The Western Force is set to kick off their Super Rugby Pacific season with a fresh lineup featuring nine debutants in their 23-player squad for the match against Moana Pasifika at HBF Park this Saturday. Among the new faces are off-season recruits Nic Dolly, Darcy Swain, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Vaiolini Ekuasi, Sio Tomkinson, Divad Palu, and Mac Grealy, all of whom will start the game. The match begins at 4:35 pm, and tickets are available through Ticketmaster.
Dylan Pietsch, a Wallabies winger, will make his club debut from the bench after recovering from a hand injury sustained during pre-season. A significant highlight is the inclusion of five-cap All Blacks prop Atu Moli, who returns to the field for his long-awaited Force debut following a challenging recovery from hip surgery last year.
This game marks the Super Rugby Pacific debuts for Dolly, Champion de Crespigny, and Palu. Dolly, who previously played in England, will join Joondalup Brothers product Marley Pearce and Tom Robertson in the front row. Robertson is making his return to Super Rugby after an ACL injury in mid-2023. Captain Jeremy Williams will team up with 17-cap Wallaby Darcy Swain in the locks, while homegrown WA Wallaby Carlo Tizzano will join Champion de Crespigny and Ekuasi in the back row.
The backline will see scrum-half Nic White and fly-half Ben Donaldson orchestrating plays, with Wallaby Harry Potter and Australia U20s representative Palu on the wings, and Grealy completing the back three at full-back. In the midfield, Wallabies centre Hamish Stewart and Tomkinson will start.
Unfortunately, the Force will be without front-rowers Harry Hoopert and Harry Johnson-Holmes for the season due to ACL injuries sustained in pre-season. Hoopert recently underwent surgery for his right knee, while Johnson-Holmes suffered an ACL tear during a warm-up before a trial game against the ACT Brumbies. The club extends its best wishes for their speedy recoveries.
Starting XV: Marley Pearce, Nic Dolly, Tom Robertson, Jeremy Williams (c), Darcy Swain, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Carlo Tizzano, Vaiolini Ekuasi; Nic White, Ben Donaldson, Harry Potter, Hamish Stewart, Sio Tomkinson, Divad Palu, Mac Grealy.
Reserves: Tom Horton, Atu Moli, Tiaan Tauakipulu, Reed Prinsep, Will Harris, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Max Burey, Dylan Pietsch.
Game details: Western Force vs Moana Pasifika, Super Rugby Pacific Round 1, HBF Park, Saturday, February 15, 4:35 pm WST.
Unavailable list: Harry Johnson-Holmes (knee), Bayley Kuenzle (knee), Harry Hoopert (knee), Kane Koteka (ribs), Matt Proctor (shoulder), Henry Robertson (ribs), Papillon Sevele (knee).
Read more: https://westernforce.rugby/news/nine-club-debutants-confirmed-round-1-moana-pasifika-2025212
