The mysterious final home game has been announced to take place on Friday 16 July at 7pm against Bay of Plenty :approve:
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The mysterious final home game has been announced to take place on Friday 16 July at 7pm against Bay of Plenty :approve:
The announcement was a bit underwhelming
Was supposed to be NZ Maori.
Western Force confirm Bay of Plenty showdown
Wed, 26/05/2021, 01:06 pm
by Nathan Williamson
The Western Force have confirmed an end-of-season fixture against New Zealand provincial side Bay of Plenty for July 16.
The Force are set to finish their Super Rugby Trans-Tasman season in New Zealand for the final three rounds of the competition.
However, that will not spell the end of the season after the club confirmed on Wednesday they will play against the provincial side at HBF Park.
Western Force CEO Tony Lewis has confirmed the NZ club are set to bring their strongest squad, which could include Chiefs trio Aidan Ross, hooker Nathan Harris and scrumhalf Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, and Blues flyhalf Otere Black.
"The commitment of the Bay of Plenty to bring their strongest team that includes 24 Super Rugby players in their squad is very compelling," Lewis explained.
"Bay of Plenty saw the opportunity to grow a relationship with the Force, which is important to us.
"The idea of a team packed full of Super Rugby stars going head-to-head with the Force in July is extremely exciting. It's going to be great for our Members and fans to see the intensity, desire and tribalism of New Zealand Provincial rugby."
This was shared by BoP CEO Mike Rogers, who was looking to build off their relationship forged during Global Rapid Rugby, which saw the club team up with the China Rugby Football Association to form the China Lions.
"We have built a strong relationship with Rugby WA and the Western Force through our involvement in Rapid Rugby last year and see this historic first fixture as an important step in the growth of activity and collaboration between our two organisations," says Rogers.
"We know this will be a big challenge with the Force having had a good season in Super Rugby but I know our team will be hugely motivated to perform well as we build towards the Bunnings Cup NPC season."
https://www.rugby.com.au/news/wester...owdown-2021526
Trans-Tasman bubble now open to travellers from Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and ACT.
At 11 days out, WA would need to be added fairly soon for this clash to go ahead (perhaps less of a problem BoP getting in than them teturning back).
Anyway, if it's on, presumably this is the best opportunity to get some of the new recruits into the saddle.
9. Fines, 10. Pasitoa, 12 Kuenzle ... who is here so far, Rodda on deck or not (... and others)?
What should be our lineup.
I think Rodda has already been mentioned as playing, however all other recruits I expect will only be available next year for us.
That said I would like to see the following:
1) Robertson
2) Winchester
3) Longbottom (deserved goodbye)
4) Rodda
5) Thrush
6) Fergus Lee Warner
7) Stander
8) Callan
9) MacDonald
10) McIntyre
11) Ralston
12) Godwin
13) Kahui
14) Straughn
15) McGregor
16) Ready
17) Holmes
18) Medrano
19) Pugh
20) Koteka (Only on the bench as he has put so much into the season already and needs to wind down)
21) Prior
22) Makara
23) Anstee (If available)
Extended Bench, if allowed then:
Lance,Lacey,Abra,Wagner, McCauley
and:
Connor Seve, Reece Anapu, Luke Callan, Alex Masibaka
(As they missed out the Oceania Pacific Championship, if available)
Based on the assumption Brache, Tafeau on International duties
I thi kbomb deserves 20 minutes off the bench so he finishes the game on the park. 20 minutes is also the ideal time because he's never been able to haul the bulk around for 60, he'd play like a demigod and he deserves to exit like that
Yep, KBomb and Jono on for a final 20 minute thanks and goodbye :approve:
Tickets for this game are now available:
"Hi <member name>,
We can't wait to be back at HBF Park on Friday, July 16 when we take on Bay of Plenty in our final home game of the 2021 season.
With a number of Super Rugby stars including Hurricanes scrumhalf Luke Campbell and Chiefs trio Aidan Ross, Nathan Harris and Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi set to take to the field for Bay of Plenty, you don't want to miss this!
