Western Force’s wing depth will be tested early doors with penciled-in starters Dylan Pietsch and Darby Lancaster ruled out of Saturday’s Super Rugby Pacific opener against the Brumbies.
But the hosts will otherwise be at full strength as they look to begin the season with a bang, with seven Force debutants named for their home clash against the Canberra outfit.
Wallaby Pietsch (foot) and off-season recruit Lancaster (thigh) have both been ruled out for the short-term, with the reliable Bayley Kuenzle and young upstart Divad Palu set to play 11 and 14 respectively.
Former All Black George Bridge is one of four starters who will make their competitive Force debut, joining Argentinian lock Franco Molina, Perth born-and-raised scrum-half Nathan Hastie and prop Harry Johnson-Holmes, who missed last season with a torn ACL.
They will be joined by fellow debutant Argentinian hooker Leonel Oviedo, ex-Queensland prop Sef Fa’agase and recently-signed Misinale Epenisa, who were all named on the bench.
Reigning Nathan Sharpe Medallist Tom Robertson will swap back to his preferred loosehead prop position to accommodate Johnson-Holmes, while hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa starts after his partner gave birth to a boy mid-week.
Molina has impressed in pre-season and will join captain Jeremy Williams in the second row, with Darcy Swain overcoming a pre-season injury to take his place on the bench, while Carlo Tizzano, Nick Champion de Crespigny and Vaiolini Ekuasi form an intimidating loose forward trio.
Hastie will join Ben Donaldson in the halves, Bridge will partner the reliable Hamish Stewart in the centres, while Mac Grealy will look to continue his strong form at full-back from last season.
The Brumbies have undergone a raft of changes in the off-season, with Wallabies Len Ikitau, Tom Hooper and Noah Lolesio all moving overseas and captain Allan Alaalatoa and full-back Tom Wright both to miss the start of the season through injury.
Western Force XV vs Brumbies
Tom Robertson, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Harry Johnson-Holmes
Franco Molina, Jeremy Williams (c)
Vaiolini Ekuasi, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Carlo Tizzano
Nathan Hastie, Ben Donaldson
Hamish Stewart, George Bridge
Bayley Kuenzle, Mac Grealy, Divad Palu
Substitutes: Leonel Oviedo, Sef Fa’agase, Misinale Epenisa, Darcy Swain, Will Harris, Henry Robertson, Max Burey, Kurtley Beale
