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Blues v Western Force
At Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 5.30pm (local, 3.30pm, AEST)
Referee: Keith Brown
The Western Force might have long been out of the semi-final reckoning, but they can take the Blues with them if they can achieve just the second batch of three consecutive wins in their history.
Last weekend’s impressive 14-point win in Queenstown has given the class of ’10 a chance to match the feat of the 2007 Force side, which accounted for the Hurricanes, Queensland Reds and Sharks in successive weeks. The 2007 side claimed all three of its consecutive wins in Perth. A win at Eden Park would also allow the current team to emulate the 2008 Force outfit, which also beat the Highlanders and Blues back-to-back in New Zealand.
Prior to last weekend, the Force hadn’t won in New Zealand since. The 41-27 belting of the Highlanders, which was sealed by three tries in the final quarter, was just the Force’s third success from 12 outings on New Zealand soil. The positives from the performance were added to by some significant benefits on the player front, with winger Cameron Shepherd making his long-awaited return from injury and celebrating with two tries, while Qantas Wallabies No 8 Richard Brown also continued his rehabilitation from injury, making his first start. Lock Sam Wykes also made a successful return late in the game after a period on the sidelines.
The Force might be in good heart, but the Blues have discovered just how quickly fortunes can nose dive in the wake of last weekend’s conclusive 12-point loss to the Stormers, which came just seven days after they’d knocked off the previously unbeaten Bulls.
While the semi-finals remain a possibility for Pat Lam’s inconsistent Blues, the point-less exercise against the Stormers has left the side on death row, eight log points adrift of the qualifying positions and needing to win every game from here on.
Lam also has front-row issues. Both first choice props, Tony Woodcock (neck) and John Afoa (back) missed last weekend through injury, being joined on the sidelines by Woodcock’s deputy, Charlie Faumuina (sternum), shortly after kick off. The front-row ‘crisis’ is seriously testing the Blues’ resources, although Woodcock trained on Monday and could be ready to return.
The Force certainly won’t miss the All Black if he doesn’t make the cut, after he scored tries against them in each of 2007 and 2008. Blues front-rowers have a good record against the Force. Ironically, given the current injury woes, all three front rowers – Woodcock, Afoa and hooker Keven Mealamu – scored tries during the Blues’ 27-point win in Perth three years ago.
That success was one of three that the Blues have enjoyed from their four previous games against the Force. Last year they came from behind at halftime on the opening night of the competition to get Lam started with a 25-19 win in his first game as coach. That win was one of four the Blues have achieved on the road since Lam took over.
They have won just one game more than that at home in the same period, with last weekend’s loss dropping his record to five wins and six defeats from 11 home games as Blues coach. Last year’s six-point margin was the closest gap between the Blues and the Force, with the Blues winning 39-8 in 2006, and 33-6 a year later, while the Force were 27-17 winners at North Harbour two years ago.
The Last Time – The Blues might have won 10 of their previous 13 games against the Stormers, but they were forced into damage limitation before halftime last weekend, trailing 0-20 at Eden Park. Although they rallied, the Blues were only ever playing for bonus points after their sloppy start, and wound up missing out on those as they lost by 12. The Western Force trailed by two entering the final quarter, but slammed the Highlanders with three tries in the last period to record their second win on end.
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