The Western Force has made five changes to the starting XV with a potential debutant among the reserves for Friday’s clash with the Hurricanes in Napier in Round 5 of the Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific season.
The game is the third and final of the Force's three-game New Zealand tour, kicking off at 2:05pm WST live on Stan Sport.
Kurtley Beale is added to the starting side at inside centre after providing a spark as a reserve in last round’s narrow loss to the Highlanders, linking up with former All Black George Bridge in an experienced midfield.
Other additions to the run-on side are Henry Robertson at scrum-half, Bayley Kuenzle on the left wing, Max Burey at full-back and Will Harris at blindside flanker.
In-form number 8 Vaiolini Ekuasi is unavailable due to a quad contusion, with Nick Champion de Crespigny shifting from flanker to replace him at the back of the scrum.
There is also a potential debut among the reserves with utility back Taj Annan set to make his maiden Super Rugby Pacific appearance.
The 22-year-old joined the Force’s wider training squad in pre-season and has earned his opportunity after impressing in training. Annan previously spent time with the Queensland Reds and in Australia’s U20s set-up, joining the Force late last year after an NRL stint with the Newcastle Knights.
Lock Lopeti Faifua returns to the impact squad, along with Force Academy product and loosehead prop Marley Pearce.
The Force’s starting tight five is unchanged, with Tom Robertson, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Jeremy Williams and Darcy Swain running on.
Harris comes into the back row alongside Carlo Tizzano and Champion de Crespigny.
Force 2024 Rising Star winner Robertson links up with fly-half Ben Donaldson, with 95-cap Wallaby Beale teaming up in the midfield with Bridge, who shifts back from the wing.
Kuenzle returns to the starting line-up on the left wing, with Darby Lancaster suiting up on the right edge. Max Burey comes into the 15 at full-back.
The reserves are hooker Nic Dolly, loosehead Pearce, tighthead Misinale Epenisa, lock Franco Molina, lock Faifua, scrum-half Nathan Hastie, Annan and utility back Hamish Stewart.
Game details
Hurricanes vs Western Force
Friday 13 March, 2:05pm WST
McLean Park, Napier
Live on Stan Sport
Western Force team list
1 Tom Robertson
2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa
3 Harry Johnson-Holmes
4 Jeremy Williams (c)
5 Darcy Swain
6 Will Harris
7 Carlo Tizzano
8 Nick Champion de Crespigny (vc)
9 Henry Robertson
10 Ben Donaldson (vc)
11 Bayley Kuenzle
12 Kurtley Beale
13 George Bridge
14 Darby Lancaster
15 Max Burey
Reserves; Nic Dolly, Marley Pearce, Misinale Epenisa, Franco Molina, Lopeti Faifua, Nathan Hastie, Taj Annan, Hamish Stewart
SKG Radiology Unavailable List
Vaiolini Ekuasi (quad) - short term
Dylan Pietsch (foot) – short term
Feao Fotuaika (foot) – medium term
Alex Harford (shoulder) – long term
Doug Philipson (knee) – long term
