36 - 31

Ex-Australian Schoolboys rep set for first Super Rugby match in 1007 days

34 days ago

(Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

Midfielder Reesjan Pasitoa will play a Super Rugby Pacific match for the first time in 1,007 days after being named in the Western Force’s run-on side to take on the Queensland Reds.

Pasiota will return for the Force in Saturday’s Australian derby at Perth’s HBF Park, with the former Queensland schoolboy star set to start alongside Hamish Stewart in the centres.

After missing the 2023 season with an ACL injury, which was followed by elbow and shoulder issues last year, the former Australian Schoolboys playmaker will play a Super Rugby match for the first time since Round 15, 2022.

Coach Simon Cron has made two changes, with experienced lock Sam Carter also coming into the starting side. Sio Tomkinson and Jeremy Williams have been ruled out of the match.

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Meetings

Wins

Draws

Wins

Average Points scored

First try wins

60%

Home team wins

60%

Marley Pearce, Nic Doll and Tom Robertson and the three front-rowers, while Darcy Swain will link up with Carter as the locking pair. Nick Champion de Crespigny and tackle-machine Carlo Tizzano are once again the two flankers, while Reed Prinsep lines up at No. 8.

Nic White and Ben Donaldson will combine in the halves once again. Other than the midfield duo of Stewart and Pasitoa, Harry Potter, Dylan Pietsch and Mac Grealy round out the backline as the two wings and the fullback.

In the absence of Williams, former Maori All Black Prinsep and Wallaby White will co-captain the Force.

After missing last weekend’s historic win over the Brumbies – the Force’s first win over the ‘Brums’ in Canberra in more than 5,000 days – Vaiolini Ekuasi and Atu Moli have been named on the bench.

Halfback Isaak Fines-Leleiwasa is in line for his 50^th Super Rugby appearance after being named on the bench.

This match at Perth’s HBF Park is due to kick off at 4:35 pm WST.

Western Force team to take on Reds

Starting XV: Marley Pearce, Nic Dolly, Tom Robertson, Darcy Swain, Sam Carter, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Carlo Tizzano, Reed Prinsep (cc); Nic White (cc), Ben Donaldson, Dylan Pietsch, Hamish Stewart, Reesjan Pasitoa, Harry Potter, Mac Grealy

Reserves: Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Ryan Coxon, Atu Moli, Vaiolini Ekuasi, Will Harris, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Max Burey, George Poolman

Argentina v France | HSBC SVNS Hong Kong 2025 | Men's Match Highlights

New Zealand v Australia | HSBC SVNS Hong Kong 2025 | Women's Match Highlights

Tokyo Sungoliath vs Shizuoka BlueRevs | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Reds vs Force | Super Rugby W 2025 | Full Match Replay

Behind the Scenes with the Australian Rugby Sevens Team in Hong Kong | HSBC SVNS Embedded | Episode 9

The Rise of Kenya | The Report

New Zealand in Hong Kong | Brady Rush | Sevens Wonders | Episode 4

The Fixture: How This Rugby Rivalry Has Lasted 59 Years

Comments

0 Comments

Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Latest Features

LONG READ

What is a World Rugby consultant?

Often unseen but hugely influential, these wise rugby owls play a crucial part in growing the sport across the world.

LONG READ

Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

The wily duo, combined with a Moneyball-style approach, could build on the impressive foundations laid by Joe Schmidt.

LONG READ

Razor has an about turn on All Blacks eligibility rules

The contentious eligibility rules implemented by the NZRU have been slowly accepted by head coach Scott Robertson

Comments on RugbyPass

JWH 14 minutes ago

Razor has an about turn on All Blacks eligibility rules

All of their first fives. Robinson is basically a fullback, and Faleafaga doesn’t know when to pass the ball. Cam is just begging to get laid out every time he gets the ball too.

23 Go to comments

JW 15 minutes ago

Razor has an about turn on All Blacks eligibility rules

You can pick them, because you need to with the amount of injuries these days, but they need to just start with the right order!

23 Go to comments

JW 16 minutes ago

Razor has an about turn on All Blacks eligibility rules

Savea was very average last year, where do you sit there? Giving him another year?

