Force: Charles return v Brumbies
Wallaby Nathan Charles will make his comeback from injury when the Western Force tackle the Brumbies in a pre-season Super Rugby match in Perth on Friday.
The Force named a 31-man squad for the outing at the McGillivray Oval in the team's opening pre-season fixture of the franchise's 10th anniversary.
Charles will make his comeback from a pectoral injury suffered in Australia's loss to the All Blacks during their Rugby Championship match in August last year.
Tetera Faulkner and Kyle Godwin are also in line to make their first appearances since returning from the Wallabies' year-end tour.
The franchise will unveil four of its new recruits – with back row forward Ross Haylett-Petty, lock/back row forward Steve Mafi, and wing Mitchell Scott in line to represent the Force for the first time.
Associates centre Ammon Matuauto has also earned his first opportunity in a Force jersey, after being promoted to the side's wider training group following an impressive National Rugby Championship season for the Perth Spirit.
Kane Koteka (flank) has also been selected as one of eight locally-produced players, which includes Haylett-Petty brothers, Dane and Ross, Godwin, prop Oliver Hoskins, flyhalf Zack Holmes, centre Luke Burton and wing Brad Lacey.
Western Force coach Michael Foley said the pre-season match against the Brumbies is an opportunity for his team to test itself leading into the franchise's Super Rugby opener against the Waratahs in Sydney on Sunday, February 15.
"The whole squad has worked incredibly hard throughout the NRC and pre-season training periods, and the guys are excited to be playing our first match of the year on Friday," he said.
"Every player has made a significant effort to improve team standards, which is an important commitment as we look to back up the improvements made last season.
"The Brumbies have a number of strengths that will allow us to test areas of our game we're looking to improve, but more importantly, the opportunity to play a Super Rugby finalist in a trial match provides us with the type of challenge that was missing in last year's preparation."
Western Force:
Forwards: Pek Cowan, Tetera Faulkner, Oliver Hoskins, Francois van Wyk, Robbie Abel, Nathan Charles, Heath Tessmann, Adam Coleman, Steve Mafi, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Rory Walton, Sam Wykes, Chris Alcock, Angus Cottrell, Ross Haylett-Petty, Kane Koteka, Brynard Stander.
Backs: Alby Mathewson, Ian Prior, Sias Ebersohn, Zack Holmes, Marcel Brache, Brad Lacey, Luke Morahan, Mitchell Scott, Luke Burton, Kyle Godwin, Ammon Matuauto, Solomoni Rasolea, Patrick Dellit, Dane Haylett-Petty.
Date: Friday, January 23
Venue: McGillivray Oval, Perth
Kick-off: 17.00 (20.00 AEDT; 09.00 GMT)
Referee: Andrew Lees
Assistant referees: Rob Kellam, Alex Ninkov
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