'We love having him in the team': Force energised by Kuenzle return

Fri, Apr 18, 2025, 10:04 PM
AW
by AAP and Nathan Williamson

Western Force coach Simon Cron is pleased to see Bayley Kuenzle back on the field for Saturday's clash with the Hurricanes.

Kuenzle will play his first game of the Super Rugby season after recovering from a long-term knee injury.

Catch every game of SMARTECH Super Rugby Pacific live and on-demand via Stan Sport.

The runner-up in the 2024 Nathan Sharpe medal underwent surgery in July last year after injuring his posterior cruciate ligament and medial cruciate ligament playing club rugby.

The 26-year-old usually plays flyhalf or inside centre, but he's been named on the wing against the Hurricanes.

"He's really good at shutting down those outside channels, it's a real skill set," Cron said of naming Kuenzle on the wing.

"Defensively, from 13 and wing, you've got a lot of space to cover and Bayley has the speed and ability to do that.

"He's fast, he's powerful, and we love having him in the team.

"BK, from the moment he got injured until now, he's worked so hard to get himself back into a position to get selected."

Kuenzle's return comes as Dylan Pietsch is expected to spend the next three to four weeks on the sidelines with a quad injury.

Pietch picked the knock up early in their win over the Highlanders before the bye.

Since thrashing the Waratahs 57-12 on March 28, the Hurricanes have suffered tight losses to the Blues (19-18) and Crusaders (31-24).

After hosting the Hurricanes, the Force travel to New Zealand for games against the second-placed Chiefs and ninth-placed Blues.

They finish their campaign against the Brumbies (home), Fijian Drua (away) and Waratahs (home).

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