The Western Force team list for Saturday’s game against Perth Gold has today been announced with several new faces included while Harry Potter will make his return from long-term injury.
The game is the Force’s final tune-up prior to flying out for South Africa next Wednesday for the three-game spring series tour with games against the Toyota Cheetahs, Emerging Ireland and DHL WP XV. The opening two games in South Africa, which are part of the Toyota Challenge, will be streamed by Stan Sport in conjunction with SuperSport.
New Force forwards Nic Dolly, Josh Thompson and Nick Champion de Crespigny will start in Saturday’s game against Perth Gold – the WA Fortescue Premier Grade select side - from 2:30pm WST at UWA Sports Park with entry free to all patrons.
Potter is named to start for the first time since sustaining a syndesmosis injury playing Super Rugby in late March. The ex-Leicester Tigers utility is named at outside-centre.
Divad Palu, recruited from the Melbourne Rebels in the off-season, is among the reserves while new signing Darcy Swain will sit the game out despite being selected for the South Africa spring series tour squad after arriving in Perth a fortnight ago.
The Force named a 30-player squad for the spring series tour on Wednesday, with several new names among that list in line to play on Saturday.
Sio Tomkinson and Mac Grealy will start among the backs, along with Associates flyer Justin Landman fresh from winning the WA Fortescue Premier Grade premiership.
Fellow new names Sila Titiuti, Coby Miln and Isaac Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens are all among the reserves, with the Force set to utilize all 27 players across the two 40-minute halves.
The Perth Gold men's team list is available here.
Saturday’s game will be preceded by a Force-Perth Gold women’s scrimmage session from 12:30pm. Unfortunately, due to a combination of injuries along with Wallaroos and Australia A selections, the slated women’s game has been replaced with the scrimmage session.
The Force’s U16s and U19s teams will also feature on Saturday from 10:30am against Southern Lions and Joondalup sides respectively ahead of the upcoming Super Rugby Men’s U16 and U19 Championships which start on Sunday 29 September.
More gameday info for Saturday is available here.
Force team list
Starters; Marley Pearce, Nic Dolly, Tiaan Tauakipulu, Josh Thompson, Lopeti Faifua, Will Harris, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Reed Prinsep (c), Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Max Burey, Justin Landman, Sio Tomkinson, Harry Potter, George Poolman, Mac Grealy
Reserves; Harry Hoopert, Albert Alcock, Sila Titiuti, Mitch Watts, Dane Sawers, Titi Nofoagatotoa, Henry Robertson (vc), Doug Philipson, Coby Miln, Divad Palu, Ronan Leahy, Isaac Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens
Western Force men v Perth Gold men
Kick-off 2:30pm
UWA Sports Park, Mt Claremont
Free entry - no streaming available
Monitor @WesternForce on Twitter for updates
2025 Force Memberships are due to go on sale in October at westernforce.rugby.
