Force to experiment against Crusaders

[travelling_gerry]

Force to experiment against Crusaders
Justin Chadwick

January 21, 2009 - 1:59PM

Western Force coach John Mitchell says he will use Friday's pre-season clash with the Crusaders in Perth to experiment with combinations in preparation for the upcoming Super 14 season.

The Force have named a 27-man squad for the match, which will be played in three 30-minute periods.

"We want to look at combinations," Mitchell said.

"We want to give all the players an opportunity to play in the role they are likely to contribute during the competition.

"There's nothing better than getting match conditions and the resistance will be greater and a lot of our strategies will be tested under pressure and we'll get a lot of information out of this performance."

Wallabies stars Matt Giteau, Nathan Sharpe and Ryan Cross have been rested from the clash, while Pat O'Connor (hamstring), James O'Connor (virus), Scott Staniforth (knee) and Sam Wykes (shoulder) will also miss the match.

Talented flanker David Pocock will captain the side in Sharpe's absence, while fullback Cameron Shepherd will play his first competitive match since breaking his leg while playing for the Wallabies last July.

"Cameron's been phenomenal," Mitchell said.

"Before Christmas he was at 75 per cent so Haydn (sports science manager Haydn Masters) and the medical team have done a great job at getting him to the level.

"He looks like he's jumping out of his skin.

"There's nothing worse than coming back form a fracture, you have to get started, get that confidence back.

"He's building with every physical outing."

Western Force: David Pocock (capt), Pek Cowan, Tai McIsaac, AJ Whalley, David Pusey, Tom Hockings, Matt Hodgson, Tamaiti Horua, Josh Valentine, Scott Daruda, Drew Mitchell, Josh Tatupu, Junior Pelesasa, Haig Sare, Dane Haylett-Petty, Luke Holmes, Kieran Longbottom, Richard Stanford, Richard Brown, Chris O'Young, Nick Cummins, Cameron Shepherd, Gareth Hardy, Troy Takiari, Justin Turner, Filipe Manu, Ben Whittaker


http://news.theage.com.au:80/breakin...0121-7md9.html

[sandgroperrugby]

Strange that the team hasn’t been announce on the rugbyWA site!!

[TOCC]

^^ something must be amiss at RugbyWA headquaters!!

[mudskipper]

good to see Shep back on the field....

[Stone Cold]

its up now...better late than never

[jargan83]

^^ something must be amiss at RugbyWA headquaters!!

unable to pay internet bill due to various disputes

[slomo]

unable to pay internet bill due to various disputes

they were waiting 'til you'd paid your membership so they could pay their internet acount jargs!