The Western Force is delighted today to announce the 36-player training squad for the upcoming 2024 Super Rugby Men’s U19s.
The 2024 edition is set to run in conjunction with the Super Rugby Men’s U16s from late September to early November, with the Force’s season kicking off on Sunday 29 September away to the ACT Brumbies.
The WA club will host games at Revo Fitness Stadium in Claremont against the Queensland Reds on Sunday 20 October and the NSW Waratahs on Sunday 27 October.
The squad includes six players from Southern Lions, as well as five from Wanneroo, who won last season’s RWA Colts and Juniors U18s premierships and will compete in Saturday’s Belt Up Colts Grand Final.
There are four members from Palmyra, who will be Wanneroo’s Colts Grand Final opponents on Saturday from 10:45am at Hartfield Reserve. Wests Scarborough and Joondalup Brothers also have representation with four players each, while there’s numerous Fortescue Academy members in the group.
The group has started training ahead of the season proper, with sessions running on Monday and Wednesday evenings at UWA Sports Park.
Fortescue Academy head coach and ex-All Black Jeremy Thrush will lead the U19s, supported by ex-Force back and Academy assistant coach Jonathon Lance along with Associates head coach Sape Misa.
The Force thanks partners Fortescue, UWA, Goodyear, AFGRI and Elan as well as RugbyWA for their support of the U16s and U19s programs.
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U19s training squad:
Tafito Ahki (UQ), Tevita Ali-Benet Alatini (Palmyra), Hadyn Allsop (Wanneroo), Ollie Barrett (Bond University/Force Academy), Alex Bradley-Moore (UWA), Jackson Bridges (Wests Scarborough), Felix Cooper (Wests Scarborough), William Crew (Southern Lions), Tom Crofts (Wanneroo), Kade Davis (Wanneroo), Boston Fakafanua (Force Academy), Zak Griffiths (Southern Lions), Zavier Hawira (Palmyra), Tom Hollis (UWA), Henry James (Force Academy), Billy Krsticevic (Wests Scarborough), Joakim Larsson (Associates), Sam Likio (Southern Lions), Josiah Marks (Joondalup Brothers), Ollie McGinnity (Force Academy), Luke Megson (Scotch College), Penijameni Naqau (Southern Lions/Force Academy), Ellis New (Associates), Cooper North (Palmyra), Ceejay Patelesiosio (Southern Lions), Oakley Pearce (Joondalup Brothers/Force Academy), Finn Prass (Force Academy), Rhys Richardson (Joondalup Brothers), Vaughn Robson (Nedlands), Tamarangi Tunui (Wanneroo), Billy Turnbull (Cottesloe/Force Academy), Alius Tutai (Wests Scarborough), Gideon Weleilakeba (Southern Lions), Zane Wesley (Wanneroo), Josh Whittingham (Joondalup Brothers), Aston Wood (Palmyra)
Unavailable due to injury: Luke Holt-Brown, Brodie Mainwaring, Manaia Te Tana