Local Perth rugby union clubs set to host Force game
Western Force will be playing its two Super Rugby AUS home games at the club's Tompkins Park venue.
Super Rugby AUS is a domestic competition pitting the Force against Australia's three other Super Rugby sides in a bid to give non-Wallabies players more meaningful playing time.
The Force will take on the ACT Brumbies on Sunday, September 21, from 2pm and the Queensland Reds on Sunday, September 28, from 2.30pm.
Both games will be preceded by under-age games in the Super Rugby Men's U19s and U16s competitions. PERTH, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 28: Nic White of the Force passes the ball during the tour match between Western Force and British & Irish Lions at Optus Stadium on June 28, 2025 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Janelle) Credit: Janelle St Pierre / Getty Images
There will be free entry for both games.
The September 21 date at Palmyra will a double-header, with the Force to also take on the Brumbies in the Super Rugby Men's U19s from noon.
The September 28 gameday will be a triple-header, with the Force facing Rugby Victoria in the Super Rugby Men's U16s from 10.30am and the Force taking on the Reds in the Super Rugby Men's U19s from 12.30pm.
Palmyra RUFC was founded in 1934 and competes in the Fortescue RugbyWA Premier Grade men's and women's competitions along with juniors.
They were Premier Grade men's champions in 2023 and are in the mix again this season, just one win behind ladder leaders Nedlands and Cottesloe.
Palmyra RUFC president Peter Matthiesen said the matches were a fantastic opportunity to showcase emerging local talent to the passionate rugby community.
'The matches also highlight Palmyra Rugby Union Club's home grounds and the facilities that support our day-to-day operations in allowing us to continue building pathways that provide representative opportunities such as showcased in these matches,' he said.
Southern Lions RUFC will also host the Force's final Super Rugby Men's U16s home game against the Queensland Reds as a stand-alone fixture on Sunday, October 19, from 1pm.
Southern Lions, previously known as Fremantle-Leeming RUFC, were founded in 1987 and also compete in the Fortescue RugbyWA Premier Grade men's and women's competitions along with juniors.
The club re-located to its state-of-the-art Success facilities in 2010. PERTH, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 28: Tom Robertson of the Force gets tackled by Finn Russell of the Lions during the tour match between the Western Force and British & Irish Lions at Optus Stadium on June 28, 2025 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by) Credit: Paul Kane / Getty Images
Southern Lions RUFC club president Ronan O'Shea said they were delighted to host the Western Force U16s against the Queensland Reds.
'The match promises to be an exciting one and we look forward to the WA players showing what they are made of,' he said.
'It is a great chance to show the Cockburn community what we can do. We'll work with the City of Cockburn and the other stakeholders to put on the best day possible.'
Western Force CEO Niamh O'Connor said the club was rapt to connect with club rugby and its grass roots community through playing at Palmyra RUFC and Southern Lions RUFC.
She thanked the clubs and the cities of Cockburn and Melville for their support.
'We're really grateful for Southern Lions' support and hospitality for our U16s fixture and know both clubs will put on a great show with their home games, which we anticipate will attract a lot of the local rugby community,' Ms O'Connor said.
'The Super Rugby AUS competition is an important part of the Australian Rugby pathway to support the ongoing growth and development of players, coaches and staff.
'The competition also provides more opportunities for WA rugby fans to watch the Force and Super Rugby, so we're really happy to bring this action to a strong local rugby club like Palmyra.'
All Super Rugby AUS games will be live-streamed on Stan Sport.
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The Wallabies will ponder eve-of-Test changes to their line-up after a late injury blow forced coach Joe Schmidt into a hasty rethink before their Rugby Championship opener in South Africa. Schmidt is having to consider a rejig to his 23 after playmaker Ben Donaldson, who had been primed to share flyhalf duties with James O'Connor, suffered a leg injury in the penultimate training play of the day in Johannesburg on Thursday. Schmidt has, for the moment, opted against bringing in a third playmaker, Tane Edmed, into his named team to replace Donaldson, preferring instead to name a sixth forward, Nick Champion de Crespigny, on the bench. But the New Zealander later admitted that the one-cap Edmed could still feature in his plans for Saturday's (Sunday AEST) daunting clash at Ellis Park after he has a last look at his options during Friday's final training run. The team he named on Thursday currently features no specialist cover for O'Connor, the 35-year-old veteran who's been thrown into his first Test in three years in the face of a flyhalf crisis following Tom Lynagh's concussion and first-choice Noah Lolesio's absence with a neck injury. Schmidt, who admitted he had originally been planning to use Donaldson as a halftime replacement for O'Connor on Saturday, added: "We're still trying to probably work out what we do to best get that coverage (for O'Connor). "(Scrumhalf) Nic White can maybe cover No.10 and is astute enough to do so, (outside back) Andrew Kellaway has the skill set to cover 10, but it does leave us a little bit light. We know that Tate McDermott covers the wing well. "Tane's in consideration, for sure, he's one of the options" Schmidt added of the 24-year-old. "Our intention was probably to potentially give Tane a run next week (for the second match against the Springboks in Cape Town) after having spent the week with us. "Tane has only had two trainings with us. It's a big ask, but we've got confidence in him." Edmed will be itching to play after his debut for the Wallabies last November against Ireland lasted only three minutes in Dublin when he came on as a 74th-minute sub and got kayoed while making a tackle. "Nick Champion de Crespigny, Carlo Tizzano, and Hunter Paisani played No.10 in the under-20s and then shifted to 12, plus that gives us really good midfield cover. So there's a few options we're just going to try to get our best coverage and best confidence from," added Schmidt. Donaldson's injury, after his fine 50-minute effort which helped the Wallabies seal a confidence-boosting third-Test win over the British & Irish Lions a fortnight ago, is a real blow. "In the second to last play of the training, 'Donno' kicked the ball and pulled up short so we don't know yet what the extent of the injury is," reported Schmidt. 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O'Connor at No.10 as Wallabies suffer more injury woe
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Schmidt keeps faith with winning Wallabies, but with one major gamble
O'Connor replaces the concussed Lynagh and starts at No.10 in his first Test for the Wallabies since 2022 in San Juan. White was the starting halfback that day, too, but it ended up a heavy loss to the Michael Cheika-coached Pumas. Having debuted in 2008, O'Connor will now claim the record for the longest Wallabies career at 16 years and 281 days, passing Greg Holmes. He is one of six Wallabies to have played Tests in three different decades. The 35-year-old had a career renaissance at the Crusaders this year, where he carved a niche as an expert finisher in the Kiwi side's run to a Super Rugby Pacific title. O'Connor only started one game for the Crusaders, however, and it was a loss. On the bench, the Wallabies have made just one change, with de Crespigny added to a 6-2 bench. Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said in a statement: 'The group has had a good week of preparation, adjusting pretty well to the time zone and the altitude well here in Johannesburg. 'There's not many bigger Tests than playing South Africa on their home turf and we know we're going to need to be at our best on Saturday night.' Schmidt will address media later on Thursday evening (AEST). MORE TO COME
