Injury clears way for Butler’s NSW Origin debut
Jasper Bruce |
Rima Butler is set for her State of Origin debut after Tiana Penitani Gray’s knee injury forced NSW to reshuffle their forward pack for game two.
The Sydney Roosters prop will join John Strange’s bench as the Blues look to clinch the three-match series with victory in Brisbane next Thursday night.
Penitani Gray played the whole 70 minutes of NSW’s 11-6 game one win in the unfamiliar second row position but has pulled up sore and drops out of the team.
In her place, veteran Kezie Apps comes off the bench to start on an edge, having done so in 11 previous Origin clashes.
A premiership winner with Newcastle in 2023, 28-year-old Butler had been part of the extended squad for Origin I and will wear jersey No.16 on debut.
The Blues are otherwise unchanged.
Queensland winger Phoenix-Raine Hippi has been sidelined from the second Origin match with a hamstring injury.
The 19-year-old underwent scans after her Origin debut and is expected to be omitted when Queensland reveals its team list on Wednesday afternoon.
The two injury blows come amid ongoing debate about the timing of the Origin series.
Some players entered the series opener having not played a competitive match since the NRLW season concluded with the grand final in early October.
Queensland middle forward Makenzie Weale suffered a game-ending head knock on the first tackle of the series opener but is in the frame to play Origin II given a two-week gap between fixtures.
AAP