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Hurricanes v Force Match Preview from www.hurricanes.co.nz
Thursday, 16 February 2006
The Hurricanes host the Western Force in New Plymouth on Saturday night in their first home game of the 2006 Rebel Sport Super 14.
The Hurricanes will be eager to carry their form from their opening round 37-19 win over the Blues last Friday into this game against the Force, who lost to the Brumbies 10-25 in their debut Super 14 game in Perth in round one.
Four changes have been made to the Hurricanes playing fifteen who took the field against the Blues.
65-game veteran Paul Tito replaces Luke Andrews at lock for his first run-on start for the Hurricanes since he was injured last year playing the Cats, also in round two.
At loosehead prop John Schwalger replaces Joe McDonnell.
In the backs Ma’a Nonu comes in from the left wing to second five-eighth in place of Tana Umaga, who has been sidelined with a slight calf injury, sustained against the Blues.
Hosea Gear fills the left wing position.
On the bench for the first time in 2006 are backs Tane Tu’ipulotu and Tamati Ellison, who replace Shannon Paku and David Holwell for this game.
A feature of the Hurricanes team for this match will be the Taranaki connection in the forward pack, where four of the eight played for Taranaki in last year’s Air New Zealand NPC. Joining Taranaki tight forwards Andrew Hore, Jason Eaton and Tito is openside flanker Chris Masoe.
For the Force, New Plymouth will also be familiar territory for two of their players. Fullback James Hilgendorf and first five-eighth Brock James, both having played NPC rugby for Taranaki in recent years.
While Hurricanes centre Conrad Smith is familiar with James and Hilgendorf, he admits the Force will largely be an unknown quantity for the Hurricanes, but says the team will be focused on playing their own game well.
“Normally you’ve seen a lot of the players. There’s a few there that we’ve played before with other teams, but a lot of their guys are unknown.”
“You do your own game well and you are not worried too much about how they are playing and the attitude we are going to take for most of our early games is to get our own game right before we worry too much about the other teams.”
Smith is also keen to ignite his midfield combination with Nonu for this game.
“Playing in the midfield is all about a partnership. I have played a bit with Ma’a, who is very good at seeing a gap and finding holes for himself. It is something we have worked on during the week and hopefully we will carry on from the other times that we have played together.”
Kick-off at Yarrow Stadium on Saturday is at 7.35 pm.
By Steven White
Original Article - Hurricanes