95-Test Wallaby Beale joins ex-All Black in experienced Force midfield

95-Test Wallaby Kurtley Beale and former All Blacks winger George Bridge will combine in the centres for the Western Force on Friday, with the coach Simon Cron making five changes to the run-on side to face the Hurricanes.

Beale has been promoted to the First XV after impressing off the bench in the round four defeat to the Highlanders in Dunedin. Bridge has been a regular starter for the Force this season, following a stint in France with Montpellier.

As for the other changes to the run-on side, Henry Robertson has been selected at scrum-half, Bayley Kuenzle will line up on the left wing, Max Burey has been named at fullback, and Will Harris will pack down at blindside flanker.

In-form backrower Vaiolini Ekuasi is unavailable for this round five fixture due to a quad contusion, meaning Nick Champion de Crespigny moves from blindside to No. 8. Carlo Tizzano is the other loose forward named in the First XV.

Tm Robertson partners Wallabies hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Harry Johnson-Holmes in the front row, while captain Jeremy Williams combines with Darcy Swain as the two locks. Franco Molina and Lopeti Faifua are among those names on the bench.

Robertson will start alongside vice-captain Ben Donaldson in the halves, while former Highlanders halfback Nathan Hastie shifts to the bench. Beale and Bridge are the centres, while Darby Lancaster links up with Kuenzle and Burey in the outside backs.

This round five fixture at Napier’s McLean Park will kick off at 2:05 pm WST on Friday afternoon.

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Meetings

Wins

3

Draws

1

Wins

1

Average Points scored

32

25

First try wins

40%

Home team wins

60%

Western Force team to take on the Hurricanes

1 Tom Robertson

2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa

3 Harry Johnson-Holmes

4 Jeremy Williams (c)

5 Darcy Swain

6 Will Harris

7 Carlo Tizzano

8 Nick Champion de Crespigny (vc)

9 Henry Robertson

10 Ben Donaldson (vc)

11 Bayley Kuenzle

12 Kurtley Beale

13 George Bridge

14 Darby Lancaster

15 Max Burey

Reserves: Nic Dolly, Marley Pearce, Misinale Epenisa, Franco Molina, Lopeti Faifua, Nathan Hastie, Taj Annan, Hamish Stewart