LIVE: The Hurricanes have found another gear to take a 31-16 lead over the Western Force after 70 minutes in Napier.
Simon Cron's side narrowly went down to the Highlanders in Dunedin, unable to come back from a late try against the hosts.
Watch every second of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season live and on demand via Stan Sport.
Kurtley Beale is one of several new faces to the starting side, hunting for their second victory of the season.
Meanwhile, the Hurricanes are riding high after a dominant win over the NSW Waratahs in Sydney.
All Black Ruben Love is set for his return from injury, named to come off the bench.
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Hurricanes 31-16: Nathan Hastie is keeping the Force in this game after a booming touch finder.
Hurricanes 31-16: Lancaster gets his second as the Force delight on the counter attack.
Nathan Hastie creates the chance after winning the high ball and sprinting away, with the visitors going through the hands for the speedstar in the corner.
Hurricanes 31-11: Warner Dearns lights up Napier with a lovely charge down try.
The Japanese skipper charges down Ben Donaldson and collects the ball, racing clear for the try despite the numbers disadvantage
Hurricanes 26-11: Isaia Walker-Leawere will head for ten after an ugly cleanout on Darcy Swain.
The lock smacks Swain the head trying to clear him out, facing a nervous wait as the card is under review.
Hurricanes 26-11: All the Hurricanes in the second half as they keep their foot on the gas.
They win another penalty and kick the ball right onto the five metre line, with the Force coming up with the turnover.
Hurricanes 26-11: Callum Harkin dives over under the posts to extend the lead.
Asafo Aumua creates the space with a powerful break, setting the scene for his flyhalf to cross.
Hurricanes 19-11: The Hurricanes are persisting with the kicks in behind as the visitors concede back-to-back goal-line dropouts.
The hosts have the penalty advantage 35 metres out and test their hands, before going nowhere.
Hurricanes 19-11: The Force are trying to flip momentum as the impact from the replacements becomes tough to stop.
Ben Donaldson tries the kick in-behind as the ball rolls dead.
Hurricanes 19-11: The Hurricanes are on fire now as Devan Flanders eases over the line.
Some razzle from the hosts as they counter attack from their own 22 from Callum Harkin's kick, with Josh Moorby forcing the turnover, allowing Flanders to salute from the quick tap.
Hurricanes 12-11: Third times the charm for the hosts as Brad Shields dives over the line.
The impact of the bench is providing serious carry, enough for the back-rower to dive through a hole for the lead.
Force 11-5: Fine Fineanganofo waltzes over the line but the ball from Ruben Love is clearly forward.
Another penalty advantage gives them a chance to reset.
Force 11-5: Brad Shields nearly scores in his 100th game but the referee blows for obstruction just as he's about to put it down.
The Force remain under pressure after the penalty for not rolling.
Force 11-5: The Force are refusing to go into their shells as Ben Donaldson breaks the line into the 22.
Donaldson then extends the lead with an easy three as the lead pushes out to six.
Force 8-5: The Hurricanes' decision to keep the game flowing gives them a chance to add points late after back-to-back penalties flip the field.
It ends in a turnover to the Force, with Kurtley Beale there for the turnover.
Force 8-5: A massive kick from Callum Harkin hurts the hosts as his 70 metre punt rolls dead in-goal, handing the Force the scrum on the 22.
Du'Plessis Kirifi comes up with the clutch turnover and the hosts keep the half going instead of just putting it into touch.
Force 8-5: A smart show and go from Cam Roigard gets the Hurricanes back in the game.
The All Blacks scrumhalf spots the space to dummy and go himself, finding the chalk with his second movement.
Force 8-0: A crucial period for both sides as the Hurricanes work their way inside the 22.
A nice run from Fehi Fineanganofo makes big metres, winning the penalty to kick inside the five.
Force 8-0: Suddenly, all the running is with the Force as they break the Hurricanes from the kick-off.
