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Ex-Australian Schoolboys rep set for first Super Rugby match in 1007 days

(Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

Midfielder Reesjan Pasitoa will play a Super Rugby Pacific match for the first time in 1,007 days after being named in the Western Force’s run-on side to take on the Queensland Reds.

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Pasiota will return for the Force in Saturday’s Australian derby at Perth’s HBF Park, with the former Queensland schoolboy star set to start alongside Hamish Stewart in the centres.

After missing the 2023 season with an ACL injury, which was followed by elbow and shoulder issues last year, the former Australian Schoolboys playmaker will play a Super Rugby match for the first time since Round 15, 2022.

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Coach Simon Cron has made two changes, with experienced lock Sam Carter also coming into the starting side. Sio Tomkinson and Jeremy Williams have been ruled out of the match.

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Meetings

Wins
1
Draws
0
Wins
4
Average Points scored
24
35
First try wins
60%
Home team wins
80%

Marley Pearce, Nic Doll and Tom Robertson and the three front-rowers, while Darcy Swain will link up with Carter as the locking pair. Nick Champion de Crespigny and tackle-machine Carlo Tizzano are once again the two flankers, while Reed Prinsep lines up at No. 8.

Nic White and Ben Donaldson will combine in the halves once again. Other than the midfield duo of Stewart and Pasitoa, Harry Potter, Dylan Pietsch and Mac Grealy round out the backline as the two wings and the fullback.

In the absence of Williams, former Maori All Black Prinsep and Wallaby White will co-captain the Force.

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After missing last weekend’s historic win over the Brumbies – the Force’s first win over the ‘Brums’ in Canberra in more than 5,000 days – Vaiolini Ekuasi and Atu Moli have been named on the bench.

Halfback Isaak Fines-Leleiwasa is in line for his 50th Super Rugby appearance after being named on the bench.

This match at Perth’s HBF Park is due to kick off at 4:35 pm WST.

Western Force team to take on Reds

Starting XV: Marley Pearce, Nic Dolly, Tom Robertson, Darcy Swain, Sam Carter, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Carlo Tizzano, Reed Prinsep (cc); Nic White (cc), Ben Donaldson, Dylan Pietsch, Hamish Stewart, Reesjan Pasitoa, Harry Potter, Mac Grealy

Reserves: Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Ryan Coxon, Atu Moli, Vaiolini Ekuasi, Will Harris, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Max Burey, George Poolman

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E
Ed the Duck 1 hour ago
Can Les Bleus avoid a Black-wash in New Zealand?

Florian Grill, President FFR 20.5.2025


https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360695274/french-rugby-boss-says-les-bleus-stars-could-tour-they-target-series-win-against-all-blacks


“French rugby is indeed based on a unique model, built around the Top 14 - a championship of exceptional intensity - and an ambitious national team, This demanding model places a significant physical and mental toll on players throughout the season. We therefore have a major responsibility: to look after their physical and mental health and to ensure they have essential rest periods. In this context, the selection for the July tour is based on two clear principles. First, an in-depth analysis conducted by the French team staff evaluates the players’ physical integrity, fatigue level, and current performance level in order to build a squad that is both strong and mindful of the players’ balance. Second, the formation of the group also respects a regulatory framework, jointly defined by the FFR and the LNR, which notably states that players who participate in the Top 14 final are not eligible for selection for a summer tour. However, exceptions are possible and are currently being discussed with the LNR.”


So there’s a few things to take from that where it’s clear that the Top 14 fixtures are at the core of the issue. It appears that the 2000 minutes or 25 games parameters are likely to be part of the “regulatory framework, jointly defined by the FFR and the LNR” but it’s also clear that this has been considered alongside a bespoke analysis of each players situation, for the purposes of NZ tour selection, and NOT applied in a rigid and homogenous style. Factors including the level/intensity of matches played, timing of match load across the season, injury profile and date of season end will all have been reviewed, alongside many others no doubt.


