The Western Force has today revealed the squad to compete in the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens at Suncorp Stadium on 11 and 12 February.
Headlining is Wallaby duo Tatafu Polota-Nau and Luke Morahan, while Brisbane fans will get a first look at NRL sensation Curtis Rona in the blue jersey and no Force squad is complete without club legend Matt Hodgson.
Western Force Head Coach Dave ‘Blood’ Wessels says there is great excitement among the team about competing at the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens and has announced that current skills coach Kevin Foote will coach the side at the tournament.
“It’s very exciting, a new format of the game, we’ve seen how successful it’s been for a sport like cricket trying different forms, so we’re thrilled to be involved with it.
“Kevin Foote will be the coach at the tournament, with the rest of the coaching staff supporting him. He’s had some experience in the tens format of the game and we feel he is the appropriate coach to lead the team and the rest of the staff will all be suppoprting him.”
Western Force Tens Coach Kevin Foote says that the tournament in Brisbane is going to be huge for rugby and can’t wait to get over to the east coast and get started.
“I’m really pumped about the Tens, it’s an exciting tournament and I think we’ve got a really strong squad who are excited to play that style of game.
“We will definitely take momentum from the win in the Mauritius Tens last year, but more importantly we want to go out there and enjoy playing the game.
“I think we have a really good balance in the squad; with players like ‘Hodgo’ (Matt Hodgson) over the ball in unstructured play with so much space and guys like Luke Morahan, Curtis Rona and Chance Peni outside of them with pace, it should be entertaining to watch.”
The Force will be without captain Ben McCalman as he prepares for the Super Rugby season and star fullback Dane Haylett-Petty who is still working back to full fitness.
Full Western Force squad heading to Brisbane Global Rugby Tens
Curtis Rona
Luke Morahan
Tatafu PolotaNau
Matthew Hodgson
Richard Arnold
Marcel Brache
Robert Coleman
Mees Erasmus
Peter Grant
Richard Hardwick
Ross Haylett-Petty
Onehunga Kaufusi
Kane Koteka
Ryan Louwrens
Semisi Masiwera
Isireli Naisarani
Alex Newsome
Chance Ataera
Matthew Philip
Ian Prior
Anaru Rangi
Michael Ruru
Brynard Stander
Heath Tessmann
James Verity-Amm
Shambeckler Vui