All Blacks back George Bridge is one of five off-season signings named to start in Force blue for the first time when the Western Force takes on the Queensland Reds in the side’s first Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific pre-season trial game on Friday.
Bridge, the former Crusaders try machine who spent the past three seasons in France with Montpellier, has been named to start at outside-centre.
Los Pumas lock Franco Molina, ex-Queensland Reds front-rower Sef Fa’agase, one-time Wallabies winger Darby Lancaster and Perth-born Wanneroo junior Nathan Hastie have also been named in the starting XV, offering the Sea of Blue their first glimpse of the new recruits.
Meet the Force players at the Club's Fan Day at Force HQ on Saturday 31 January
Friday’s trial game is free entry for fans, kicking off at 4:35pm WST at Scotch College in Swanbourne.
The Force have named an extended 38-player line-up for the game, which will be played across three 30-minute periods, enabling the wider group to get game-time.
Fa’agase will line up on the front row alongside Wallabies hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Harry Johnson-Holmes who will play his competitive game since suffering an ACL injury last February.
In the locks, Lopeti Faifua will start alongside Argentina international Molina, with Will Harris, Wests Scarborough’s Kane Koteka and Vaiolini Ekuasi in the back row.
Hastie, who has joined the Force from the Highlanders, is named to start at nine, alongside Wallaby Ben Donaldson at fly-half.
Bridge and 95-cap Wallaby Kurtley Beale will run on in an experienced midfield, with Lancaster and Divad Palu to start on the wings and Mac Grealy in at full-back.
Bayley Kuenzle (concussion), Nic Dolly (knee), Doug Philipson (knee), Feao Fotuaika (foot) and Darcy Swain (calf) are unavailable.
Several Wallabies and new Argentinian addition Leonel Oviedo will be absent as they build up towards their returns to play having commenced Force pre-season earlier this month.
Click here for all the essential game day info for Friday's pre-season trial
Western Force team list
1 Sef Fa’agase
2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa
3 Harry Johnson-Homes
4 Lopeti Faifua
5 Franco Molina
6 Will Harris
7 Kane Koteka
8 Vaiolini Ekuasi
9 Nathan Hastie
10 Ben Donaldson
11 Darby Lancaster
12 Kurtley Beale
13 George Bridge
14 Divad Palu
15 Mac Grealy
Reserves; 16 Albert Alcock, 17 Marley Pearce, 18 Max Sawers, 19 Joshua Smith, 20 Misinale Epenisa, 21 Bradley Kuhn, 22 Chlayton Frans, 23 Gus Farnan, 24 Tim Sail, 25 Jack Daly, 26 Titi Nofoagatotoa, 27 Henry Robertson, 28 Agustin Moyano, 29 Luke Aiken, 30 Max Burey, 31 Alex Harford, 32 Ryan McGloin, 33 Boston Fakafanua, 34 Taj Annan, 35 Ronan Leahy, 36 Jackson Ropata, 37 Henry Palmer, 38 Justin Landman
Game details
Western Force vs Queensland Reds
Friday 23 January, 4:35pm WST
Scotch College, Swanbourne, Perth
No live stream available – follow Western Force social channels for updates
Click here for all the essential game day info for Friday's pre-season trial
