Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Vaiolini Ekuasi will return to the Western Force starting line-up for Saturday’s Round 8 clash with the Highlanders in the SMARTECH Super Rugby Pacific season.
Paenga-Amosa will start at hooker, while Ekuasi joins Super Rugby top try scorer Carlo Tizzano and Nick Champion de Crespigny in the back-row for Saturday’s game that starts at 4:35pm WST at HBF Park, with tickets on sale via Ticketmaster.
The Force have named an unchanged starting backline, with Sio Tomkinson selected at outside-centre to bring up his 50th Super Rugby appearance.
Front-rower Josh Smith and winger George Poolman both are named in the 23-player team list as finishers.
Paenga-Amosa starts in the front row alongside Joondalup’s Marley Pearce and Wallaby Tom Robertson.
Captain Jeremy Williams partners Darcy Swain in the locks after a stand-out display against the Reds last round.
Champion de Crespigny shuffles to blindside flanker, enabling Ekuasi’s return at number 8 with Tizzano – who has a Club record 10 tries this season - at openside flanker.
Vice-captain Nic White will start at scrum-half, with Wallaby Ben Donaldson at fly-half. Hamish Stewart and Tomkinson form the midfield.
Dylan Pietsch and Harry Potter will start on the wings, with Mac Grealy rounding out the back three.
Saturday’s game kicks off at 4:35pm WST and is live on 9Gem and Stan Sport.
Western Force team list
Starting XV; Marley Pearce, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Tom Robertson, Jeremy Williams (c), Darcy Swain, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Carlo Tizzano, Vaiolini Ekuasi; Nic White (vc), Ben Donaldson, Dylan Pietsch, Hamish Stewart, Sio Tomkinson, Harry Potter, Mac Grealy
Reserves; Nic Dolly, Atu Moli, Josh Smith, Reed Prinsep (vc), Will Harris, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Max Burey, George Poolman
Game details
Western Force vs Highlanders
Saturday 5 April, 4:35pm WST
HBF Park
Live on Stan Sport & 9Gem
Tickets available via Ticketmaster
Unavailable list
Ryan Coxon (ribs)
Harry Johnson-Holmes (knee)
Bayley Kuenzle (knee)
Harry Hoopert (knee)
Divad Palu (shoulder)
Matt Proctor (shoulder)
