Force set ambitions high as 2025 Super W fixture revealed

Tue, Nov 19, 2024, 9:00 PM
BS
by Ben Somerford

The Western Force’s 2025 Super Rugby Women’s draw has been revealed with the Club to host two double-headers at HBF Park as they aim to improve on last season’s maiden finals berth.

Rugby Australia announced the 2025 fixture on Wednesday morning for the five-team competition, which will run for five rounds from February 28 to March 29 before the four-team finals series, grand final at North Sydney on Saturday 12 April and a first-ever Women’s Super Rugby Champions Final between the Australian and New Zealand champion sides on April 17.

The Force have big ambitions for the 2025 season, bolstered by a strong off-season recruitment drive, along with a positive three-game Japan tour last month.

The WA outfit made Club history in 2024 by reaching the Super W semi-finals for the first time and will look to take another step forward in 2025.

The Force will host the ACT Brumbies at HBF Park in Round 1, along with the Fijian Drua in Round 4 as part of two home double-headers alongside the Force men’s side, plus the Club will host an additional development game against Penina Pasifika, a side that brings together the best up-and-coming women’s Rugby talent from the Pacific region.

Force 2025 Super Rugby Memberships are on sale NOW for seven home games + Super W games from $170 per adult, while there’s FREE Junior Force Memberships for one child under 15 with a paying adult.

The Force’s season will start against the Brumbies at HBF Park on Saturday 1 March from 2:05pm, followed by the men’s Force-Reds clash from 4:35pm.

The WA side will travel to Sydney to face the NSW Waratahs in another double-header in Round 2, before taking on the new Penina Pasifika side at UWA Sports Park on Saturday 15 March in a development game not for competition points during their Round 3 bye.

The Force will host the Drua at HBF Park in Round 4 on Sunday 23 March with the 4:50pm kick-off coming after the men’s 2pm game concludes.

Coach Dylan Parsons’ side will round out their regular season away to the Queensland Reds in Round 5 at Ballymore Stadium.

Force CEO Niamh O’Connor said: “We have high ambitions within our women’s program so it’s fantastic to have our 2025 Super W fixture confirmed as we start to home in on our goals.

“We made some major gains in the 2024 season, but we want to keep striving for more.

“We’re also excited as a Club to host two double-headers in the 2025 season as we celebrate our 20th season, with our women’s team playing a big part in our history.”

SRW fixtures 2025

The Force have enjoyed a strong off-season, bolstered by the recruitment of Wallaroos Cecilia Smith, Allana Sikimeti and Sera Naiqama, along with the additions of Loretta Mailangi and Grace Freeman from other Super W sides.

The Force have also re-signed Wallaroos Hera-Barb Malcolm Heke, Alapeta Ngauamo and Georgia Cormick plus Rosie Ebbage, Sheree Hume, Nicole Ledington, Hannah Palelei and Braxton Walker have re-committed.

Force head coach Dylan Parsons set the bar high for 2025, aiming to win Super W.

“The goal is to take it out next season,” Parsons said.

“The playing group has taken a lot of belief from what we have been able to achieve in the 2024 season. Now through our recruitment and through the club’s drive to get us more high-level games in the Japanese tour, it puts us in a great position to build on what we’ve done in 2024."

The 2025 Force squad is set to gather on Monday for the opening week of pre-season, which Parsons was bullish would set them up for 2025.

“We start a pre-season block next week which progresses what we started in Japan," Parsons said. "We’ll keep developing on the “how” to be better athletes and build how we want to play our game in 2025.

“This will be a genuine pre-season block which we’ve never had in my time here with the majority of the squad here and ready to go. One of the big things is ensuring the girls aren’t complacent around the progress we had in 2024. There’s a huge amount of work to come and it’s not just going to happen.”

On the 2025 squad, Parsons added: “We’ve added some experience and quality but still have a strong core of the squad that have been here for a few seasons. Also having our younger players experience the Japanese tour against higher-level players has only made our squad stronger.

“We still have a few spots to fill which we’ll keep working towards. We’re excited about where we are but now it’s about the hard work to come.”

Every game of the 2025 Super Rugby Women's season will be broadcast ad-free, live and on demand on Stan Sport.

Force 2025 Super Rugby Memberships are on sale NOW for seven home games + Super W games from $170 per adult, while there’s FREE Junior Force Memberships for one child under 15 with a paying adult.

Full Western Force fixture

Round – Date - Time (all WST) – Opponent - Venue

Rd 1 – Saturday 1 March 14:05 – ACT Brumbies – HBF Park, Perth (double-header)

Rd 2 – Saturday 8 March 14:05 – NSW Waratahs – Allianz Stadium, Sydney (double-header)

Rd 3 – Saturday 15 March 15:00 – Penina Pasifika (development game) – UWA Sports Park, Perth

Rd 4 – Sunday 23 March 16:50 – Fijian Drua – HBF Park, Perth (double-header)

Rd 5 – Sunday 30 March 11:05 – Queensland Reds – Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane

Semi-finals – Friday 4 April & Saturday 5 April

Grand Final – Saturday 12 April – North Sydney Oval, Sydney

Women’s Super Rugby Champions Final – Thursday 17 April 13:05 - Super Rugby Women's champion v Super Rugby Aupiki champion - New Zealand

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