Super Rugby Pacific: Western Force to start Bayley Kuenzle on return from knee injury against the Hurricanes

Bayley Kuenzle is set to make his Super Rugby Pacific return as a starter for the Western Force’s crucial, finals-shaping clash with the Hurricanes on Saturday. The 2024 Nathan Sharpe Medal runner-up will mark his professional return at HBF Park in the 11 jersey after being named to start on the wing against last year’s semifinalists. He has not played a top-level game since hurting his posterior and medial cruciate ligaments playing club rugby in July, although he played limited minutes for Associates at Premier Grade level last week. Kuenzle, whose shift from a 10-12 playmaker to a bruising outside centre wing last year saw him called up to Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies squad, starts in place of Dylan Pietsch, who hurt his quad early in the win over the Highlanders. Kuenzle’s return is the only change to the Force’s starting 15, while scrum-half Henry Robertson has replaced Issak Fines-Leleiwasa on the bench. With the Force in sixth coming off last week’s bye round and the ‘Canes just four points behind but with a far superior (+26) point differential, defeat could see them slip to near the bottom of the ladder. But a win over the Wellington-based outfit, who have had a topsy-turvy season, could see the Force go as high as third if other results go their way. With six games to go, the Hurricanes’ clash precedes a difficult two-game series in New Zealand for the Force against the second-placed Chiefs and the reigning champions Blues. The Force will then fly home to face the Brumbies, before flying to Fiji to face the Drua and then travelling back to host the Waratahs ahead of a final-round bye. Western Force vs Hurricanes (HBF Park. Saturday 5.30pm) Marley Pearce, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Tom Robertson Jeremy Williams (c), Darcy Swain Nick Champion de Crespigny, Carlo Tizzano, Vaiolini Ekuasi Nic White (vc), Ben Donaldson Hamish Stewart, Sio Tomkinson Bayley Kuenzle, Harry Potter, Mac Grealy Reserves: Nic Dolly, Atu Moli, Josh Smith, Reed Prinsep (vc), Will Harris, Henry Robertson, Max Burey, George Poolman.