Beale's back: Wallabies great once more one with the Force
Beale, who has played 10 games over the past two seasons for the Force — either side of a torn Achilles — is the biggest name in the 31-man squad named for the four-week tournament, which starts in mid-September.
While the Force will be sans their Wallabies contingent for the tournament, Beale will be joined by fellow international veteran Darcy Swain, coming off the back of an impressive first season out west.
Swain formed one of the best second row duos in the league alongside skipper Jeremy Williams, and earned a brief Wallabies recall before missing out on selection for the British and Irish Lions and South Africa series.
Fresh off a similarly strong debut season, capped by an eye-catching showing against the British and Irish Lions at Optus Stadium, full-back Mac Grealy is also part of the squad.
Issak Fines-Leleiwasa will play his final games for the Force before his impending move to Fijian Drua, and homegrown talents Marley Pearce and Kane Koteka will also line up for the Force.
They will be joined by fellow Force regulars Will Harris, Vaiolini Ekuasi, Max Burey, George Poolman and Henry Robertson. Darcy Swain's presence will be a boost for the Force. Credit: Paul Kane / Getty Images
Divad Palu, who saw a potential breakout Super Rugby Pacific campaign derailed by a shoulder injury, has also been included, as has Australian youth international winger Ronan Leahy.
Bayley Kuenzle and Nic Dolly are both unavailable as they recover from post-season surgery, while Harry Hoopert, Harry Johnson-Holmes and Doug Philipson are also unavailable as they rehabilitate knee injuries.
Back-rower Papillon Sevele could make his Force debut for the first time in competitive action following knee injuries, while the squad also features 12 members of the Force's academy, including the club's Rising Star winner Albert Alcock.
Acting Force head coach James Stannard, who will lead the side while Simon Cron takes a back seat to oversee proceedings, said there was a good mix of youth and experience in the side.
'The wider group returned to training a fortnight ago, putting in a good block full of hard work as we build towards the tournament,' he said.
'We're looking forward to playing some meaningful games at this time of year to help progress the ongoing growth and development of our playing squad.
'It's also an exciting opportunity for some of our younger members and academy players to play at a higher level as they transition into Super Rugby ranks.'
Forwards
Front-rowers: Albert Alcock, Ollie Barrett, Riley Brewis, Bradley Kuhn, Marley Pearce, Max Sawers, Tiaan Tauakipulu. Locks/back-rowers: Billy Browne, Vaiolini Ekuasi, Will Harris, Kane Koteka, Titi Nofoagatotoa, Dane Sawers, Papillon Sevele, HD Stemmet, Darcy Swain, Mitch Watts
Backs
Half-backs: Luke Aiken, Max Burey, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Finn Prass, Henry Robertson. Centres/back three: Kurtley Beale, Boston Fakafanua, Mac Grealy, Justin Landman, Ronan Leahy, Ryan McGloin, Divad Palu, George Poolman, Tiam Toufan.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
7NEWS
23 minutes ago
- 7NEWS
Bernard Tomic's US Open dreams crushed as Alex de Minaur drawn to face fellow Aussie Chris O'Connell
Bernard Tomic's US Open main draw tilt has been derailed on a day of mixed fortunes for Australia's bulging qualifying contingent at Flushing Meadows. The former world No.17, chasing his first main draw appearance in New York in nine years, was beaten 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 by the in-form Henrique Roca in the second round on Friday (AEST). Tomic, who in the last two years has risen about 300 ranking places to No.167 in the world, had arrived in good form and eased through his first-round assignment on Wednesday. A full house on court 11 were left disappointed though when the mercurial 32-year-old fell away sharply after losing a tight first set to the 21-year-old, world No.166 from Portugal. Still, if Tomic's Challenger Tour form holds up, he will earn an automatic qualifying berth for next year's Australian Open, or potentially gain direct entry if he can sneak back inside the world's top-100 for the first time in eight years. Tomic wasn't alone in his struggles with Astra Sharma, James McCabe, Olivia Gadecki, Lizette Cabrera and Maddison Inglis all falling at the second hurdle. But the big-hitting Destanee Aiava, Priscilla Hon and Jason Kubler are all through to the final round, while McCabe was pipped by countryman James Duckworth in a tense 7-5 5-7 7-6 (10-5) battle. And former world junior No.1 Emerson Jones made it five Australians into the third round when she