coach Matthew Elliot starts to ease his big names back.

Former Wigan star Sam Tomkins won’t play against his former club, nor will a number of other first-grade Warriors, but Elliott is handing props Jacob Lillyman and Ben Matulino and centres Jerome Ropati and Dane Nielsen their first appearances of 2014 at the Hamilton game.

Hamilton born and bred, Rapira is relishing the chance to play in front of family and friends after injury ruled him out of last year’s pre-season game against Penrith at Waikato Stadium.

Ropati is likely to start at fullback in the absence of the injured Kevin Locke and Tomkins, whose first appearance in a Warriors jersey will come at the inaugural Auckland Nines next weekend.

None of the players involved in the Nines will face Wigan.

New signing and ex-Cronulla playmaker Chad Townsend will back up in Hamilton after having his first outing for the Warriors in their opening pre-season game against the Gold Coast Titans in Auckland on Sunday.

Super League champions Wigan will use the game to prepare for the World Club Challenge against the NRL-winning Roosters in Sydney on February 22.

Warriors squad: Sam Rapira (capt), Jordan Baldwinson, David Bhana, Siliva Havili, Jacob Lillyman, Mason Lino, Sam Lisone, Ben Matulino, Dane Nielsen, John Palavi, Agnatius Paasi, Nathaniel Peteru, Jerome Ropati, Michael Sio, Mason Tonks, Chad Townsend, Adam Tuimavave-Gerrard, Albert Vete, Steve Waetford