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Force toll opens door for rookie
DAVE HUGHES
6 May 2008
A formidable All Black welcome to Super 14 rugby awaits Perth teenager Dane Haylett-Petty on Friday.
The Western Force appear to have no option but to give the Hale school graduate significant game time against the Hurricanes in Wellington, as World Cup Wallaby Scott Staniforth still battles a knee injury.
Staniforth was a late withdrawal from the last-gasp win over the Chiefs and faces a fitness test today to determine if he travels or joins fellow first-team regulars Scott Fava, Tamaiti Horua, Haig Sare, Junior Pelesasa, Pek Cowan, Nic Cummins and Tom Hockings on the list of those sidelined for the team’s second trip of the year to New Zealand.
Haylett-Petty, 18, came off the bench to get his first six minutes of Super 14 action against the Chiefs at Subiaco Oval last Saturday.
However, the Force’s injury crisis could compel coach John Mitchell to use him on the right wing in place of Staniforth and Cummins, out for 12 weeks with a broken fibula.
If so, Haylett-Petty will oppose a classy Hurricanes back line likely to include Test trio Ma’a Nonu, Conrad Smith and Tane Tu’ipolotu, plus NZ Maori representative Shannon Paku — a rapid rise for a player who made his first-grade debut for Cottesloe a few months ago.
Although Haylett-Petty was born in South Africa, he started playing rugby at school in Perth and within five years represented the State under-16 team.
Last year, he captained WA Schoolboys at the second-division national championships at Geelong and was then selected to lead the Combined States team in the subsequent first-division titles at Canberra.
He represented the Australia A Schools team against England under-18 last August and did well enough to earn an apprentice contract with the Force.
The absence of Cowan suggests another local club product, prop Kieran Longbottom, is likely to make a second Super 14 appearance on Friday after playing all but 10 minutes of the Chiefs game.
The Force team to play the third-placed Hurricanes at Westpac Stadium will be announced this morning.
•Former Wallabies star Glen Ella has been hired by the Fiji Rugby Union as a technical advisor.
Last edited by force addict; 06-05-08 at 16:27. Reason: dane
Be There. Be Heard. Be The Force Behind The Force
FA, he expands on this with..A formidable All Black welcome to Super 14 rugby awaits Perth teenager Dane Haylett-Petty on Friday.
If so, Haylett-Petty will oppose a classy Hurricanes back line likely to include Test trio Ma’a Nonu, Conrad Smith and Tane Tu’ipolotu, plus NZ Maori representative Shannon Paku — a rapid rise for a player who made his first-grade debut for Cottesloe a few months ago.
Good luck to the young fella...Plenty of injuries makes for exciting times...time for some of the young guys to show us what they have got...cant wait to watch
coz Stone Cold says so
Good luck to him, he will aquit himself I am sure of it.
it means that "the all black contingent of the hurricanes will give Dane a formidible welcome to super14 rugby on friday"
translated to "Danes gonna get smashed!!"
Good luck to Dane & all the other newbies having a go this week. What an achievement to be so young and yet such an athlete, especially against New Zealand!!
Good luck boys!!![]()
I watched Dane play for Cott a few weeks ago and that boy has talent in spades. Very very exciting to watch and very much an investment for the future.
Go get them Dane! Though next time you play uni... please don't play as well as you did!
I made Happy sad...
didnt?
try couldnt.
there is a reason he is rabbit!
Young Josh Tatupu might get a geurnsey as well with Crossy getting a fractured cheekbone!
Those Chiefs certainly touched us up pretty bad...
Brother Gallagher I hear you
While talking of younger players, was very impressed with the tackling of Sitaleki Timani!
Not always perhaps that legal in the timing but damn effective and rattling.
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.