Western Force V Chiefs 25/04/2025
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Force line-up set for Chiefs Anzac Day clash
Wed, Apr 23, 2025, 11:58 AM
by Ben Somerford
The Western Force have made three changes to the sides starting line-up while 20-year-old scrum-half Doug Philipson is set to debut off the bench in Fridays Anzac Weekend Round clash away to the Chiefs.
Scrum-half Henry Robertson will make his maiden SMARTECH Super Rugby Pacific start, coming into the XV for Nic White who is out due to head injury protocols.
Reigning Force Rising Star winner Robertson has previously played 10 Super Rugby games but this will mark his starting debut.
Front-rower Ryan Coxon returns from a ribs injury to make the starting XV. Back-rower Will Harris also comes into the starting side, with Marley Pearce and Vaiolini Ekuasi both unavailable after sustaining shoulder injuries in last rounds 17-17 draw with the Hurricanes.
Sixteen-cap Wallabies lock Sam Carter returns as a finisher, while former Australia U20s representative and UWA scrum-half Philipson is in line for his Super Rugby debut off the bench.
Brandon Paenga-Amosa, who was withdrawn in the warm-up against the Hurricanes, is unavailable due to an ankle injury.
Coxon starts on the front row at loosehead prop alongside hooker Nic Dolly and Wallabies tighthead prop Tom Robertson.
Captain Jeremy Williams and Darcy Swain make up the locks, with Harris, Carlo Tizzano and Nick Champion de Crespigny in the back row, with the latter reverting to number 8 from blindside flanker.
Robertson starts alongside fly-half Ben Donaldson, with Hamish Stewart and Sio Tomkinson in the midfield.
Bayley Kuenzle who scored a try in his successful return from a long-term knee injury against the Hurricanes and Harry Potter will start again on the wings, with full-back Mac Grealy rounding out the back three.
Fridays Anzac Weekend Round game kicks off at 3:05pm WST at Bay Oval in Mt Maunganui. The game is sold out. Watch live on Stan Sport.
Western Force team list
Starting XV; Ryan Coxon, Nic Dolly, Tom Robertson, Jeremy Williams (c), Darcy Swain, Will Harris, Carlo Tizzano, Champion de Crespigny; Henry Robertson, Ben Donaldson, Bayley Kuenzle, Hamish Stewart, Sio Tomkinson, Harry Potter, Mac Grealy
Reserves; Tom Horton, Atu Moli, Josh Smith, Sam Carter, Reed Prinsep (vc), Doug Philipson, Max Burey, George Poolman
Game details
Chiefs vs Western Force
Friday 25 April, 3:05pm WST
Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
Live on Stan Sport
Unavailable list
Vaiolini Ekuasi (shoulder)
Harry Johnson-Holmes (knee)
Harry Hoopert (knee)
Brandon Paenga-Amosa (ankle)
Divad Palu (shoulder)
Marley Pearce (shoulder)
Dylan Pietsch (quad)
Matt Proctor (shoulder)
Nic White (head injury protocols)
https://westernforce.rugby/news/forc...-clash-2025423
Wed, Apr 23, 2025, 11:58 AM
by Ben Somerford
The Western Force have made three changes to the sides starting line-up while 20-year-old scrum-half Doug Philipson is set to debut off the bench in Fridays Anzac Weekend Round clash away to the Chiefs.
Scrum-half Henry Robertson will make his maiden SMARTECH Super Rugby Pacific start, coming into the XV for Nic White who is out due to head injury protocols.
Reigning Force Rising Star winner Robertson has previously played 10 Super Rugby games but this will mark his starting debut.
Front-rower Ryan Coxon returns from a ribs injury to make the starting XV. Back-rower Will Harris also comes into the starting side, with Marley Pearce and Vaiolini Ekuasi both unavailable after sustaining shoulder injuries in last rounds 17-17 draw with the Hurricanes.
Sixteen-cap Wallabies lock Sam Carter returns as a finisher, while former Australia U20s representative and UWA scrum-half Philipson is in line for his Super Rugby debut off the bench.
Brandon Paenga-Amosa, who was withdrawn in the warm-up against the Hurricanes, is unavailable due to an ankle injury.
Coxon starts on the front row at loosehead prop alongside hooker Nic Dolly and Wallabies tighthead prop Tom Robertson.
Captain Jeremy Williams and Darcy Swain make up the locks, with Harris, Carlo Tizzano and Nick Champion de Crespigny in the back row, with the latter reverting to number 8 from blindside flanker.
Robertson starts alongside fly-half Ben Donaldson, with Hamish Stewart and Sio Tomkinson in the midfield.
Bayley Kuenzle who scored a try in his successful return from a long-term knee injury against the Hurricanes and Harry Potter will start again on the wings, with full-back Mac Grealy rounding out the back three.
Fridays Anzac Weekend Round game kicks off at 3:05pm WST at Bay Oval in Mt Maunganui. The game is sold out. Watch live on Stan Sport.
Western Force team list
Starting XV; Ryan Coxon, Nic Dolly, Tom Robertson, Jeremy Williams (c), Darcy Swain, Will Harris, Carlo Tizzano, Champion de Crespigny; Henry Robertson, Ben Donaldson, Bayley Kuenzle, Hamish Stewart, Sio Tomkinson, Harry Potter, Mac Grealy
Reserves; Tom Horton, Atu Moli, Josh Smith, Sam Carter, Reed Prinsep (vc), Doug Philipson, Max Burey, George Poolman
Game details
Chiefs vs Western Force
Friday 25 April, 3:05pm WST
Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
Live on Stan Sport
Unavailable list
Vaiolini Ekuasi (shoulder)
Harry Johnson-Holmes (knee)
Harry Hoopert (knee)
Brandon Paenga-Amosa (ankle)
Divad Palu (shoulder)
Marley Pearce (shoulder)
Dylan Pietsch (quad)
Matt Proctor (shoulder)
Nic White (head injury protocols)
https://westernforce.rugby/news/forc...-clash-2025423