18-year-old set for first Waratahs start in top-of-the-table Force match

18-year-old scrum-half Angus Grover will feature in the NSW Waratahs starting side for the first time this weekend, as the defending Super Rugby AUS champions look to secure a home final against the also-unbeaten Western Force.

Grover comes into the run-on side in place of Teddy Wilson, who has been rested after a strong Super Rugby Pacific campaign, and then helped Eastern Suburbs secure the Shute Shield title with a win against Warringah last month.

Front-rower Brady Dawson, and loose forwards Angus Scott-Young and Luke Reimer have also been named for their first starts of the competition. It’s an important match for the Tahs, who are looking to build on last weekend’s triumph over the Queensland Reds.

Tom Lambert joins Ethan Dobbins and Dawson up front, while Tahs captain Eamon Doyle joins Wallabies lock Miles Amatosero in the second row. Scott-Young starts at blindside flanker, with capped Wallaby Reimer at openside and Isaac Fonua at No. 8.

Grover will link up in the halves with Max Burey, who was named the 2025 Super Rugby AUS Player of the Tournament. Burey helped the Force reach the Grand Final almost 12 months ago, but is now hoping to steer the Waratahs towards more silverware.

Former Force utility George Poolman has been selected at inside centre, with Otto Serfontein lining up at outside centre. Freedom Vahaakolo and Latrell Smiler-Ah Kiong are the wingers, with Super Rugby Pacific Rookie of the Year Sid Harvey has been retained at fullback.

“(Angus) Grover is learning under some pretty good nines here and gets an opportunity to start, with Teddy (Wilson) having a little bit of a rest this week,” coach Lachlan McCaffrey said.

“It’s nice to play at Rat Park this week, with Lukey (Reimer) and Ben (Fuhiniu) from Warringah representing the Ratties out there on Sunday afternoon.

“It’s been good getting out to the country regions during this competition. There’ll be a few new guys getting an opportunity to pull on a Waratah jersey – in three weeks we’ve used 33 players.

“I came into Super Rugby AUS wanting to make sure that all the young players coming through and anyone in the programme gets an opportunity to play.”

NSW Waratahs team to take on Western Force

1. Tom Lambert
2. Ethan Dobbins
3. Brady Dawson
4. Eamon Doyle (c)
5. Miles Amatosero
6. Angus Scott-Young
7. Luke Reimer
8. Isaac Fonua
9. Angus Grover
10. Max Burey
11. Freedom Vahaakolo
12. George Poolman
13. Otto Serfontein
14. Latrell Smiler-Ah Kiong
15. Sid Harvey

 Replacements:

16. Folau Faingaa

17. Nate Tiitii

18. Edwin Langi

19. Joe Mangelsdorf

20. Marshall Le Maitre

21. Luca Cleverley

22. Ben Fuhiniu

23. Joe Dillon

24. Charlie Bird

25. Nick Chan