You have the exciting opportunity to experience what being a Member of our club is all about through attending this highly anticipated match-up by purchasing a Final Game Membership.
You will receive an exclusive 25% discount for the Final Game Membership by entering the code 'EXPERIENCE'!
You also get a Membership Pack (while stocks last) and the benefits our Members love, including exclusive access to Members only areas at HBF Park.
Make the most of this fantastic offer by clicking HERE."
A bit confusing. Wasn't the extra match included?
I considered that but.........
"You have the exciting opportunity to experience what being a Member of our club is all about through attending this highly anticipated match-up by purchasing a Final Game Membership."
.........would seem a strange way of asking us to do that. :)
Will be interesting to see what side runs out.
Couple of interesting snippets about signings to come and about Ferguson and Ball. Wonder who really wants Ferguson.
Nice praise for Tim as well. He deserves it.
Western Force will face New Zealand NPC heavyweights Bay of Plenty Steamers with new-look squad
Nick Taylor
The West Australian
Fri, 9 July 2021 1:51PM
Nick Taylor
Western Force coach Tim Sampson will need to go deep into a skinny squad for next Friday’s “invitation” clash with New Zealand NPC heavyweight Bay of Plenty at HBF Park.
The Steamers will bring a Super Rugby-laden side while Sampson has lost 10 players from last season who have already left.
He will also be without hooker Feleti Kaitu’u and second-rower Sitaleki Timani who are on Wallaby duty and flanker Tim Anstee.
Newly-signed scrum-half Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, fly-half Reesjan Pasitoa and backs Bayley Kuenzle and Reece Tapine all from the Brumbies, Crusaders winger Manasa Mataele and Wallabies second-rower Izack Rodda are unavailable.
Retiring props Kieran Longbottom and Chris Heiberg will be given a farewell appearance and Sampson will give fringe and academy players an opportunity.
“We are preparing as best we can,” Sampson said.
“The lockdown stifled us a bit and given we haven’t played for five weeks or so you don’t want to change things up too much.
“We’ll be sticking mostly to what we did last year.
“We have to make sure that those young players coming in are comfortable but they have been in the system for a while and are chomping at the bit.”
Sampson has done a remarkable job in his first two seasons as a Super Rugby coach.
He moulded a hastily thrown together side with little notice when the Force were invited to join last year’s Australian Super Rugby competition.
This season he took the “odd squad” of overseas internationals, players coming to the end of their careers and a healthy dose of debutants and local talent to their first finals.
Highlanders star Michael Collins said before their clash: “They’re sort of a bunch of misfits...they love it, they have a good time, they play for each other, obviously a wicked culture.”
Sampson will need to maintain that culture next season as he rebuilds another new-look squad.
They are expected to sign a flanker and outside back with NRL winger Blake Ferguson being pushed hard at the Force by his manager Sam Ayoub after being unwanted by Parramatta.
Backs Richard Kahui and Tony Pulu, prop Greg Holmes and second-rower Jeremy Thrush are re-signing but former Wales second-rower Jake Ball, who left the Scarlets to join his family in Perth, is only an outside chance of joining.
Ball could demand a big salary but because he does not qualify for a Rugby Australia top-up the Force would be unable to get him under the salary cap.
Rugby Reg over at green and gold is suggesting Rodda will be playing club rugby for Brisbane Wests next week due to Rennie wanting a look at him.
While a prospect for him to perhaps see gold is welcome, I would've thought BoP would be a better standard than Hospital Cup.
But, if true, I suppose that's where Rennie is...
Rennie wouldn't want him locked away in the west if he's planning on using him, but I'm a bit surprised that he's looking at locks, Alan of the seven A's was the only tight forward I had issues with last week and all of the locks were serviceable.
It does change the story I'd heard a few weeks ago that suggested Rodda would be playing against the steamers so I'm inclined to believe the rumour. I do think there are bigger holes to cover rhough