Force -v- Highlanders, Round 15

[valzc]

Fullback Dane Haylett-Petty will return to the Western Force’s starting XV when the Western Australian club takes on the Otago Highlanders at the ‘Force Field’ (nib Stadium) on Saturday (23 May).

Haylett-Petty resumes his regular place in the ‘15’ jersey after being a late omission in the Force’s last match against the NSW Waratahs with a groin injury.

Outside back Marcel Brache, who started on the wing against the Waratahs, will start at outside centre against the New Zealanders, linking with Kyle Godwin in the midfield, who will shift to the ‘12’ jersey in place of the injured Solomoni Jnr Rasolea (ankle).

On the bench, local product and Wests Scarborough winger Brad Lacey is set to make his Asteron Life Super Rugby debut, having also represented the Australian Under 20 at last year’s IRB Junior World Championship, and progressed through the Perth Spirit in the 2014 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship. Lacey becomes the 10th local player to represent the Western Force in 2015.

Lock Sam Wykes is set to make his return from a foot injury that has sidelined him for three matches.

Tickets are available for the Western Force’s home match against the Highlanders at the ‘Force Field’ (nib Stadium) on Saturday, 23 May. Tickets are available from www.ticketmaster.com.au.

2015 Asteron Life Super Rugby – Week 15
Western Force v Highlanders
The ‘Force Field’ (nib Stadium), Perth
Saturday, 23 May 2015
Kick-off: 7.45pm

1. Pekahou Cowan
2. Nathan Charles
3. Tetera Faulkner
4. Steve Mafi
5. Adam Coleman
6. Angus Cottrell
7. Matt Hodgson (c)
8. Ben McCalman
9. Ryan Louwrens
10. Sias Ebersohn
11. Nick Cummins
12. Kyle Godwin
13. Marcel Brache
14. Luke Morahan
15. Dane Haylett-Petty

Reserves
16. Heath Tessmann
17. Chris Heiberg
18. Guy Millar
19. Sam Wykes
20. Kane Koteka
21. Alby Mathewson
22. Luke Burton
23. Brad Lacey

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So is anyone feeling courageous to bring up this game? Will the Force turn up this week after a bye with fresh legs and an attitude? Or has a week off defused the game brains? Do we have a game plan to beat the Highlanders keeping in mind their 8 try win over Cheetahs? Will Sias stop kicking the ball 99.9% and actually run into attack? Will Kyle do yet another chip kick to no one in particular? Will Badger get a pie because someone remembered to pass?

[chibi]

Depends which Force turn up on the day; but they enjoy beating the Highlanders.

[SNOB]

I'm just looking forward to rugby again! I might get depressed when we lose but I sure miss watching the Force games live. Even watching all the other matches doesn't scratch the itch!
I've gone from a rugby tragic to a Force tragic. 4 more games and then the NRC let's hope the Spirit have a better season the the Force.

[oxleymoron]

So is anyone feeling courageous to bring up this game? Will the Force turn up this week after a bye with fresh legs and an attitude? Or has a week off defused the game brains? Do we have a game plan to beat the Highlanders keeping in mind their 8 try win over Cheetahs? Will Sias stop kicking the ball 99.9% and actually run into attack? Will Kyle do yet another chip kick to no one in particular? Will Badger get a pie because someone remembered to pass?

No
Let's hope so.
Probably not.
No
No
Yes
No

[Alison]

I'm just looking forward to rugby again! I might get depressed when we lose but I sure miss watching the Force games live. Even watching all the other matches doesn't scratch the itch!
I've gone from a rugby tragic to a Force tragic. 4 more games and then the NRC let's hope the Spirit have a better season the the Force.

Me too SNOB!!

[jargan83]

New drinking game: Have a shot every time Sias kicks.

[WFDom]

New drinking game: Have a shot every time Sias kicks.

Good shout. Off to get extra piss in. Now, where did I leave my trailer?

[Alison]

Good shout. Off to get extra piss in. Now, where did I leave my trailer?

It'll be wherever you left your blue singlet!

[The InnFORCEr]

Century milestone looms for Ben Smith

AAP
May 20, 2015, 9:30 am

All Black Ben Smith will be seeking to help the Highlanders overcome a major Super Rugby hoodoo and celebrate a personal milestone when they play the Western Force in Perth on Saturday.

