The Western
Force have named the Club’s 28-player squad for the upcoming women’s three-game
tour of Japan ahead of the team’s departure on Wednesday.
The
historic tour marks the first time the Force women’s team will play off-season
games overseas and offers a valuable opportunity to build towards the 2025
Super Rugby Women’s season after qualifying for the finals for the first time
in Club history in 2024.
The group
is a mix of 2024 Super W squad members, along with new signings,
train-and-trial players and emerging talent out of the WA Fortescue Women’s
Premier Grade. The core of the group has trained together for the past two
months, including a scrimmage against Perth Gold on September 21, leading to
final selection.
Force
women’s head coach Dylan Parsons said: “There’s a number of new faces
that are coming in. We’ve had a good training block leading into this tour.
We’ve got a lot of young local girls getting an opportunity as well. It’s a
feeling of excitement among the staff and players.”
The squad
is bolstered by the inclusion of Wallaroos pair Cecilia Smith and Allana
Sikimeti who’ll join the group straight from Australia’s WXV 2 triumph in Cape Town. Recent signing
and 13-cap Wallaroo Sera Naiqama, who is a four-time Super W winner, is also
among the group, having arrived in Perth a fortnight ago.
“It’s
exciting to add quality players with their experience and in form coming
from a WXV tournament,” Parsons said.
“They’ve
just been in a professional environment day-in day-out. For our girls to rub
shoulders with that caliber of players, see how they prepare and look after
themselves in a tour setting is only going to benefit our young players that
are coming through around what to expect.”
Force
Wallaroos Michaela Leonard, Alapeta Ngauamo and Samantha Wood – who won the
Club’s 2024 Rebecca Clough medal – will also join the group following the WXV
2 success.
Recent
Australia A representatives Brooklyn Teki-Joyce, Rosie Ebbage and Loretta
Mailangi are also named along with Wallaroo Tamika Jones who recently
returned to training following injury.
Among the
new faces are Wanneroo quartet Sofaia Talemaira (lock), Nami Dickson
(back-rower), Ngamihi Monk (centre) and Topaz-Jean Porter (back-rower) who
helped the Divaz win the 2024 WA Fortescue Women’s Premier Grade premiership
last month.
“Sofaia is
only 19 but she was Wanneroo’s captain which is a sign of her leadership
qualities,” Parsons said. “She was part of the Western Force Female Academy and
has come through the RugbyWA Academy, so we’re excited about her.
“Ngamihi
was Wanneroo’s vice-captain and is only young too. She’s also come through the
RugbyWA Academy system. Ngamihi has been really impressive in the training block and we are
excited to see her develop more on tour.
“Along with
Nami and Topaz, they’re coming through and performed really well in the 2024
club season and during our training block. They now get the opportunity to come
on a Western Force tour.”
Parsons
also pointed to Palmyra centre Ocean Tuhua, Wests Scarborough winger Tizanae
Kovacs and Cottesloe forward Zoe Elliot as others to be rewarded out of the WA
Fortescue Premier Grade.
“All of
them performed really well during the club season,” Parsons said. “Some of them
have come out of the RugbyWA Performance Academy so it’s great recognition of
the work that they’ve put into that program and their performances at club.
“Zoe Elliot
has been around the wider group in our Super W extended squad for a couple of
seasons as well. She’s another one who’s been chipping away and working hard
and now gets an opportunity.
“She’s
similar to Nami Dickson who’s come through and been in our Super W extended
squad, so it’s great to see them rewarded.
“That’s part of the purpose
of these tours, the local girls who are working really hard and performing
well, they get recognized. To have an experience like this is reward for all
that hard work.”
There’s
also a handful of players on the tour on train-and-trial opportunities,
including April Downey, Halley Derera, Leilani Hills and Scotland international
flanker Lucy Winter.
“We’re
using it primarily as a development opportunity for the squad that’s here, but
it’s also a genuine train and trial period as well,” Parsons said.
“Any of
these players that want to play in Super W 2025, this is a chance to show what
they can do at training and games but also how they interact within our squad.
How do they prepare? how do they go on tour? It’s a really good chance to get a
good look at these players and see what they can potentially bring for
2025.”
Injuries
ruled out Aiysha Wigley (ACL), Rosie McGehan (ACL), Haylee Hifo (shoulder) and
Keira MacAskill (shoulder) of selection. Trilleen Pomare, Lucy Dinnen and
Anneka Stephens were also unavailable following recent workloads, the former
two being with the Wallaroos in Cape Town.
Parsons
added that there was plenty to gain for the Force women’s squad during the
Japan tour, which comes with the 2025 Super W season still months away.
“When you
have such a short season any extra games is gold for us,” Parsons said.
“When you have three games on tour, plus another training block that allows us
to have the squad together, it only sets us up to have a good crack at 2025.
“Any chance
we have to play more games we’ve got to keep pushing for that. The club has been
really supportive and driven around making that happen. We want all these
players to get the opportunity to pull on the Western Force jersey as much as
possible.”
Follow @WesternForce on X (Twitter) for game updates and across social media for updates throughout the tour.
Western Force Japan tour squad
Forwards: April Downey, Nami Dickson, Rosie Ebbage, Zoe Elliot, Topaz-Jean Porter, Tamika Jones, Michaela Leonard, Loretta Mailangi, Hera-Barb Malcolm Heke, Sera Naiqama, Alapeta Ngauamo, Hannah Palelei, Allana Sikimeti, Sofaia Talemaira, Braxton Walker, Lucy Winter
Backs: Georgia Cormick, Halley Derera, Grace Freeman, Leilani Hills, Sheree Hume, Tizanae Kovacs, Nicole Ledington, Ngamihi Monk, Cecilia Smith, Ocean Tuhua, Brooklyn Teki-Joyce, Samantha Wood
Western Force Japan tour fixtures
Game 1: Western Force v Pearls / Yokohama TKM, Saturday 19 October 11am WST, Nagano
Game 2: Western Force v Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix, Sunday 27 October 1pm WST, Fujiyoshida
Game 3: Western Force v Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix / Yokogawa Musashino Artemi Stars, Saturday 2 November 12pm WST, Tokyo
AloJapan.com