The Western Force’s Super Rugby Pacific season-opening clash with the Hurricanes on Friday 23 February at HBF Park just got bigger with confirmation the club’s Super W side will also face Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix as part of a double-header.
Last week a partnership between the Force and Phoenix was announced including the provision of two pre-season trial games in Perth.
The dates for the two games have now been confirmed, with the Force to take on the Phoenix from 4:30pm WST at HBF Park prior to the men’s Round 1 clash with the Hurricanes from 7pm WST.
The Force women will also face the Phoenix on Tuesday 27 February in Perth, with the venue to be confirmed.
Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix are a Japanese rugby club founded in 2002, with the women's rugby team founded in 2013. The women’s team were Japanese champions in the 2022 season for both the 7-per-side and 15-per-side tournament.
The two international matches represent a key part of the Force’s preparation for the 2024 Super W season which commences on Friday 15 March from 4:30pm AWST against the Melbourne Rebels at HBF Park.
That March 15 game will be another double-header, with the Force men taking on Moana Pasifika from 7pm WST.
Force Head of Female High Performance Claudia Bell said: “It’s brilliant to play international opposition in pre-season, offering a fantastic opportunity for our playing group to grow and expand their rugby and also prepare for the new season after their first pre-season under our new full-time head coach Dylan Parsons.
“We’re also excited about the opportunity of playing alongside our men’s side in pre-season, ahead of two more double-headers at HBF Park during our regular season which will be a great feature of the 2024 campaign for both players and fans.
“Our 2024 season preparations are in full swing with the wider group in training already and we’ll look to add another pre-season game into our schedule prior to our opener on March 15.”
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SUPER RUGBY WOMEN'S INTERNATIONAL TRIAL GAMES
Force v Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix – Friday 23 February, HBF Park, 4.30pm WST (double-header)
Force v Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix – Tuesday 27 February - Perth, TBC
