The Western Force have named a 27-player team list for Sunday’s opening Super Rugby Women’s pre-season trial game against Rugby Victoria at Wanneroo Rugby Club.
The starting XV of the Force, who reached the Super W finals for the first time in Club rugby last season, will be bolstered by the additions of Wallaroos duo Sera Naiqama and Cecilia Smith who joined the side in the off-season.
Naiqama and Smith are joined in the starting line-up by fellow new signings Grace Freeman and Halley Derera who’ll start at fly-half and full-back respectively. Naiqama, Freeman and Derera were all part of the Sydney University side that won last year’s Jack Scott Cup in New South Wales.
Reigning Force Rising Star Hannah Palelei will join Wallaroos pair Hera-Barb Malcolm Heke and Alapeta Ngauamo in the front row. Naiqama will partner with Wallaroos captain Michaela Leonard in the locks.
Foundation Force back-rower Taylor Waterson returns to the starting line-up to play alongside Anneka Stephens and Pia Tapsell.
One-cap Wallaroo Georgia Cormick will start at scrum-half alongside playmaker Freeman at 10. Haylee Hifo and Brooklyn Teki-Joyce are named on the wings, with Derera rounding out the back three. Trilleen Pomare and Smith will start together in an all-star Wallaroos midfield.
The Force have named 12 players as reserves, including off-season additions Loretta Mailangi, Allana Sikimeti, Adi Vani Buleki and Sam Treherne, along with locals Zoe Elliott, Nami Dickson and Ngamihi Monk.
Sikimeti and Treherne are both capped Wallaroos, while Mailangi was part of the Australia A tour of Samoa last year. Buleki is a Fiji Olympic Sevens player who is now focusing on 15-a-side rugby.
Sunday’s game kicks off at 11am, with free entry.
Western Force vs Rugby Victoria
Sunday 9 February, 11am WST
Wanneroo Rugby Club, free entry
Super Rugby Women’s pre-season trial game
Force team list
Starting XV; Hannah Palelei, Hera Barb Malcolm-Heke, Alapeta Ngauamo, Sera Naiqama, Michaela Leonard, Taylor Waterson, Anneka Stephens, Pia Tapsell; Georgia Cormick, Grace Freeman, Haylee Hifo, Trilleen Pomare, Cecilia Smith, Brooklyn Teki Joyce, Halley Derera
Reserves; Loretta Mailangi, Allana Sikimeti, Zoe Elliott, Libya Teepa, Rosie Ebbage, Nami Dickson, Tamika Jones, Ai Dickson, Nicole Ledington, Adi Vani Buleki, Ngamihi Monk, Samantha Treherne
