Rapana set to step in for injured Lee
June 14, 2013 Jon Tuxworth
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times
Jordan Rapana. Photo: Colleen Petch
The Canberra Raiders are poised to sign exciting outside back
Jordan Rapana for the rest of the NRL season as a replacement for injured winger Edrick Lee.
The NRL club suffered a massive blow when in-form Lee was ruled out for three months after breaking his arm in Monday night's win over Brisbane.
But Fairfax Media understands Rapana, who has been training with Super Rugby side ACT Brumbies, will likely be confirmed as a Raider by the end of next week.
Rapana's signing before the June 30 deadline means he is eligible to play for the Raiders this year. The 23-year-old burst onto the NRL scene in 2008 with Gold Coast, scoring five tries in five matches.
Advertisement
But he quit the game to pursue a Mormon mission in Wales and England, and later failed to forge a Super Rugby career in a short stint with Western Force.
Rapana will be given plenty of time to ease into the Raiders fold, and will start out with either NSW Cup feeder club Mounties, or in the local competition.
Meanwhile, Penrith fullback Matt Moylan will play against Canberra on Saturday after gaining an exemption from the NRL salary cap auditor on Thursday.
Moylan could not participate in last Sunday's clash with Wests Tigers because of second-tier salary cap restrictions.
With Panthers' Wes Naiqama ruled out of the Raiders game with an ongoing ankle injury, Penrith was keen to ensure Moylan was available and sought clearance from the NRL so he could play.
Panthers general manager of rugby league, Phil Moss, said while it was unfortunate to lose Naiqama to injury, it was a relief to be able to slot Moylan into the side - at least for now.
''While Matt will line up for us this week, it does not mean the second-tier salary cap issue has been solved,'' Moss said. ''We will just have to deal with it on a week-by-week basis at this stage.''
Under the second-tier salary-cap restrictions, the Panthers will still need to apply on a weekly basis to play Moylan, who is not part of the top 25 NRL squad.
source:
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/rug...o-step-in-for-injured-lee-20130613-2o7dr.html