The Western Force have named 11 Club debutants for their 23-player team list for the Buildcorp Super Rugby Women’s season opener against the Melbourne Rebels on Friday night.
The Force’s Super W clash starts at 4:30pm WST as part of a double-header alongside the Force-Moana Pasifika game in Super Rugby Pacific from 7pm.
Trilleen Pomare will lead the side as captain, with 11 newcomers named to play including seven players making their Super W debuts.
Alapeta Ngauamo, Sara Cline, Rosie Ebbage, Brooklyn Teki-Joyce, Rosie McGehan, Sheree Hume, Haylee Hifo, Harono Te Iringa, Pia Tapsell, Lucy Dinnen and Renae Nona will all make their Force debuts.
Academy product McGehan is in line for her Super W debut, along with New Zealand trio Hume, Te Iringa and Tapsell, plus locals Teki-Joyce and Hifo and Canada international hooker Cline.
Ngauamo, Dinnen and Nona all joined the Force from the Queensland Reds in the off-season while Ebbage arrived after time with the NSW Waratahs.
Dinnen (nee Lockhart), who is a former Super W Player of the Year, joins from the extended squad as an injury cover player for Emilya Byrne (ACL).
The game will be live on Stan Sport, while there will be regular updates @WesternForce on social media, with kick-off from 4:30pm AWST.
Game details
Western Force v Melbourne Rebels
HBF Park, 4:30pm WST
Live on Stan Sport
Force team list
Starting XV: Alapeta Ngauamo, Sara Cline, Natsuki Kashiwagi, Michaela Leonard, Rosie Ebbage, Brooklyn Teki-Joyce, Anneka Stephens, Tamika Jones, Samantha Wood, Nicole Ledington, Rosie McGehan, Trilleen Pomare (c), Sheree Hume, Haylee Hifo, Aiysha Wigley
Reserves: Hera-Barb Malcolm Heke, Hannah Palelei, Harono Te Iringa, Libya Teepa, Pia Tapsell, Lucy Dinnen, Renae Nona, Saelua Leaula
