Force to inject speed
Western Force have signed winger/full-back Albert Nikoro from the Blues and are talking to Fijian flyer Tino Nemani, who has played Super Rugby for the Chiefs and Highlanders.
Nikoro, 22, has been playing for Waikato in this season's New Zealand National Provincial Championship.
His Super Rugby career has been dogged by injury but the Force will not need to look far for a long-range kicker after he landed a monster 59m penalty earlier this year.
Nemani, 23, also played in the NPC for Hawkes Bay and Bay of Plenty. He represented New Zealand Secondary Schools and Fiji under-20 in the 2010 IRB Junior World Championship.
The Force have two vacancies and will hold one open until they hear if they have been successful in getting Nick Cummins on loan from Coca Cola Red Sparks next season.
Meanwhile, Perth Spirit need a bonus-point win in their final game of the season against NSW Country Eagles on Saturday to qualify for the semifinals of the National Rugby Championship.
A five-point win in Dubbo would guarantee Spirit hold on to fourth. They could make third spot depending on other results.
Because of the difference in kick-off times, the Spirit could know 30 minutes from the end of their game what they need to secure the spot, but the coaches will want to keep a lid on the news until the final whistle.
Despite needing the big win, Spirit will not move away from their policy of taking a squad of mostly local club players on away games.
They are coming off a bye week but scrum-half Justin Turner believes the break has been good for the side.
"It gave the guys a bit of time to get their bodies right and with quite a demanding travel schedule they are well rested," Turner said. "Potentially it could be our last game so we'll be firing everything at it."
Turner's career has been hampered by knee problems - three major operations and a fourth serious injury, all to his right knee.
He damaged the anterior cruciate ligament playing for Australia in the 2010 world junior championships and tore it again seven months later in Force pre-season.
In March 2012 he damaged the medial ligament playing against the Melbourne Rebels and tore the anterior again, playing for Eastwood in the Shute Shield.
But the NRC has given him plenty of confidence for the future and he faces a battle with Alby Mathewson and Ian Prior for the Force No.9 jumper.
