The Western Force have named a 29-player team list for Friday’s pre-season trial game against the ACT Brumbies in Canberra, headlined by several newcomers and players returning from injury.
The Force group will fly on Wednesday to face the Brumbies from 11am WST on Friday at Marist College in Canberra.
Last Friday, the Force played an internal trial game, with the Brumbies’ clash representing the side’s final tune-up prior to their Round 1 Super Rugby Pacific encounter with Moana Pasifika at HBF Park on Saturday 15 February.
Harry Johnson-Holmes (Achilles), Reesjan Pasitoa (shoulder) and Atu Moli (shoulder) will all return from long-term injuries.
Johnson-Holmes is among seven new signings who’ll start, alongside Nic Dolly, Darcy Swain, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Vaiolini Ekuasi, Divad Palu and Mac Grealy.
Wallaby Tom Robertson returns to the front row after missing the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific due to an ACL injury and on sabbatical at Oxford University. He’ll be alongside new additions Johnson-Holmes and Dolly.
Lock Swain will return to Canberra to face his former Brumbies teammates for the first time since his switch to the west. He’ll partner Jeremy Williams in the second row.
In the back row, homegrown Wallaby Carlo Tizzano starts at openside flanker alongside Champion de Crespigny and Ekuasi.
Wallabies veteran Nic White and reigning Nathan Sharpe medalist Ben Donaldson will be the starting half-backs. Newly-capped Wallaby Harry Potter and Australia U20s rep Palu will start on the wings with Grealy – who joined in the off-season from the Queensland Reds - at full-back.
Wallaby Hamish Stewart will start in the midfield alongside Pasitoa who returns after he missed all of the 2023 season with an ACL injury followed by elbow and shoulder issues in 2024.
The Force have named 14 players on the bench for the game, with five-cap All Blacks prop Atu Moli among them following off-season hip surgery.
Former Nathan Sharpe medalist Kane Koteka will start as a reserve after 18 months outside of the Force program. New signings Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Sio Tomkinson will start off the bench.
Friday’s game will not be streamed but follow the Western Force and ACT Brumbies’ social media accounts for updates.
Game Details
ACT Brumbies vs Western Force
Pre-season trial game
Friday 7 February, 11am WST / 2pm AEDT
Marist College, Canberra (free entry)
No live stream available
Western Force team list
Starting XV; Harry Johnson-Holmes, Nic Dolly, Tom Robertson, Jeremy Williams, Darcy Swain, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Carlo Tizzano, Vaiolini Ekuasi; Nic White, Ben Donaldson, Harry Potter, Hamish Stewart, Reesjan Pasitoa, Divad Palu, Mac Grealy
Reserves; Tom Horton, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Marley Pearce, Atu Moli, Tiaan Tauakipulu, Reed Prinsep, Sam Carter, Will Harris, Kane Koteka, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Max Burey, Ronan Leahy, Sio Tomkinson, George Poolman
