The Western Force’s 23-player team for Saturday’s must-win Kids Round clash with the Fijian Drua at HBF Park has been named, with Bayley Kuenzle added to the starting XV and Boston Fakafanua in line for his debut.
Saturday’s game kicks off at 5:35pm WST, with the fixture themed around Kids Round in the 2026 Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific season, aimed at encouraging juniors to play rugby and families to attend Super Rugby games.
Kuenzle comes into the starting side at outside-centre for his ninth start of the campaign. George Bridge is out with soreness, having played the most minutes of any Force player this season.
Force Academy graduate Fakafanua comes into the 23 as one of the replacements. The 20-year-old Australia U20s international impressed in last year’s Super Rugby AUS, playing three games including the Grand Final.
Kurtley Beale is also named among the replacements, meaning he is in line to become the third most capped player in Super Rugby history.
If he plays, Beale – who debuted in Super Rugby in 2007 - will earn his 186th Super Rugby cap, moving him past Aaron Smith (185) in outright third, leaving him behind only James Slipper and Wyatt Crockett on the all-time list.
The Force has named an unchanged forward pack for Saturday’s game, with Harry Johnson-Holmes, Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Misinale Epenisa in the front row.
Captain Jeremy Williams and Darcy Swain will run on in the second row, with the duo both in this season’s top 10 for lineouts won in Super Rugby with 45 and 41 respectively.
Vice-captain Nick Champion de Crespigny, Perth-born-and-bred openside flanker Carlo Tizzano and Vaiolini Ekuasi start in the back row.
Nathan Hastie and Max Burey will link up again as the 9-10 combination, with Wallabies inside-centre Hamish Stewart partnering Kuenzle in the midfield.
Dylan Pietsch and Zac Lomax start on the wings, with Mac Grealy – who sits fourth overall in Super Rugby for metres gained (700) this season - rounding out the back three.
The impacts are hooker Nic Dolly, Joondalup Brothers product Marley Pearce, prop Sef Fa’agase, Argentinian lock Franco Molina, versatile forward Will Harris, scrum-half Moyano, debutant Fakafanua and the experienced Kurtley Beale.
The Force are offering a free junior ticket with every paying adult, while there will be a range of kid-friendly activations at the Gate 1 Fan Zone including the Fiesto Balloon Ride, Airbrush Tattoos, bouncy castle, obstacle course, Pass The Ball inflatables and more.
As part of the Kids’ Round activations, the Force are also offering $12 kids meal deals (hot dog/nachos, juice and freddo), along with special blue ice creams from KBS Creamy Creations situated at Gate 1.
Kick-off for Saturday’s game is 5:35pm WST, with the game live on Stan Sport and 91.3 SportFM. Tickets via Ticketmaster.
Game details
Western Force vs Fijian Drua
Saturday 23 May, 5:35pm WST
HBF Park, Perth
Live on Stan Sport (TV) & 91.3 SportFM (radio)
Western Force team list
1 Harry Johnson-Holmes
2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa
3 Misinale Epenisa
4 Jeremy Williams (c)
5 Darcy Swain
6 Nick Champion de Crespigny (vc)
7 Carlo Tizzano
8 Vaiolini Ekuasi
9 Nathan Hastie
10 Max Burey
11 Dylan Pietsch
12 Hamish Stewart
13 Bayley Kuenzle
14 Zac Lomax
15 Mac Grealy
Reserves; 16 Nic Dolly, 17 Marley Pearce, 18 Sef Fa'agase, 19 Franco Molina, 20 Will Harris, 21 Agustin Moyano, 22 Boston Fakafanua, 23 Kurtley Beale
SKG Radiology Unavailable List
Ben Donaldson (quad) – short term
Alex Harford (shoulder) - short term
Tom Robertson (calf) – short term
Darby Lancaster (ankle) – season
Henry Robertson (ACL) – season
