38 - 43

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7 - 66

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Friday

11:45

Friday

12:10

Super Rugby Pacific

Brandon Paenga-Amosa returns to Force’s starting side for Highlanders

Finn Morton

Published: 1 April 2025 20:46 PDT
Updated: 1 April 2025 20:47 PDT

Brandon Paenga-Amosa of the Force charges forward during the round five Super Rugby Pacific match between Crusaders and Westeren Force at Apollo Projects Stadium, on March 15, 2025, in Christchurch, New Zealand. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

Wallabies hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Vaiolini Ekuasi headline the Western Force’s otherwise settled side to take on the Highlanders at Perth’s HBF Park this weekend.

Paenga-Amosa has been named ahead of one-Test England international Nic Dolly in the First XV for the third time this season, which included a start against the Crusaders in round five.

Ekuasi is the only other personnel change in the Force’s run-on side, with the Auckland NPC enforcer joining Nick Champion de Crespigny and Carlo Tizzano in the backrow.

Marley Pearce and Wallaby Tom Robertson are the two starting props, while captain Jeremy Williams will pack down with Darcy Swain as the second-rowers.

Champion de Crespigny shifts to blindside flanker to accommodate Ekuasi’s return at No. 8 alongside openside flanker – who has, incredibly, scored 10 tries already this season.

Coach Simon Cron has named an unchanged backline after last weekend’s loss to the Reds, with Nic White and Ben Donaldson set to combine once again in the halves.

Hamish Stewart joins milestone man Sio Tomkinson in the midfield, with this being Tomkinson’s 50^th Super Rugby appearance which included an earlier stint with the Highlanders.

The outside backs trio is as expected, with Dylan Pietsch and Harry Potter set to show off their rugby match on the wings while Mac Grealy lines up at fullback.

This match is scheduled to get underway at 4:35 pm WEST.

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Meetings

Wins

Draws

Wins

Average Points scored

First try wins

100%

Home team wins

100%

Western Force team to take on Highlanders

Starting XV: Marley Pearce, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Tom Robertson, Jeremy Williams (c), Darcy Swain, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Carlo Tizzano, Vaiolini Ekuasi; Nic White (vc), Ben Donaldson, Dylan Pietsch, Hamish Stewart, Sio Tomkinson, Harry Potter, Mac Grealy

Reserves: Nic Dolly, Atu Moli, Josh Smith, Reed Prinsep (vc), Will Harris, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Max Burey, George Poolman

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