Wallabies lock Darcy Swain will return to the Western Force starting line-up for Saturday’s clash with the Blues at Joondalup’s HIF Health Insurance Oval in Round 2 of the Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific season.
The 17-cap Wallabies second-rower is added for the first-ever Super Rugby game at the Joondalup venue, replacing Nick Champion de Crespigny who is unavailable with a knee injury sustained in Round 1.
Swain’s addition sees captain Jeremy Williams shuffle into the back row at blindside flanker. Emerging lock Lopeti Faifua and local openside flanker Kane Koteka are added to the reserves.
The Force are calling Saturday’s Joondalup game, ‘Force In The North’, linking the Club to the community in Perth’s northern suburbs.
Scrum-half Nathan Hastie, who grew up in Perth’s northern suburbs and played his junior rugby for Wanneroo not far from the Joondalup venue, has been named to start in a full circle moment.
In the run-on side, Wallabies Tom Robertson and Brandon Paenga-Amosa start on the front row with Harry Johnson-Holmes who successfully returned from long-term injury in Round 1.
Los Pumas lock Franco Molina, who scored on his Force debut, will partner Swain in the second row, with Wallaby Williams, Carlo Tizzano and Vaiolini Ekuasi making up the back row.
Hastie starts at nine alongside 2024 Nathan Sharpe medal winner Ben Donaldson.
Wallaby Hamish Stewart and All Black George Bridge will continue their midfield partnership, with Bayley Kuenzle and Divad Palu on the wings and Mac Grealy at full-back.
Forwards Leonel Oviedo, Sef Fa’agase, Misinale Epenisa, Faifua and Kane Koteka along with scrum-half Henry Robertson and utility backs Max Burey and Kurtley Beale make up the impacts.
The Force are playing Saturday’s game at Joondalup with HBF Park unavailable due to hosting the upcoming AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
Kick-off is 4:35pm WST, with tickets available via Ticketmaster from $25 for adults. The game will be live streamed on Stan Sport, with live radio commentary on 91.3 SportFM.
Game details
Western Force vs Blues
Saturday 21 February, 4:35pm WST
HIF Health Insurance Oval, Arena Joondalup, Perth
Live on Stan Sport (TV) & 91.3 SportFM (radio)
Western Force team list
1 Tom Robertson
2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa
3 Harry Johnson-Holmes
4 Franco Molina
5 Darcy Swain
6 Jeremy Williams (c)
7 Carlo Tizzano
8 Vaiolini Ekuasi
9 Nathan Hastie
10 Ben Donaldson (vc)
11 Bayley Kuenzle
12 Hamish Stewart
13 George Bridge
14 Divad Palu
15 Mac Grealy
Reserves; Leonel Oviedo, Sef Fa’agase, Misinale Epenisa, Lopeti Faifua, Kane Koteka, Henry Robertson, Max Burey, Kurtley Beale
SKG Radiology Unavailable List
Nick Champion de Crespigny (knee) – short term
Darby Lancaster (thigh) – short term
Dylan Pietsch (foot) – short term
Feao Fotuaika (foot) – medium term
Alex Harford (shoulder) – long term
Doug Philipson (knee) – long term
