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Perth - The Western Force have made five changes to their match-day 23 for Saturday’s Super Rugby clash with the Stormers.
Ben Tapuai returns at outside centre, while local product Richard Hardwick has been named for his first run on start.
In the other changes to the side, Guy Millar comes into the starting line-up at tighthead prop for Tetera Faulkner who suffered an Achilles tendon injury against the Cheetahs last week.
Ryan Louwrens gets the nod at starting scrumhalf and Jermaine Ainsley comes in on the bench.
The 25-year-old Louwrens is South Africa-born, but moved to Australia with his family at the age of 16.
Louwrens is one of five South Africans in the Force’s 23-man squad, with the others being Marcel Brache, Francois van Wyk, Peter Grant and Brynard Stander.
Left wing Luke Morahan will captain the side after Pek Cowan and Dane Haylett-Petty were deemed to have breached the club’s leadership standards while on tour in South Africa.
Up front, Pek Cowan will start at loosehead prop with Harry Scoble named at hooker and Millar to make his sixth start of the season at tighthead.
In the second row, Ross Haylett-Petty and Rory Walton will look to build on their strong performances from last week with the battle up front sure to be key to the final result against a powerful Stormers pack.
In the only change to the backrow, Richard Hardwick is set to start at blindside flank in the first run on start of his young career with openside Chris Alcock and No 8 Angus Cottrell rounding out the starting forward pack.
Scrumhalf Louwrens will look to spark the attack by providing quick ball to flyhalf Jono Lance who returns to the ‘Force Field’ for the first time since Round 3.
In the midfield, inside centre Kyle Godwin was in fine form last week and will be keen to roll that form into Saturday night’s clash when he links up with Ben Tapuai in the No 13 jersey.
The ever consistent back three of Morahan, Brache and Dane Haylett-Petty complete the starting XV.
Kick-off for Saturday’s clash is scheduled for 13:55 (SA time).
Teams:
Force
15 Dane Haylett-Petty, 14 Marcel Brache, 13 Ben Tapuai, 12 Kyle Godwin, 11 Luke Morahan (captain), 10 Jono Lance, 9 Ryan Louwrens, 8 Angus Cottrell, 7 Chris Alcock, 6 Richard Hardwick, 5 Rory Walton, 4 Ross Haylett-Petty, 3 Guy Millar, 2 Harry Scoble, 1 Pek Cowan
Substitutes: 16 Anaru Rangi, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Jermaine Ainsley, 19 Matt Philip, 20 Brynard Stander, 21 Ian Prior, 22 Peter Grant, 23 Semisi Masirewa
Stormers
TBA
