Force Squad Announced for Chiefs Clash

[Darren]

Emirates Western Force Head Coach John Mitchell has announced his team for Friday night’s Investec Super 14 Week 4 clash with the Chiefs at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton.

With Richard Brown returning home with a strained left shoulder, Mitchell has made just one forced change to his starting XV, elevating Tamaiti Horua to the blindside flank and shifting Matt Hodgson to the back of the scrum.

Hodgson will wear the Number 8 for the second time in his 33-match career, after an impressive showing from the side of the scrum in the 25-16 victory over the Brumbies in Canberra last Saturday.

Horua, who started the opening two matches of the WA side’s 2009 campaign in the number 6, returns to that role after a spell on the reserves bench last weekend.

Further reinforcements were called in this week in the shape of David Pusey and AJ Whalley, both of whom have been named on the reserves bench for Friday night’s showdown.

50-cap veteran Pusey has been named in the match 22 for the first time this season after being drafted into the touring squad to replace the injured Brown, while 117kg prop Whalley replaces Kieran Longbottom after missing two matches with an ankle sprain.

Whalley was originally scheduled to play a club rugby trial fixture for Warringah in Sydney this weekend, but was drafted into the team to bolster the front row stocks.

Mitchell said his side is wary of the winless Chiefs.

“The Chiefs have had opportunities to win each of their matches so far and their position on the table is not really a reflection of we’re they’re at,” said Mitchell.

“They’ve played the top three sides and have been very committed and once again they’ll be desperate to perform well at home.”

2009 Investec Super 14 Week 4
Emirates Western Force v Chiefs
Friday 6 March, 2009
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, NZ
Kick off: 7.35pm NZ (3.35pm AWDST)

Emirates Western Force

1. Pek Cowan
2. Tai McIsaac
3. Ben Castle
4. Tom Hockings
5. Nathan Sharpe (c)
6. Tamaiti Horua
7. David Pocock
8. Matt Hodgson
9. Josh Valentine
10. Matt Giteau
11. Cameron Shepherd
12. Junior Pelesasa
13. Ryan Cross
14. Nick Cummins
15. Drew Mitchell

Reserves

16. Luke Holmes
17. AJ Whalley
18. David Pusey
19. Richard Stanford
20. Chris O’Young
21. James O’Connor
22. Haig Sare

[travelling_gerry]

Those back are going to be nice and settled by now.

[Cookie]

The forwards will be looking to redeem themselves in the set pieces this week,if the backs can keep building on last weeks efforts it will be a very good game.The Chiefs will be very dangerous out wide.Cant wait for this one,hope the weather holds out over there.

[The EnForcer]

Yeah, pretty happy with the backs but still have a concern with the forwards. What do we reckon to the pack...are we gonna struggle again or do you think we will show more cohesion in the scrum?

[Cookie]

Chiefs Preach the Value of Faith
2nd March 2009 01:56PM


PETER DRURY by Waikato Times

The Chiefs still believe: while the less faithful followers might be wondering whether their team is headed for another mid-table finish after opening with three losses for 12th spot on the points table, the players' confidence has not been dented.

Stand-in skipper and blind-side flanker Liam Messam believes his team are about to break loose in this Friday night's home game against the Force, who have rocketed up to fourth with their upset away win over the Brumbies at the weekend.

"We were a lot more passionate than we have been the last two weeks and we're not far off,'' Messam said after Saturday's 22-15 home loss to the unbeaten Sharks at Waikato Stadium when TV match official referrals and their own lack of finish conspired against them. "Once we click, we're going to be a very dangerous side. I think that's a positive we can take out of tonight.''

Hooker Aled de Malmanche, along with rookie tight-head prop James McGougan, brought some much needed vigour, enthusiasm and go-forward to the team, and seems to be thriving on the chance to concentrate on one position in the front row. He too believes the Chiefs are heading in the right direction but just need to improve their accuracy and concision in critical moments.

