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Emirates Western Force Coach John Mitchell has named his team for Friday night’s Investec Super 14 Week 9 clash with the Waratahs at Subiaco Oval.
The highly anticipated clash is the first of three Australian ‘derby’ matches for the WA side in its remaining five 2008 regular season games.
Mitchell has stuck solid to the team which overcame the Bulls in dramatic fashion last Friday night, making just one change to his starting XV.
Former Waratahs prop Troy Takiari returns to tighthead prop with AJ Whalley dropping back to the reserves bench.
Takiari will make his third appearance of the season in the number 3 jersey, while inside back Lachlan MacKay makes his return via the reserves bench after withdrawing from last week’s clash with a groin strain.
Elsewhere on the bench, Haig Sare has won selection in the match 22 for the first time in 2008 after serving out an eight-match suspension for his involvement in a pre-season altercation.
The 26 year old utility will wear the number 22 jersey with MacKay named in number 21.
The Emirates Western Force lineup for Saturday’s clash includes six players who have previously played for the Waratahs.
Coach John Mitchell said Australian interstate matches always bring added emotion and pressure.
“It’s an exciting phase of the competition for us, with three matches against Australian opponents in our last five games,” said Mitchell.
“Derby matches are the nearest thing to Test matches at Super 14 level. No matter how hard teams prepare and try to be specific and composed, emotions and pressure will always factor in the game.”
Mitchell expects the Waratahs to be full of confidence heading into the Subiaco Oval clash.
“The Waratahs played very good attacking football against the Blues in Sydney last week and they have a good mix of youth and experience,” he said.
Overall head to head: Played 2, Waratahs 1, Drawn 1.
Last met: 2 March 2007, EWF 16 drew with Waratahs 16, Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney.
Emirates Western Force v Waratahs
Saturday 12 April, 2008
Subiaco Oval, Perth
Kick off: 7.05pm (9.05pm AEST)
Emirates Western Force Lineup
1. Pek Cowan
2. Tai McIsaac
3. Troy Takiari
4. Tom Hockings
5. Nathan Sharpe (c)
6. Scott Fava
7. David Pocock
8. Richard Brown
9. Chris O’Young
10. Matt Giteau (vc)
11. Drew Mitchell
12. Scott Staniforth
13. Ryan Cross
14. Nick Cummins
15. Cameron Shepherd
16. Luke Holmes
17. AJ Whalley
18. Sam Wykes
19. Matt Hodgson
20. James Stannard
21. Lachlan MacKay
22. Haig Sare
So much for the Daily Telegraph's Force show off young gun - Western Force Rugby Supporters Site, no James O'C contrary to their report. Happy to see Haig Sare back in the mix and Nick Cummins starting the game.
Hopefully we'll see some runners coming from depth and less of the standstill stuff we've witnessed in the last two home games.
Go the Force! I have pledged to drink no more than 2 pints and one shot of whisky (to steady the nerves) before the game to ensure I don't miss a thing, I hope it will be a performance worth the sacrifice.
our backline is perfect...the forwards is pretty strong although i wanna see Horua back in somewhere (is he still injured?)
i also pledge to drink only two pints (per hour) before the game...
coz Stone Cold says so
Thats a good looking team. any word on the other mobs line up?
Exile
Sydney
"Pain heels. Chicks dig scars and Glory lasts forever." Shane Falco
Other than the fact they're a rabble?
looks like a great lineup. Nice to see Spanners in the centres with cross. It's gonna be a great pairing, esp against the younger Carter and Horne. I thought Matt Hogdson had a great game last week and made some crucial runs. Good for him that he's still on the bench. I was hoping to see James O'Connor have a go. But guess will have to wait for a bit longer. I was thinking it might be even possible to try O'Connor at scrumhalf, though itll be a bit of waste of his talent with less space than there is at centre.
its gonna be a great game. wished tmr was sat.
Sam Norton-Knight
Lachie Turner
Rob Horne
Tom Carter
Lote Tuqiri
Kurtley Beale
Luke Burgess
Wycliff Palu
Phil Waugh (c)
Dean Mumm
Dan Vickerman
Will Caldwell
Matt Dunning
Tatafu Polota-Nau
Benn Robinson
Replacements: Adam Freier, Al Baxter, David Lyons, Beau Robinson, Brett Sheehan, Matt Carraro, Alfi Mafi.
Strong bench for the Force. Depth is looking good.
Brother Gallagher I hear you
Side looks S*&t Hot!!!!
O'Connor may still get a run Lachy has three days to injure himself yet!!!
Man I am looking forward to Saturday, hopefully we get a crowd of 30,000+
Looks like link is going to play his forwards in two halves?
Big Al and Fryup on for the second half, with Lyons replacing Palu at the 60 min mark.
Hahaha, the lemonade sandwich is hiding on the bench.. will have to come out sometime I suppose.
Punkpapa - you're lilely right about the forwards, though we usually fake an injury with the props in order to swap them a few extra times..
Still expect the Tahs to win up front.
The "60 minute hammy" is an old trick Moses, don't think you're the only team that has taht one in the playbook.
AJ will come on early as an impact player, because Takiari can more than handle the marshmallow you've served up in the front row at the start of the game.....When the crowd is bored with Troy beating up on Donut and Bennnnnnnnnnnnn, we'll bring on Superman to score all the tries and eat all the pies!
Al (the manila folder) Baxter won't even get a look at the ball, even though he'll be subbed on at 50 minutes to cover up Donut's ingloriously squishy performance.....he'll injure himself at 60 minutes because they need to get Dunning back on and shore up their scrummaging performance from where it is to merely shithouse!
C'mon the![]()
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My only real concern from last week was the kicking - obviously the waywardness, but also the occasional lapse into aerial volleyball. All it did as the ball went to and fro was allow the Bulls forwards time to catch their breath while they waited for someone to get around to running them onside. If you think you have the edge in fitness you have to run the opposition around, and I don't think they did anywhere near enough last match. It'll be interesting to see the tactics this week.
I reckon it's going to be a great match though. The Waratahs were a very good side last week and both teams have points to prove. However, my one point for the Force?
For anyone feeling under-appreciated by the ARU, it is this game that you need to back that up and show why you think you're worth more, against the blokes who are currently getting your money!