Familiar faces fill inaugural Force team
Familiar faces headline the first Western Force side that will tackle the new World Series Rugby with a clash against Fiji on Friday night.
Captain Ian Prior, hooker Heath Tessman, flanker Chris Alcock, fullback Peter Grant and winger Marcel Brache join Chris Heiberg and Brynard Stander as players in the starting XV that have pulled on the blue jersey before.
Kieran Longbottom, Ryan Louwrens and Clay Uyen also add a familiar flavour to the bench, which will undoubtedly play a new role under new, experimental laws.
Former Reds star Rod Davies has also been named on the wing alongside promising flyhalf Andrew Deegan, who has come across from the Waratahs.
Those laws encourage faster scrums, lineouts and additional points for long range tries and kicks - changes which will all play into the hands of the Fijians.
TEAM
Western Force team to face Fiji
1. Harry Lloyd
2. Heath Tessmann
3. Chris Heiberg
4. Fergus Lee-Warner
5. Johan Bardoul
6. Tevin Ferris
7. Chris Alcock
8. Brynard Stander
9. Ian Prior (C)
10. Andrew Deegan
11. Brad Lacey
12. Rodney Iona
13. Marcel Brache
14. Rod Davies
15. Peter Grant
Reserves
16. Alifeleti Kaitu'u
17. Tom Sheminant
18. Kieran Longbottom
19. Leon Power
20. Harrison Orr
21. Ryan Louwrens
22. AJ Alatimu
23. Clay Uyen