Kurtley Beale sets up the play, with Bayley Kuenzle racing clear, allowing Ben Donaldson to kick inside the 22. Donaldson's good work is undone after he drops a bomb from the resulting clearance kick.
Force 8-0: Darby Lancaster shows off the quick feet to get the opening try for the Force.
Great feet from the one-time Wallaby beats his man close to the line and he races over in front of a stunned Napier.
Force 3-0: The Force are keeping their calm and the pressure on the Hurricanes.
An obstruction call against the hosts allows Ben Donaldson to find touch just outside the five metre line.
Force 3-0: Ben Donaldson takes the chance to kick the easiest of three points from right in front.
It's a crucial three points after the Hurricanes' dominance early on.
A lapse at lineout time gives the Force the penalty on the 22.
The Hurricanes steal the lineout but can't re-gather the ball, leading to the scrum.
It's a real blue wall from the Force as they keep holding out the hosts.
The Hurricanes have had nearly 90% territory in the past 10 minutes, yet have still not scored as Darby Lancaster is the latest with the turnover to flip the field.
Carlo Tizzano is having a big impact in defence, coming up with a clutch turnover in the 22.
It alleviates the pressure for now, with the hosts slowly working their way back in position, before the grubber in-behind is touched by Max Burey and ends in a goal-line drop out.
The Hurricanes are rolling in attack as Josh Moorby easily breaks the line inside the 22.
But the fullback can't find Cam Roigard, knocking the ball on after a perfectly-timed Carlo Tizzano tackle.
Cam Roigard nearly comes up with a stunning opening try against the run of play.
The scrumhalf sneaks down the short side and kicks for himself, with the ball continuing to run over the in-goal despite the All Black willing it to stop.
The Force are enjoying their fair share of field position as the Hurricanes defence stands strong.
But the hosts keep coming up with the big hits and a lovely touch finder from the penalty has the Hurricanes on the Force's 22.
Ben Donaldson has the ball in hand and kicks this game off.
The Force will run from right to left on your screen as the Hurricanes collect the kick off.
Tries: Roigard, Shields, Flanders, Barrett, Dearns
Cons: Barrett 3/5
Pens:
Tries: Lancaster 2
Cons: Donaldson 0/2
Pens: Donaldson 2/2
Welcome to Rugby.com.au's coverage of the Western Force's clash with the Hurricanes in Naiper.
The visitors have made one change from the 23 named during the week, with Sef Fa'agase coming in for Misinale Epenisa (illness).
Conditions appear to be cloudy as the crowd starts to pack the stands and hill in Napier.
HURRICANES (1-15): Pouri Rakete-Stones, Jacob Devery, Pasilio Tosi, Caleb Delany, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Brad Shields, Du'Plessis Kirifi (co-c), Devan Flanders, Cam Roigard, Callum Harkin, Fehi Fineanganofo, Jordie Barrett (co-c), Jone Rova, Bailyn Sullivan, Josh Moorby
Replacements: Asafo Aumua, Xavier Numia, Tyrel Lomax, Warner Dearns, Brayden Iose, Jordi Viljoen, Ruben Love, Riley Higgins
FORCE (1-15): Tom Robertson, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Jeremy Williams (c), Darcy Swain, Will Harris, Carlo Tizzano, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Henry Robertson, Ben Donaldson, Bayley Kuenzle, Kurtley Beale, George Bridge, Darby Lancaster, Max Burey
Replacements: Nic Dolly, Marley Pearce, Sef Fa'agase, Franco Molina, Lopeti Faifua, Nathan Hastie, Taj Annan, Hamish Stewart
Referee: Todd Petrie
Assistant Referees: Fraser Hannon, Ben Woolerton
TMO: Glenn Newman
The Hurricanes' clash with the Force will be shown LIVE on Stan Sport.
Coverage will be live and ad-free on Stan Sport, slated to start at 4:30 pm with kickoff expected at 5:05 pm.
