The Otago Spirit will be without veteran lock Julia Gorinski for its clash against Tasman in Dunedin tomorrow.
Gorinski injured her knee during the comfortable 55-15 win over Taranaki in New Plymouth last weekend.
It was her 50th game for the province and she pick up the complaint towards the end of the game.
Spirit coach Scott Manson said it was unclear how long she would be sidelined.
"The short answer is we don’t really know. Hopefully she is only out for a couple of weeks," he said.
Kayley Johnson will replace Gorinski in the starting XV and Bella Digby, who made her debut earlier this season, will provide cover from the bench, although she is also under an injury cloud. She rolled her ankle during a development game at the weekend.
No 8 Kristi Kerr is also out with an injury. She has an ankle injury and in her absence Gemma Millar will start at the back of the scrum, while Titietasi Shmidt-Sami will provide cover from the bench.
Shmidt-Sami is on debut, as is outside back Olivia Fowler, who scored three tries at the weekend for the development side.
"They were really good tries as well, so she deserves a chance."
Black Fern Victoria Subritzky-Nafatali has also been named on the bench and will cover first and second five. She is returning from the national team camp to play her first game for the province since 2014.
Manson said the focus this week was to produce a smooth performance. The Spirit has posted three impressive wins, but has not started particularly well and has had some cold patches.
"In the last few games there have been some opportunities that we have just missed and not got quite right. There is just a few wee decisions that we need to be better at."
Otago Spirit
To play Tasman
Sheree Hume, Atawhai Hotene, Cheyenne Cunningham, Keely Hill, Oceana Campbell, Maia Joseph, Georgia Cormick, Gemma Millar, Leah Miles, Zoe Whatarau, Kayley Johnson, Ella Gomez, Paige Church, Tegan Hollows, Isla Pringle. Reserves: Titietasi Shmidt-Sami, Lucy Cahill, Rebekah Wairau, Bella Digby, Grace Carroll, Victoria Subritzky-Nafatali, Kiana Wereta, Olivia Fowler.
