LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
The Jillaroos are facing a significant setback as Tamika Upton has been sidelined due to injury ahead of their test match against Kiwi Ferns. There is optimism, however, that Upton may return in time for the Pacific Championships final.
Upton, a two-time Dally M medallist, suffered a calf strain last Friday, paving the way for Abbi Church to step in for her Test debut at fullback during the match at Auckland's Eden Park.
Both the Jillaroos and Kiwi Ferns have already secured their spots in the Pacific Championships final, which is set to take place in Parramatta on November 9.
"Tamika pulled up on Tuesday's training with calf soreness, so the performance staff just took some precautionary actions and wanted to get that checked out," said Jillaroos coach Jess Skinner. "It's been a really long season for Tamika and she has had issues with the calf previously."
"She's got a minor strain, so it's best that we look after her and work towards getting her back for next week," Skinner added.
In their last outing, Upton made a significant contribution by scoring two tries during the Jillaroos' dominating 60-0 victory over Fetū Sāmoa in Brisbane.
To compound their injury woes, the Jillaroos have also lost reserve forward Mackenzie Weale, who will miss the rest of the tournament due to a pelvis injury.