Head Coach Tim Sampson has made two changes to the Western Force starting XV for Friday night’s blockbuster Round 3 clash with the Queensland Reds at HBF Park.
The Force make their long-awaited return to Western Australia and HBF Park for the first home game of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season. With a narrow loss in Canberra in Round 1 and a dominant win over the Melbourne Rebels in Melbourne to their name, the Force cannot wait to be playing back in WA.
Issak Fines-Leleiwasa makes his first Super Rugby start for the Force after re-joining the club from the ACT Brumbies. The exciting scrum-half, who made a surging run to set up Byron Ralston’s last-minute sealer against the Rebels, will be looking to impress back in front of the Force faithful.
Western Australian homegrown talent Ollie Callan also moves into the starting side at seven (flanker), having come off the bench in the opening two rounds of the season. Callan made his first Super Rugby start for his hometown club last year against the Crusaders in Christchurch.
Grason Makara, a local Wanneroo product born in Kalgoorlie, joins the match day squad, with the 21-year-old listed among the replacements. The centre will be hoping to make his Super Rugby debut on Friday night in front of family and friends.
Makara is joined on the bench by experienced Force stalwarts Ian Prior and Kane Koteka, as well as Jack Winchester, Harrison Lloyd, Greg Holmes, Ryan McCauley and Jake McIntyre.
Sampson emphasised the significance of freshness within the squad.
“Ollie [Callan] has been contributing really well off the bench and had a great pre-season,” Sampson explained. “It’s important to have fresh legs out on the field. Both Ian [Prior] and [Issak Fines-Leleiwasa] have played so well for us in the first two rounds and they’ve got very different styles.”