If selected, Smith will join Anton Oliver, Tony Brown and Jimmy Cowan among those who have played 100 games for the franchise.

The 28-year-old who made his debut for the Highlanders in 2009 has remained remarkably injury-free and become one of the key members of the All Blacks squad.

His fifth-placed Highlanders are fresh off a 45-24 win over the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein but they have invariably struggled again the Force, both home and away.

They have lost their past six matches against the West Australian outfit, who sit at the bottom of this year's standings with just two wins.

The Highlanders' past win was a shaky 8-7 result in 2007.

It is an awkward game for the southerners who, once they have played the Force, finish their regular season against the Chiefs in Invercargill followed by away games against the Hurricanes and Blues.

"The Force are a really tough team at home and have tipped over a lot of sides," Smith said.

"They are fresh off a bye and beat the Waratahs in their last game.

"Tactically they are going to be a different team to play from those in South Africa. So our preparation will have to be accurate."

Super Rugby's leading tryscorer this season Waisake Naholo is expected to make his return from the heel injury which kept the winger out of last week's match.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sp...for-ben-smith/

[Darren]

The force does not appear to be with the Highlanders.

With the Highlanders having flown to Australia from South Africa for their match in Perth, a quick look at the record books shows the side will have to overcome plenty of history if it wants to bag a win over the Force.

The Western Australian side has won the past six encounters between the two teams and one has to go back to 2007 for a Highlanders win.

And even then it was an ugly 8-7 victory.

Since then, the Highlanders have had some very forgettable moments against the Force, which has been an under-achiever ever since it came into the competition in 2006.

The loss in 2010 was particularly painful. The sides met in Queenstown - for the second time in three years - and the Highlanders were woeful that sunny afternoon under the Remarkables.

The home team lost 41-27 with a shocking display of discipline which signalled the beginning of the end for coach Glenn Moore.

A year later, the Highlanders were in with a real show of making the playoffs under new coach Jamie Joseph but they failed to fire against the Force, and lost 21-14 in their final game at Carisbrook.

In 2013, when both sides were struggling, the Highlanders lost 19-18 in a game in which new winger Tino Nemani, who had just been drafted into the squad, gave away the match-winning penalty.

It is rumoured he was dropped off in Auckland by management on the flight home, and did not even make it back to Dunedin when the team returned home for its next game.

Nemani signed for the Force this season but has barely been sighted.

Last year, the teams met early in the season and the Highlanders put in an average effort, going down 31-29 at Forsyth Barr Stadium.

The only other win for the Highlanders came when the sides met for the first time in 2006, a home-town 25-22 win at Carisbrook.

The most recent two losses in Perth came when the team was coming back from South Africa when perhaps minds were focused on getting home.

There should be no excuse along those lines this week with the playoffs at stake.

The Highlanders arrived in Perth yesterday and had a brief training run to get rid of the cobwebs.

They have not picked up any injuries from the big win over the Cheetahs and hope to have leading try-scorer Waisake Naholo back in the team as he shrugs off a heel injury.

The Force, which is coming off the bye, sits last on the table, and has won just twice all season, but should have some confidence having beaten the champion Waratahs in its most recent match.

Not only is the match on late Saturday night shaping up as a critical in terms of the season, there are two milestones to mark for the Highlanders.

It will be fullback and co-captain Ben Smith's 100th game for the franchise and flanker John Hardie's 50th game in the jersey.

http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/342...-against-force

[Herbasimplex]

Nemani? The bush telegraph has yet to reach Otago obviously.

I think the Highlanders are the only team where we have a positive win/loss record. Hope history repeats itself.

[The InnFORCEr]

My favourite (and thanks to Speights) possibly only memory of the win at Queenstown in 2008.....Choking The Highlander with a Force Scarf

http://twf.com.au/vbpicgallery.php?do=big&p=1260

Even Bert looks drunk in this shot

http://twf.com.au/vbpicgallery.php?do=big&p=1263

All photo cred to Lonzy

[chibi]

New drinking game: Have a shot every time Sias kicks.

If it was a shot everytime a Force player does a hit-up from a standing start, after ten minutes...

[Scozzie]

If it was a shot everytime a Force player does a hit-up from a standing start, after ten minutes...

I think it might be the same outcome for Sias's kicking....??

[westies man]

Ideal opportunity to give Brad Lacey a crack