The comparison with Englands experience is particularly relevant since it also highlights the current difference between the two countries’ league relationship with their union. The RFU have reached an (expensive) agreement with the GP that has taken many years to evolve and, critically, hands full season playing control of a designated group of 25 Test players to the England coach. The French agreements do not operate in the same way, where playing control sits with the clubs outside of the Test windows and this is key to the issues.


The difficulty for France however is that the Top 14 needs the weekend numbers that it needs and it’s not immediately clear how they can reduce them. The extension of their final has happened in conjunction with reducing 6N/AI overlap but they still haven’t managed to fully eliminate this. While it’s not clear how these issues can be easily or quickly resolved, it is very clear that the problem can not be simply defined as France disrespecting international rugby.

33 Go to comments
t
takata 1 hour ago
Can Les Bleus avoid a Black-wash in New Zealand?

The men at the beating heart of France’s first Test effort at Dunedin – number eight Guillard, the four half-backs [Le Garrec or Jauneau at nine, Segonds or Hastoy at 10], Fickou at 12 and Attissogbe at full-back] are all in imminent danger of playing over 2000 minutes, or over 30 games, or both. Overall, it is very hard to see what France is gaining in the player welfare equation. It is simply replacing one set of overworked players with another.

A very simple explanation is that, bar Joris Seconds at Bayonne, none of those players, Guillard (Lyon), Le Garrec (Racing), Hastoy (La Rochelle), Fickou (Racing) and Attissogbe (Pau) clocked much time during the highest level games of the club season which ended 7 days before the first test; their club didn’t qualify for the European Champions Cup final rounds and/or didn’t play the Top 14 play off.


So they all had quite a few off weekends that barely none of the first list could have enjoyed up to the end of June, except those injured or not in their prime. ie. Baille started only 5 games for Toulouse and 0 for France during the whole 2024-2025 season -explaining his stats- and it would have make no sense to send him over younger lads.


Joris Seconds (28), has a lot of game sheets, but shared all his game time at Nr. 10 with Camille Lopez (who is retired now); ie. he only clocked 108’ during his two last games in play off. He could also fully rest during the 6 Nations when Top 14 wasn’t playing.


Secondly, bar Mikaël Guillard, this second list was also made of players that weren’t used at all, or very little, during the whole 6 Nations. Guillard started 3/5 games and clocked 187’, Attissogbe 160’ - 2/2 start, Fickou 80’ - 1/1 start, Le Garrec 50’ - 0/3 start, plus a few more minutes by others.


Thirdly, it’s clear that Galthié wanted some preparation time and a full game (England A) before Dunedin. Most of his first 23 just did that as they ended their season on 7 June. His selection of 42 players was planned in 3 groups pending their availability: 28 + 9 + 5. Some players joined after the first group but could still make the game sheet at Dunedin because they were obviously needed.


But, as Galthié usually do, the first test team will rotate and very few will actually play all three tests (maybe Le Garrec & Seconds?). From what we know already, neither Guillard (@ 8) nor Villière (@ 11) will be on the next game sheet - so your projections on game time / game played are not worth the time you took to type them:


Here is the probable team for next test (with age and club):


Backs: Barré (22, Paris), Attissogbe (20, Pau), Depoortere (22, Bordeaux)

Centers: Barrassi (27, Toulouse), Gailleton (22, Pau)

Halfs: Seconds (28, Bayonne), Le Garrec (23, La Rochelle ex-Racing)

3rd Row: Van Tonder (27, Perpignan), Abadie (27, Toulon), Bochaton (24, Bordeaux)

2nd Row: Halagahu (23, Toulon), Brenan (23, Toulouse)

1st Row: Colombe (27, Toulouse ex-La Rochelle), Barlot (28, Castres), Erdocio (25, Montpellier)


Bench: Bourgarit (27, La Rochelle), Mallez (24, Toulouse/Aix), Montagne (24, Clermont), Taofifenua (34, Racing), Woki (26, Bordeaux ex-Racing), Vergnes-Taillefer (28, Bordeaux), Daubagna (31, Pau), Hastoy (28, La Rochelle).

33 Go to comments
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