Super Rugby Pacific: Western Force name Kurtley Beale at centre as in-form forward Vaiolini Ekuasi ruled out

With their Super Rugby Pacific season on the line just five games into the season, Western Force have swung five changes for their crucial clash with the Hurricanes in Napier, including a start for Kurtley Beale. And if the Force are to pull of an upset over a Hurricanes side who smashed the Waratahs last weekend, they will have to do so without arguably their best player to start the season in Vaiolini Ekuasi, who has been ruled out with a quad contusion. Ex-Queensland Red Taj Annan could also make his Force debut, with the centre named on the bench for his first Super Rugby Pacific game since a one-year dalliance with NRL’s Newcastle Knights. Force coach Simon Cron has re-jigged his backline with four changes — chief among them the introduction of Beale at inside centre after a promising performance in last week’s 39-31 defeat to the Highlanders. Beale will partner former All Black George Bridge in midfield, with the dependable Hamish Stewart dropping to the bench. Henry Robertson replaces Nathan Hastie at scrum-half, while the big-bodied Bayley Kunzle returns on the wing and there is a start for Max Burey at the expense of Mac Grealy, who drops out altogether. Ekuasi, who leads the league for carries with 57 and is third for tackles with 64, has been the Force’s most consistently damaging gain-line runner. His absence is a blow and Will Harris will replace him in the line-up at flanker, with Nick Champion de Crespigny moving to No.8. Perth product Marley Pearce will play his first minutes of the season off the bench as the Force’s back-up loosehead prop. Western Force XV vs Hurricanes March 13, 2.05pm, McLean Park Tom Robertson, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Harry Johnson-Holmes Jeremy Williams, Darcy Swain Will Harris, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Carlo Tizzano Henry Robertson, Ben Donaldson Kurtley Beale, George Bridge Bayley Kuenzle, Max Burey, Darby Lancaster Reserves: Nic Dolly, Marley Pearce, Misinale Epenisa, Franco Molina, Lopeti Faifua, Nathan Hastie, Taj Annan, Hamish Stewart.