"We've got full confidence in our team and the players we've got, so we've just got to go out there and try to play our game, I think,'' de Malmanche said.

We have improved a bit but losing is pretty frustrating. We have to keep positive, go out to play our game each week and aim to score tries, which is what we want to do.''

De Malmanche said the Chiefs forwards had set out to regain respect on their home ground after being under the pump all week for a lack-lustre effort against the Waratahs in Sydney eight days earlier. But while they had mostly succeeded in giving their ball runners a better launch pad, they still had some way to go in finishing off games and nailing critical moments, including his lineout throwing.

Meanwhile the only significant injury concern in the Chiefs' camp from the match was the recurrence of Sione Lauaki's hamstring injury that prevented him taking the field in the second spell after an influential effort in the first. He is in doubt, along with the already injured Mils Muliaina and Richard Kahui, for Friday's match.

Centre Dwayne Sweeney pulled up with severe cramp in his calf when he went to cover the kick that led to JP Pietersen's second try and wing Lelia Masaga, who was a dynamo on attack but caught out at times on defence, limped off with a sore leg, both late in the second spell. Both are expected to be fit for the Force match.
Tags: I'm sure the force faithful can relate to this.

[Burgs]

There isn't really that much that can be done to the scrums, we have what would appear to be the strongest tight five available.
Maybe Pusey at #4 would bring some more experience there.
I think we have the Props right and Tai is still well in front of Luke at the set piece.
It's really just a case of tough it out and try to keep improving.

[Stone Cold]

Sheps on the wing to continue on his merry way scoring bulk tries...

Good to see AJ back in the team to provide some mongrel...

Cant wait to see another blinder from Junior - he's gonna tear em up

[unipirate]

Burgs has it right. All they can do is improve, well lets hope they do! Bit more practice is all they need maybe? If they are committed to improving they will be fine!

[Darren]

Still no Spanner!?

[Cookie]

spanner probably still needs to prove his fitness and may get a run with his old sydney club this weekend.

Expect an improvement in scrums and lineouts this week as the boys would be dissappointed with last week and have a point to prove.AJ is a strong back up to bring on.

The weather could dictate how this game will be played.

[shasta]

I left the ground thinking they were murdered in the scrums. But after having a look at the tape it was not so bad, well not completely anyway. When they were really smashed was the period both Luke Holmes and Pek were injured. Greg Martin said if the coaches were cynical about it they could have taken Holmes and Pek off and gone uncontested. Thank God they didn't. The actual scrum that was penalised could just as easily have gone against their loosehead for driving up (if our boys had not been going backwards so fast so often beforehand )

[James]

The Chiefs haven't really got any stars in their tight five. Neither their line-out nor their scrum should be any better than the Brumbies ones if not worse due to less experience and less time together. I reckon our line-out will be better and our scrum should at least hold.

[GIGS20]

Yeah....been a bit disappointed in our lineout the last two weeks, It's def time for Sharpie to put his stamp on one!

As fo rthe scrum...I doubt we'll ever really dominate this season, but if we can hold every team we play, and keep them honest in the scrum, surely there are gains in other areas!

[SleazyWineBaas]

I think the Force scrum is OK until McIsaac goes off. Luke Holmes isn't big or dynamic enough. These super 14 pro rugby props are big lads and are out to hurt people. Luke seems a bit small for the task.
BC has a few games under his belt. Perhaps the Force could put a photo of him on the website in a Force jumper? He looks out of place with the Chiefs jumper. Look for BC to step up against his old franchise. he's had a few gallops and they have had an extra week to practice scrummaging together. They'll step up. The Chiefs pack aren't the best in the super 14.
Brown is a huge loss. He has been on fire and he will be missed as a lineout option. he has been the goto man at 2 for the money play.
The Chiefs are due.........a worry

[zimeric]

famous last words... she'll be right!
guys i have a good feeling about this game, as i did with the canes v Force game in 07 and the brumbies v force game last weekend.. the planets are lining up!