Former All Blacks winger George Bridge is set to make his debut in the centres for the Western Force as they face off against the Queensland Reds in their Shop N Save Supermarket Super Rugby Pacific trial match today. Bridge, who was part of New Zealand’s squad in the 2019 Rugby World Cup, returns to Super Rugby after spending three seasons in France with Montpellier. Renowned for his impressive try-scoring ability during his time with the Crusaders, he is among five new signings in the starting lineup for the Force.
Joining Bridge in the First XV are notable players such as Los Pumas lock Franco Molina, former Reds front-rower Sef Fa’agase, Wallabies and Australia Sevens representative Darby Lancaster, as well as ex-Highlanders scrum-half Nathan Hastie. Hastie will team up with Wallabies playmaker Ben Donaldson in the halves. Lancaster is set to start on the left wing, with Divad Palu on the right wing, and Australia A outside back Mac Grealy playing at fullback.
In the front row, Fa’agase will join forces with Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Harry Johnson-Holmes, while Molina partners with Lopeti Faifua in the second row. The back row is rounded out by Will Harris, with Kane Koteka at openside and Vaiolini Ekuasi filling the No. 8 position.
On the opposing side, the Reds have included nine Wallabies in their matchday squad, with Harry McLaughlin-Phillips taking the reins at fly-half and Carter Gordon appearing among the reserves. Reds coach Les Kiss emphasized that the trial match serves as a valuable opportunity for a broad group of players as they work towards the upcoming season.
Both teams have announced extended benches for the highly anticipated fixture, highlighting the depth of talent across both rosters. As the teams prepare for what promises to be an exciting match, fans can look forward to witnessing the blend of seasoned and new players striving to make their mark.
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