dispatched Brazil's Laura Pigossi 6-4 6-4 in 90 minutes. Jones, still just 17, reached the same stage of Wimbledon qualifying and is bidding for her first major main-draw appearance outside of Australia. She'll play Andorra's world No.132 Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva for that chance. US Open draw Alex de Minaur doesn't enjoy facing fellow Australians in tournaments but the nation's big US Open hope will have to down fellow Sydneysider Chris O'Connell as he launches his latest quest for glory at Flushing Meadows. Yet while Thursday's brutal draw in New York did no favours for the 13-strong Australian contingent in the tournament that starts on Sunday, Ajla Tomljanovic will surely savour the prospect of another big night date on Arthur Ashe Stadium against home superstar and former champ Coco Gauff. De Minaur admits playing Australian friends is never fun, and out of 88 grand slam matches, he's only had to do so twice - both last year when he beat Jordan Thompson at the US Open a couple of months after defeating James Duckworth at Wimbledon. Both matches proved hard going and even though 'Demon' will again start overwhelming favourite against O'Connell, who had to withdraw from their recent Canadian Open clash with an abdominal injury, the No.8 seed will have full respect for the world No.79 who'd just beaten Stefanos Tsitsipas in Toronto. De Minaur's prospective route is full of pitfalls. He could meet Frenchman Hugo Gaston, who defeated him in the 2022 French Open and leads 2-0 in their head-to-head, in round two. Then it could be Tsitsipas, who holds an incredible 11-1 career advantage over him, in the third round, before a last-16 date with in-form ninth seed Karen Khachanov. If he fulfils his seeding, a quarter-final with Alexander Zverev could await and a potential semi-final with his nemesis, champion Jannik Sinner. Sinner, who opens up against Czech Vit Kopriva, could also be a horror second-round opponent for Australian No.2 Alexei Popyrin, who faces tough Finn Emil Ruusuvuori in round one. Alternatively, Popyrin may feel playing Sinner early is his best chance following the Italian's illness withdrawal during Monday's Cincinnati final against Carlos Alcaraz. Other Aussie men on a hiding to nothing are Adam Walton, who's drawn flamboyant French left-hander, No.22 seed Ugo Humbert, and Rinky Hijikata, up against No.32 seed, Italian Luciano Darderi. On the other side of the draw, Alcaraz has a daunting outing against giant American Reilly Opelka while Novak Djokovic, still dreaming of that elusive record 25th slam, tackles Learner Tien, the teenage US left-hander who knocked out Daniil Medvedev in Melbourne. Tomljanovic looks sure to be playing on the main arena again against 2023 champion and French Open winner Gauff, the No.3 seed, just three years since the Aussie enjoyed her signature career triumph over Serena Williams, consigning the great American to defeat on Ashe in her last ever match. Kim Birrell faces another US contender, Wimbledon finalist Amanda Anisimova, with the winner set to face Maya Joint should the rising Australian teenage star get past a yet-to-be-decided qualifier. Daria Kasatkina, the No.15 seed representing Australia for the first time in her 11th straight US Open, should prevail against Romania's Elena-Gabriela Ruse, but Caroline Garcia, in the second round, and Naomi Osaka, in the third, potentially lie in wait. Defending champ and No.1 seed Aryna Sabalenka will begin against Swiss Rebeka Masarova, while Wimbledon champ, No.2 seed Iga Swiatek, fresh from winning in Cincinnati, starts against Colombia's Emiliana Arango. Venus Williams is back at the age of 45 but faces an uphill task against No.11 seed Karolina Muchova, who's reached the semis the past two years. WHO THE AUSTRALIANS WILL FACE WOMEN 15 Daria Kasatkina v Elena-Gabriela Ruse (ROM) Kim Birrell v 8 Amanda Anisimova (USA) Ajla Tomljanovic v 3 Coco Gauff (USA) Maya Joint v Qualifier Talia Gibson v 28 Magdalena Frech (POL) MEN 8 Alex de Minaur v Chris O'Connell Alexei Popyrin v Emil Ruusuvuori (FIN) Jordan Thompson v Corentin Moutet (FRA) Rinky Hijikata v 32 Luciano Darderi (ITA) Aleksandar Vukic v Jenson Brooksby (USA) Adam Walton v 22 Ugo Humbert (FRA) Tristan Schoolkate v Lorenzo Sonego (ITA)
Perth Now
23 minutes ago
- Perth Now
Bulldogs boot spies from training