23 Go to comments

JW 17 minutes ago

Razor has an about turn on All Blacks eligibility rules

Yep allowing Razor to cut loose with some wild idea like picking overseas players what be the last thing on Robinson would want to do I’d imagine. Just like the players need a solid framework to perform, so do every other part of the team!

23 Go to comments

JW 20 minutes ago

Razor has an about turn on All Blacks eligibility rules

LOL who’s this?

23 Go to comments

PR 20 minutes ago

Sharks player ratings vs Leinster | 2024/25 URC

I agree Roos should be a 6. The same with Cam Hanekom. I think for now Rassie sees either or both as a back-up to Kwagga to bring impact off the bench. It seems the preferred option at 8 remains Jasper Wiese. Not a massive fan but he was brilliant against England at Twickenham and is apparently playing well in Japan.

The World Cup might well be a bridge too far for Siya. Rassie did say that he has to be the best in his position to keep his spot in the Bok side and the captaincy. I’m sure Siya knows this and he tends to take his game to another level when he plays for the Boks.

4 Go to comments

JW 22 minutes ago

Razor has an about turn on All Blacks eligibility rules

Which had a bit of egg on it’s face the following week. When it came down to it he said that Jacomb is basically just performing the job of the 10 two wide, instead of directly, in that a lot of the time Dmac just passed him the ball.

Obviously as you’d expect in your debut season, it’s progressive to start with. But as far as the convo goes, he’s certainly had the least time and hasn’t continued to raise expectations like the other names have, allowing them to catch up to him a bit.

23 Go to comments

Kendrick Bruce 25 minutes ago

Super Rugby Pacific's rebirth can finally restore the missing All Blacks edge

its best you post how you got scammed through crypto and other forex trade here so others can be aware of the scam going on, in the trading world. My dad got scammed of his retirement all in the name of investment, it was so heartbreaking for my old man, lucky enough my dad knew a cyber security agent and was able to recover back his funds, if your scenario seem same you can get help if you want via easyrecoveryassets@gmailcom one of the best recovery agencies their records show 85% success in every case

19 Go to comments

Kendrick Bruce 26 minutes ago

Super Rugby Pacific's rebirth can finally restore the missing All Blacks edge

Decisions made under desperation made many of the crypto currency newbies fall into the wrong hands, I was once a victim too, but with the recommendations and referral gotten from friends, I was able to retrieve my funds from a bogus Investment platform that deprived me of withdrawing my funds and were instead persuading me to invest more. Thanks to the expertise of the brains behind the email easyrecovery-assets@gmailcom they were exceptionally

19 Go to comments

Kendrick Bruce 28 minutes ago

Super Rugby Pacific's rebirth can finally restore the missing All Blacks edge

19 Go to comments

JW 28 minutes ago

Razor has an about turn on All Blacks eligibility rules

What if he’s not a 7, and wants to continue playing 8? You want two #7 jerseys on the park? Or are we switching Ardie to 7 and Lakai to 8?

If Sam Cane is so good at mentoring and preparing players, well surely that is the coaches job?

Good question. If Razor had all his experience and coaching ability, but was still able to go toe to toe with the players on the training paddock, do you think he’d then be a better coach, or that the players would learn more easily from him, then? That’s probably what you need to ask yourself to solve that question. Is there enough? There’s Jason, and Razor, when it comes to those positions, I’m sure the others can help answer questions but eh, how about from someone who actually knows?

How well you function in the team and help the team is definitely rewarded in your contract.

23 Go to comments

JW 34 minutes ago

Razor has an about turn on All Blacks eligibility rules

Late last year, All Blacks coach Scott Robertson was adamant that New Zealand Rugby’s eligibility policy was no longer fit for purpose.

Nah, he wasn’t. He was adamant NZR need to keep an open mind about those sorts of things if they want to compete at the top.

The whole time he came across as someone who didn’t really know what he was talking about. It was also very evident again in this interview talking about the goodstuff currently. He’s shown know inclincling that he’s actually had a desire to understand either side, he merely wants those that do and can, to think about it. Is he really satisfied they’ve done that? I don’t know, he’s still not showing much intelligence around the players at his disposal this year, calling Dmac “a good runner”, so he probably still looks at SA and wants what Rassie’s got.

This was definitely a public display, you shouldn’t even be asking the question. You just need to find out about what.