Westpac NSW Blues back rower Cameron Murray has been named captain of the Prime Minister’s XIII to play Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby next week, while Harvey Norman Sky Blues forward Kennedy Cherrington is vice-captain of the women’s team.
Murray (Rabbitohs), who was vice-captain of the Kangaroos at last year’s World Cup, is one of seven Westpac NSW Blues players named in the PM’s side to play the Kumuls at Santos National Football Stadium on Saturday 23 September.
A Prime Minister’s XIII women’s side will also travel to PNG and meet the Orchids, with four current Harvey Norman NSW Sky Blues in the side.
Winger Josh Addo-Carr (Bulldogs), who lit up the World Cup with 12 tries in five games, joins fellow 2023 Origin players Nicho Hynes (Sharks), Reece Robson (Cowboys), Jake Trbojevic (Sea Eagles), Cody Walker (Rabbitohs) and Hudson Young (Raiders) in coach Mal Meninga’s 19-member squad.
Cherrington (Eels) has been named alongside younger sister Rueben – a member of the winning NSW Under 19s Origin team in 2021 and 2022 – creating some women’s Rugby League history as the first sisters in the same Australian team.
Kennedy scored twice in the Jillaroos 54-4 win over New Zealand in the World Cup final.
Sky Blues halfback Rachael Pearson (Eels) and hooker-utility Quincy Dodd (Sharks) were also named by Jillaroos coach Brad Donald, while fullback Botille Vette-Welsh (Wests Tigers) makes a welcome return to the representative arena.
Vette-Welsh tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) early in the 2022 NRLW season and missed both the 2022 and the 2023 Origin games, as well as having to sit out the World Cup.
Included in the 20-player women’s PM’s squad is the 2023 NRLW season leading try-scorer Teagan Berry (Dragons), who was in the extended Sky Blues squad for Game One this year, alongside Cassey Tohi-Hiku (Eels) who was 19th player for Game Two.
