Western Force sign ‘explosive’ New Zealand-born Australia U20s centre

The Western Force have added an exciting talent to their ranks for next year’s Super Rugby Pacific season with New Zealand-born, Melbourne-raised Australia U20s centre Divad Palu inking a deal with the club.

Palu, 20, has decided to move out west after formerly being part of the Melbourne Rebels’ squad last season. The midfielder is a powerful prospect who predominantly plays at 12 but wore the No. 13 jumper in a representative match this year.

In the inaugural U20 Rugby Championship fixture between neighbouring nations Australis and New Zealand, coach Nathan Grey selected Palu to start at outside centre. The Melburnian played the entire 80 minutes in the thrilling clash on the Sunshine Coast.

 

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Ronan Leahy and Kauri Tipene-Grace are another two Force players who were part of that Australia U20s squad that challenge for southern hemisphere glory. Leahy shone for Australia U20s this year and went on to debut in Super Rugby Pacific against the Reds.

Palu seems eager to embrace the “new opportunity” out west.

“I’m really excited to join the Force. It’s a new opportunity for me and a chance to develop my game and showcase my skills,” the 20-year-old said in a statement.

“The Force are a club on the rise and I’m excited to play my part to help build on it. It’ll be great to learn off the coaches and see where we can go.

“It’s a big change to move out of home for the first time and it’s an opportunity to grow my character and as a player as well. I’m thrilled to be here.”

Palu joined his new Western Force teammates in Perth last week for some pre-season training before linking up with his designated Western Australia Premier Grade club Nedlands.

The addition of the Australian U20s representative to the Force’s ranks follows the signings of Wallabies Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Darcy Swain, along with Nic Dolly, Nick Campion de Crespigny and Harry Johnson Holmes for 2025.

“He’s got really good feet and acceleration. He can be really explosive in our midfield in that 12 or 13 spot,” Force head coach Simon Cron added.

“He’s also young so he sits well in our age category in terms of brining players over who can grow into long-term Force representatives.

“On top of that he’s an amazing person. The first day he landed in Perth he was at Nedlands training that night. We’re excited by him and what he can bring.”

In the past, another ‘Junior Wallabies’ midfielder made the move out west to pursue an opportunity at the next level. Henry O’Donnell, from Sydney, went on to play five matches off the bench in Super Rugby Pacific this year.

“The thing that’s best about Perth is all the boys are actually from the east coast, we all live together over here. We all live pretty much in the same suburb,” O’Donnell told RugbyPass towards the start of the year.

“It’s a bit like a little family over here because we don’t have our friends outside of footy, we only kind of really have each other.

“There was a big dream for me to play for the Tahs. Growing up, that was obviously the team I rooted for and I really wanted to play for them,” he added.

“I was just looking at obviously the opportunity for me, the coaching staff, it’s also a good chance to live out of home, lots of life experience. That was probably the big decision in terms of opportunity.”