The Western Force will welcome back five Wallabies for Friday’s second pre-season trial game against the ACT Brumbies at Scotch College Playing Fields.
Wallabies Tom Robertson, Jeremy Williams, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Carlo Tizzano and Hamish Stewart are all added to the starting XV which beat the Queensland Reds 21-19 last Friday.
Friday’s game, which will be played as a regulation 2 x 40-minute contest, will be live streamed on the Club’s Facebook page and free entry for all patrons, kicking off from 4:35pm AWST.
Meet the Force players at the Club's Fan Day at Force HQ on Saturday 31 January
Robertson is in the run-on side at loosehead prop, alongside Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Harry Johnson-Holmes, who’ll back up for the second straight after a long-term ACL injury.
Wallabies lock Williams, who is coming into his third season at captain, comes into the second row alongside Los Pumas star Franco Molina.
New vice-captain Champion de Crespigny and reigning Super Rugby leading try scorer Tizzano come into the back row, with Vaiolini Ekuasi starting at number 8.
The Force will start again with Perth-born-and-raised scrum-half Nathan Hastie and fly-half Ben Donaldson.
Wallabies midfielder Hamish Stewart is added at inside-centre alongside All Black George Bridge.
Darby Lancaster and Divad Palu will start on the wings, with Mac Grealy rounding out the back three.
The Force have named a 28-player list, with 11 players among the reserves, including Argentinian hooker Leonel Oviedo who made a cameo last Friday and Bayley Kuenzle who is available following concussion.
Alex Harford (shoulder), Nic Dolly (knee), Doug Philipson (knee), Feao Fotuaika (foot), Darcy Swain (calf) and Dylan Pietsch (Wallabies return to play) are unavailable.
Friday's game is live on the new Western Force Facebook page from 4:30pm WST.
Meet the Force players at the Club's Fan Day at Force HQ on Saturday 31 January
Western Force team list
1 Tom Robertson
2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa
3 Harry Johnson-Holmes
4 Franco Molina
5 Jeremy Williams
6 Nick Champion de Crespigny
7 Carlo Tizzano
8 Vaiolini Ekuasi
9 Nathan Hastie
10 Ben Donaldson
11 Darby Lancaster
12 Hamish Stewart
13 George Bridge
14 Divad Palu
15 Mac Grealy
Reserves; Leonel Oviedo, Sef Fa’agase, Misinale Epenisa, Lopeti Faifua, Gus Farnan, Kane Koteka, Jack Daly, Will Harris, Henry Robertson, Max Burey, Boston Fakafanua, Bayley Kuenzle, Kurtley Beale
Game details
Western Force vs ACT Brumbies
Friday 30 January, 4:35pm WST
Scotch College Playing Fields, Swanbourne, Perth
Live stream on Western Force Facebook page
Meet the Force players at the Club's Fan Day at Force HQ on Saturday 31 January
