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5 May 2008
LANDSLIDE
The WA Academy team had a familiar look when they ran on to Subiaco Oval for the curtain-raiser against Singapore on Saturday.
Lachlan MacKay, Gareth Hardy, Jon McGrath and Josh Tatupu all turned out for the Academy rather than in the Force’s blue and black to which they are more accustomed.
Stacked with Super 14 talent, the Academy predictably trounced the visitors 113-7. Hardy survived his first game back from an ankle injury and is in contention for a place in the Force squad to travel to Wellington.
PRIZE NIGHT
Tickets are on sale for the Western Force awards night at the Burswood resort on July 11.
Scott Staniforth and Matt Giteau won the two previous player of the year awards and are in contention again this year.
Tickets are $185 and the Force are taking bookings on 9387 0700.
LADIES’ DAY
The cauliflower ears, scabbed knees and muddied faces will contrast vividly with the glamour on the sidelines when Wests-Subiaco host Nedlands in a first-grade club game at Rosalie Park on Saturday week.
Wives and partners of the Wests-Subiaco players have organised a ladies’ day, with participants enjoying drinks and snacks in a marquee next to the club house.
Dress up and have $30 at the ready if you want to be in it.
TA-TA TO TAHS
The Wallabies will be looking for a new No. 8 after Waratah veteran David Lyons signed a deal to play for Welsh side Llanelli.
Lyons, who broke an ankle against Canada in last year’s World Cup, brought up his 100th game for NSW this season.
Wycliff Palu, Richard Brown and Leroy Houston won’t mind his departure, which eliminates him from Wallabies consideration.
ROD ON MAT
Queensland Reds prop Rodney Blake will face a judicial hearing tomorrow night after the match review committee cited him for a dangerous tackle on Blues flanker Daniel Braid in the second half of last Friday’s Super 14 match at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
The hearing will be held at Queensland Rugby headquarters at Ballymore.
ON THE LAM
Auckland coach Pat Lam wants to succeed David Nucifora as coach of the Super 14 Blues.
Lam guided Auckland to the Air New Zealand Cup and Ranfurly Shield, which he feels will count in his favour when the top job is advertised.
Nucifora is returning to Australia, probably to become ARU high performance manager.
SCORCHED
Hindsight is always crystal clear and columnists in Sydney are getting stuck into the NSW Rugby Union for getting rid of coach Ewen McKenzie in a season the Waratahs are bound for the semifinals.
Media personality Rebecca Wilson had this pop at the NSWRU in the Sunday Telegraph: “NSW rugby is one of those troubled beasts that could be likened to putting an octopus in a sack.
“It is made up of a blazer-wearing bunch of egotists who believe they know absolutely everything about the game played in heaven. Those close to the flame claim it is more like hell.”