4 Jul 2010

Gasnier to play, but likely to come off bench

3:56 pm on 4 July 2010

The Australian rugby league centre, Mark Gasnier, will definitely make his return to the NRL tomorrow night when the St George Illawarra Dragons host the Penrith Panthers.

But the Dragons coach, Wayne Bennet, has hinted that Gasnier won't be in the starting 13.

Instead, the former Test and Origin player's likely to come off the bench, in an effort to ease him back into the game.

Gasnier made his debut for the Dragons in 2000, and played for the club until switching to rugby union in 2008, where he played for France's Stade Francais.

The NRL match will be Gasnier's first in almost 20 months.