Date & Time: Sunday, 20 September 2026, 1:30pm WST (3:30pm AEST)
Venue: North Coast Sharks RUFC, Butler
Broadcast: Stan Sport, Rugby.com.au
The Lowdown
Perth turns out for Sunday footy at Butler as a buoyant Western Force squad looks to capitalize on their 29-28 victory over Queensland. With Harry McLaughlin-Phillips earning a maiden Wallabies call-up, 95-cap international Kurtley Beale steps up to start at flyhalf. Pure nostalgia waits on the bench as star signing James O’Connor prepares to wear Force colours for the first time since 2011. Wallaby prop Tom Robertson returns from injury to start alongside captain Nic Dolly, while former Wallabies skipper Nick Champion de Crespigny slots into the back row. Out wide, League convert Zac Lomax continues his midfield experiment at outside centre alongside Boston Fakafanua.
The Brumbies head west desperate to respond after dropping their Round 1 match against New South Wales. Stephen Larkham gets a huge boost in the second row with Wallaby lock Nick Frost returning to team up with teenage captain Toby Macpherson. Debutant Tavita Loughland joins an all-colts back row at blindside flanker, while Rhys van Nek anchors the scrum after making the Super Rugby AUS Team of the Week. In the backline, Tane Edmed and Klayton Thorn retain the halves combination, feeding a dangerous back three featuring Team of the Week selection Corey Toole on the wing and Triston Reilly at fullback.
Underdog’s Tip
The Brumbies have plenty of talent, but the Force boast unmatched veteran experience off the bench in O’Connor and Beale to manage the game late. Expect Perth to hold their ground in front of a local home crowd.
Force by 4 points.
Team Lists
Team lists are correct as of release via Super Rugby AU on Wednesday.
Western Force
- Tom Robertson, 2. Nic Dolly (c), 3. Brad Kuhn, 4. Will Harris, 5. Zak Healey, 6. Nick Champion de Crespigny, 7. Jack Daly, 8. Jackson Iose, 9. Nathan Hastie, 10. Kurtley Beale, 11. Ronan Leahy, 12. Boston Fakafanua, 13. Zac Lomax, 14. Wallace Charlie, 15. Mac Grealy.
Replacements: 16. Albert Alcock, 17. Max Sawers, 18. Misinale Epenisa, 19. Tim Sail, 20. Seta Baker, 21. Luke Aiken, 22. James O’Connor, 23. Tama Anderson, 24. Kane Koteka, 25. Regin Pratt.
ACT Brumbies
- Lington Ieli, 2. Liam Bowron, 3. Rhys van Nek, 4. Nick Frost, 5. Toby Macpherson (c), 6. Tavita Loughland, 7. Eli Langi, 8. Oscar Cleary, 9. Klayton Thorn, 10. Tane Edmed, 11. Corey Toole, 12. David Feliuai, 13. Jarrah McLeod, 14. Ollie Sapsford, 15. Triston Reilly.
Replacements: 16. Ewald Kruger, 17. Finn Baxter, 18. Darcy Breen, 19. Tu’ukalikali Vaihu, 20. Darcy Fogarty, 21. Dan Nelson, 22. Oscar Shaw, 23. Dylan Bretton, 24. Kadin Pritchard, 25. Chace Oates.
Scroll inside the box for match stats
Should be Force Tahs two weeks in a row
Lomax’s passing is impressing me. I didn’t know his hands were that solid
Frost looks frustrated/annoyed at what is going on. Putting in a good shift.
Seta Baker could be a useful Ekuasi replacement. Makes ground every carry
A shame he got injured so quickly. Excellent carrying while he was on
Missed that. Thought he had gone quickly!
Just turned it on, wow! Go the Force. Force verse Tahs should be epic.
Just remembered it’s on. Hell of a score. Go Force!
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Go the Force.
Brumbies yet to win a game of Super Rugby AUS, let’s keep that run going!
I’m interested to see if Beale can put Lomax into the right places
Just tuning in at 21-0. Commentators saying it should be closer than it is
Well Brums had a couple of close chances but cracked in the finish. Taney didn’t deserve this scoreline – but they never really dented the Force.
in other news
Teddy Wilson is strengthening his case. And I like the look of Burey each week. I wonder if he could step up?
agreed KCOL on the teddy wilson case.