The tension is clear ahead of the Western Bulldogs must-win Sunday showdown with Fremantle after two Dockers officials were spotted in the stands and asked to leave training at the Whitten Oval on Friday. Former Richmond and Sydney ruckman Sam Naismith, who now works for the Dockers, was sitting in the grandstand with members of the public before being approached by Bulldogs assistant coach Daniel Pratt. The pair spoke briefly before 206cm Naismith and his colleague left. It happened after the Bulldogs had begun training and following coach Luke Beveridge's press conference during which he spoke about the gravity of Sunday's game. A loss could knock the Bulldogs out of the top eight, as it could for the Dockers, should the Gold Coast Suns beat Port Adelaide on Friday night and Essendon next Wednesday in a rescheduled opening round game. 'There's always pressure regardless of the sheep stations we play for,' Beveridge said. 'What I know is there will be one team, one club, one supporter base that's going to be bitterly disappointed on Sunday afternoon, and we plan for it not to be us. 'It's a great opportunity to open a Pandora's box and play a finals series. We put pressure on ourselves to do that and avoid the disappointment. 'I'm not interested in the tit-for-tat. The equation is simple … you win or you're out.' The Bulldogs won a final round encounter with GWS last year to make the finals, putting them in familiar territory. 'They met the challenge head-on, and I've got no doubt they will again on Sunday,' Beveridge said of his players. 'Nothing is going to come easy, both teams will have to fight through the pressure of the game. 'We believe we can win in different ways, but we need to make adjustments and evolve with what Fremantle are throwing at us. 'We've picked a healthy strong team who are ready to go, with a pretty good formline.' The Bulldogs have won four in a row to be in the position to play finals. Beveridge opted against picking All-Australian midfielder Adam Treloar, who had 40 possessions in the VFL last weekend on his return from a calf injury. Treloar has only played four AFL games in 2025 and hurt himself early in round 16, which swayed the coach's thinking. The Bulldogs VFL side is also in the finals, giving him a playing option. 'He wants to play AFL footy straight away and we understand that when he's fully fit he's in our first handful picked,' Beveridge said. 'We're a bit gun shy with him coming out of the game at AFL level early in the last one he played and it being such a long time between then and now. It's just an opportunity to train on, get some further evidence he'll be able to get through the cut and thrust of games. 'It's not hoping, its planning with absolute stealth, and if both teams march on … he'll get an opportunity to play in a VFL final. 'We've got a group of players who are match-hardened and been playing together for a while.'
Sydney Morning Herald
an hour ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Aussie strategy won't win the 2027 World Cup: Boks coach sledges Wallabies
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has rejected a sledge from Springboks rival Rassie Eramus that Australia are using a dated, defensive brand of rugby that won't be enough to win the 2027 Rugby World Cup on home soil. Erasmus was fulsome in his praise of Schmidt - his former boss in the Ireland system - last week ahead of the first Test in Johannesbug but the Wallabies pulling off an historic upset at Ellis Park has seen the temperature change ahead of the second Test in Cape Town on Sunday morning (AEST). The Wallabies won for the first time at Ellis Park in 1963, and that was also the last time Australia won back-to-back in South Africa in consecutive weeks - albeit in reverse, with the Cape Town win first-up. Humbled by the loss to the point that Erasmus admitted his Mum had texted him to ask if he was ok, the Boks coach made 10 changes to his side and said the team would return to some of its more traditional identity, with a power-game and plenty of kicking. But Erasmus also said the Boks wouldn't stop attempting to play expansively with the ball, which prompted criticism in South Africa given the Wallabies pounced on several turnovers to score tries, notably the intercept tries from Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Tom Wright. But in a sly dig at Schmidt and the Wallabies' gameplan, Erasmus told South African media he believed a reactive and defensive game would not be enough to succeed at the next World Cup. 'I feel Australia are playing pretty much like we did in 2019, defend, defend, and if you make an error, they will pounce on that,' Erasmus said on Tuesday. 'We don't believe that's the way to win the next World Cup. We will never throw everything out; we've worked too hard over the last two or three years to get things in place. On Saturday, we just got overexcited, we felt that this is working and that we must put the foot on the accelerator, and we ran ourselves off our feet.
