Officials for the match named
Referee Ben O'Keeffe
AR1 Angus Gardner
AR2 Will Houston
TMO Ian Smith
http://www.sanzarrugby.com/superrugb...-appointments/
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Officials for the match named
Referee Ben O'Keeffe
AR1 Angus Gardner
AR2 Will Houston
TMO Ian Smith
http://www.sanzarrugby.com/superrugb...-appointments/
Force paying $5.50 with Sportsbet and the local TAB.
Tahs name team
1. Tom Robertson
2. Tolu Latu
3. Sekope Kepu
4. Dean Mumm
5. WIll Skelton
6. Jack Dempsey
7. Michael Hooper
8. Michael Wells
9. Nick Phipps
10. Bernard Foley
11. Rob Horne
12. Irae Simone
13. Israel Folau
14. Reece Robinson
15. Andrew Kellaway
Reserves (one to be omitted)
16. Hugh Roach
17. Paddy Ryan
18. David Lolohea
19. Ned Hanigan
20. Brad Wilkin
21. Matt Lucas
22. Bryce Hegarty
23. Taqele Naiyaravoro
24. David Horwitz
http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2017/02...round-one-team
Foley still waiting to be cleared from a concussion
Has Folau started @ 13 for the Tahs before? If he actually does that is.
Interesting. Wonder if Cheika has any thoughts of the same.
Not if last year is any indication
Pressure Phipps he is useless under any sort of pressure, and target Foley with some big hits. That's the best way to rattle the Tahs. Play a fast game and Skelton will be walking, Mumm will not be too far behind as well.
This Tah's team can be beaten.
That might be bad news, but I'd still call for the umbrella defense with a forward from each side of the ruck running at phipps. If we can tie the ball up in the guts, and stop it from getting to folau, we should do alright defensively. In attack, I think we (as ever) need our centres to bend the line, then get a decent offload game happening. The tahs have always been lazy on the following up and there will be metres three as long as we can get the half breaks. Tahs would have to be my most confident Derby, because they're good at underperforming.
Calling Foley being out as bad news for us is pretty harsh. He may not quite be DC or Barrett, but he's still pretty bloody good. Hegarty or Horwitz is a big step down.
If Folau is defending at 13, that should open up a fair few opportunities out wide as that is often the most difficult spot in the backline to defend and he can be a bit lazy in defense. We've got plenty of firepower in the backs this year as well, so will hopefully be able to capitalise.
Possibly a fair call on me ragging on Foley. It depends how predictable he plays and what the young guys have to offer. I think hearty is a known quantity I don't know so much about horwtiz and I think the unknown quantity thing is more what I was thinking of.
Izzy at 13 might offer some help in defense as well, since he's no a known passer of the footy. We might be able to rush up on the outside a bit harder armed with that knowledge.
FORCE NAMED TO TACKLE 'TAHS IN ROUND ONE
By David Berrie on Thu 23rd February 17
Road Safety Western Force Head Coach Dave Wessels has named his side for the Western Australian club’s opening match of the 2017 Vodafone Super Rugby season against the Waratahs at Allianz Stadium on Saturday, 25 February.
The match day 23 features a host of new faces with up to eight players set to run out in the Western Force colours for the first time and six men a chance of earning their maiden Super Rugby cap.
Among the Force men set to enter the Super Rugby arena for the first time are the exciting backline trio of Bill Meakes and Curtis Rona who will partner in the centres and excitement machine Chance Peni.
Big name recruit Tatafu Polota-Nau will make his maiden Force appearance off the bench as he faces his former side for the first time.
Wessels says the team is ready to fire in Sydney this weekend as they look to start the season on the right note.
“It’s always exciting to actually be able to start the season after a long pre-season, the team have worked very hard.
“What we’ve tried to do is reward the players who we feel have shown the most intensity in their work up until now, so as always there were a few players unlucky to miss out, but we’re very proud of the guys that will represent us this weekend.”
Wessels went on to say that while there are a few Vodafone Super Rugby debuts in the team, these players have all played at a high level and are ready for the challenge.
“It’s fantastic for those players, but particularly because those guys are quite experienced rugby players.
“It might be their first game for the [Road Safety] Western Force but they’ve played on the big stage before and are ready to play.”
In the front row, co-captain Heath Tessmann will lead the side as he links up with veteran loosehead Pek Cowan and young gun tighthead Jermaine Ainsley.
In the second row, Wallaby Adam Coleman makes his return from a knee injury suffered on the Spring Tour as he looks to reawaken the strong partnership he formed with Ross Haylett-Petty last season.
Rounding out the starting forward pack, Brynard Stander and Kane Koteka will bring incredible physicality and breakdown intensity when they run out at blindside and openside respectively while Richard Hardwick will wear the No.8 jersey.
Dynamic scrumhalf Ryan Louwrens will facilitate the Force backline as he looks to provide quality service to Jono Lance who will be raring to go after a strong pre-season campaign.
Former Gloucester centre Bill Meakes and rugby league convert Curtis Rona will link up at inside and outside centre, with Meakes’ power running and brilliant ball skills along with Rona’s natural attacking instincts set to cause plenty of excitement.
There will be no shortage of pace and finishing ability in the back three with new recruit Chance Peni and Luke Morahan to man the wings and the newly re-signed Dane Haylett-Petty to control the game from fullback.
In the reserves, the old heads of Polota-Nau and Ben Daley will look to make their impact felt when they run out for the first time in Force colours, while Isireli Naisarani, Michael Ruru and Alex Newsome will be ready to do their job on debut if called upon.
The Road Safety Western Force will kick off their 2017 Vodafone Super Rugby campaign against the Waratahs at Allianz Stadium at 4:45PM AWST on Saturday, 25 Feburary with the all action LIVE on Fox Sports.
2017 Vodafone Super Rugby – Round One
Waratahs v Road Safety Western Force
Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Saturday, 25 February 2017
Kick-off: 4:45PM AWST
1 Pek Cowan
2 Heath Tessmann (C)
3 Jermaine Ainsley
4 Ross Haylett-Petty
5 Adam Coleman
6 Brynard Stander
7 Kane Koteka
8 Richard Hardwick
9 Ryan Louwrens
10 Jono Lance
11 Chance Peni *
12 Bill Meakes *
13 Curtis Rona *
14 Luke Morahan
15 Dane Haylett-Petty D (VC)
Reserves
16 Tatafu Polota-Nau**
17 Ben Daley**
18 Tetera Faulkner
19 Matt Philip
20 Isireli Naisarani *
21 Michael Ruru *
22 Ian Prior
23 Alex Newsome *
https://www.westernforce.com.au/arti...tahs-round-one
We are underdogs here for sure. But Force @ $5.75 and Tahs $1.14 is insane. Sports bet are matching the stake with a bonus too.