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The West Australian
Nick Taylor The West Australian
March 14, 2014, 7:21 am
Western Force coach Michael Foley has named the same team that beat the Melbourne Rebels for tomorrow's Super Rugby clash with the Highlanders in Dunedin.
It is the first time in six games that Foley has named an unchanged side and means there is no place for Wallabies forward Hugh McMeniman.
Winger Luke Morahan, who joined from the Queensland Reds this season, will play his 50th Super Rugby match.
Morahan, who scored the second of his side's four tries against the Rebels, fellow winger Nick Cummins and full-back Jayden Hayward will be under pressure from a Highlanders side that played a big-kicking game in its matches against the Blues and Chiefs.
Foley stressed the importance of a good start against the Highlanders but needs his team to maintain its form through the whole match after it went scoreless in the second half against the Rebels.
"Our focus was to start the match strongly last weekend and it was pleasing to see the team do exactly that," Foley said.
"Our second-half execution wasn't as precise. It is important for us to back up with another strong start and look to improve on our execution into the second half."
Returned Highlander Kurt Baker will make his first Super Rugby appearance of the season in the New Zealanders' starting side.
Baker made his Highlander debut in 2012 before moving to the Crusaders last year. He will start on the left wing.
Teams
Western Force: Pek Cowan, Nathan Charles, Kieran Longbottom, Sam Wykes, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Angus Cottrell, Matt Hodgson (capt), Ben McCalman, Alby Mathewson, Sias Ebersohn, Nick Cummins, Kyle Godwin, Junior Rasolea, Luke Morahan, Jayden Hayward. Reserves: Heath Tessmann, Tetera Faulkner, Ollie Hoskins, Adam Coleman, Brynard Stander, Ian Prior, Zack Holmes, Marcel Brache.
Highlanders: Ben Smith (co-capt), Richard Buckman, Malakai Fekitoa, Shaun Treeby, Kurt Baker, Lima Sopoaga, Aaron Smith, Nasi Manu (co-capt), Shane Christie, John Hardie, Joe Wheeler, Jarrad Hoeata, Chris King, Liam Coltman, Kane Hames. Reserves: Ged Robinson, Matias Diaz, Craig Millar, Josh Bekhuis, Elliot Dixon, Fumiaki Tanaka, Hayden Parker, Phil Burleigh.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...for-nz-stoush/
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Surely it would mean that MMM is just getting a it of extra recoup time? We need him for the season even if he is leaving? Why not have him on the bench or is Foley saving him for the Chiefs perhaps?
Coleman did enough last week to warrant maintaining his bench position IMO. Tough being a lock for once!
Surely MMM in for Wykes (starting on the bench). Coleman and Steenkamp both looked pretty decent last week.
Wykes has been pretty awful since his last big injury. He really needs to pull his finger out and string some good games together.
coz Stone Cold says so
Brad Thorn not playing? We can do without that thug for the game!
When Sir Nathan was asked who were some of the best players he has ever played against..his answer.....Brad Thorn... I quipped a bit of thug though Nathan...and he immediately put me in my place..(bless!) advising he's a strong mongrel player who always puts his body on the line, and someone who is prepared to do that will get fouled "occasionally".......
....I felt thoroughly told off by the great man...but that's okay
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Sharpie is spot-on there. I rate Brad Thorn as one of the all time greats in both codes. If he takes the field he'll be going hard as ever.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
hard to pull your finger out if you're dropped after the one good game you've had in five years. I think this is smart coaching by Foley, and will be even smarter if Wykes is pulled the second he slacks off this week. It says that even MMM doesn't have a walk up start in this team, that will get everyone firing
C'mon the![]()
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Mccallman has walked off in the warm up
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Hope its nothing serious
I think it's now time to bench Wykes, he went into his shell this game, and it took a bit to get him back. He won't be missed with MMM and Coleman I the side and he needs to be kept hungry.
Apart from that, everybody who is fit (and available) from this week starts against the Chiefs.
If it ain't broke
C'mon the![]()
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Why the ....foxtrot uniform charlie kilo... did we have TWO players yellow carded at the same point?
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Good to see the west Aussie flag up in the change room. What a game, pressure on the tackles to shut them down in the mid channels.
Generally speaking you aren’t learning much if your lips are moving!!!
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David