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Familiar faces fill inaugural Force team

by Sam Phillips

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.Rod Davies will return to Australian rugby this weekend. Photo: Getty ImagesFormer 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

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Western Force
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