Kane Koteka will make his long-awaited return and Coby Miln is set to debut for the Western Force who have made several changes for Saturday’s SMARTECH Super Rugby Pacific clash away to the Crusaders.
Homegrown Wests-Scarborough forward Koteka will start at openside flanker, marking his first Super Rugby Pacific appearance in 1,050 days, dating back to Round 11 2022.
Koteka, 31, is a former Nathan Sharpe medal winner who has played 39 times for the Force, coming through the Club’s Academy and debuting in 2015.
Fly-half Miln is in contention to make his Super Rugby Pacific debut as a finisher, having impressed in the Force’s three-game South Africa spring tour in October, after he was the leading point scorer in the 2024 NSW Shute Shield season for Warringah Rats. The 26-year-old has joined the Force on an injury cover contract.
Wallabies front-rower Tom Robertson has been selected to bring up his 100th Super Rugby appearance in a major milestone. Issak Fines-Leleiwasa will also start at scrum-half, bringing up his 50th Western Force cap.
The Force have made numerous changes from the side that went down 34-10 to the NSW Waratahs in Round 4, with Dylan Pietsch (knee) and Nick Champion de Crespigny (head injury protocols) unavailable. Pietsch sustained an MCL sprain against the Waratahs, which is expected to only be a short-term lay-off.
Wallabies Nic White, Ben Donaldson, Hamish Stewart and Carlo Tizzano have all been managed for the Round 5 game.
Force head coach Simon Cron said: “If we’re serious about being successful this season, it’s important we use the depth of our squad. This is an exciting opportunity for a number of our key players to step forward.”
Among the inclusions, Koteka is joined in the starting back row by Reed Prinsep. Fines-Leleiwasa will partner with Max Burey who has been elevated to starting fly-half, with winger George Poolman and Perth-Bayswater’s Reesjan Pasitoa coming into the starting backline.
Among the finishers, newly re-signed Nic Dolly, Sam Carter and Atu Moli return, while Divad Palu is back after a shoulder injury.
Last year’s Force Rising Star Henry Robertson is into the matchday 23 for the first time this season following a pre-season rib injury and first five-eighth Miln is in line for his debut as a reserve.
Kick-off for Saturday’s game is 11:35am WST/4:35pm NZ time, with the game live on Stan Sport.
Western Force team list
Starting XV; Marley Pearce, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Tom Robertson, Jeremy Williams (c), Darcy Swain, Will Harris, Kane Koteka, Reed Prinsep; Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Max Burey, George Poolman, Reesjan Pasitoa, Sio Tomkinson, Harry Potter, Mac Grealy
Reserves; Nic Dolly, Ryan Coxon, Atu Moli, Sam Carter, Josh Thompson, Henry Robertson, Coby Miln, Divad Palu
Game details
Crusaders vs Western Force Saturday 15 March, 11:35am WST / 4:35pm NZ time Apollo Projects Stadium SMARTECH Super Rugby Pacific Round 5 Live on Stan Sport
Unavailable list
Nick Champion de Crespigny (head injury protocols)
Harry Johnson-Holmes (knee)
Bayley Kuenzle (knee)
Harry Hoopert (knee)
Dylan Pietsch (knee)
Matt Proctor (shoulder)
Papillon Sevele (knee)
