Turner will make Force return against Blues
Nick Taylor

Western Force coach Michael Foley has pulled scrum-half Justin Turner out of Perth club ranks for Saturday night’s Super Rugby clash with the Blues in Auckland.


Foley's hand was forced after Ian Prior was banned for three weeks after being sent off for a dangerous tackle in Friday night’s 35-27 loss to the Chiefs.


Prior will miss just two Super Rugby games, against the Blues and Waratahs, as the Force have a bye in the third week and he would have been available for club rugby.


Former All Blacks No.9 Alby Mathewson has not recovered from the ankle injury that saw him miss the Chiefs game and Ryan Louwrens, who had an excellent debut when he came from the reserves bench for Prior in the 28th minute, will start.


Second-rower Adam Coleman, who damaged his right shoulder against the Chiefs, is doubtful for Saturday’s game but Foley is hopeful prop Ollie Hoskins will have recovered from an ankle injury.


Turner, a former Junior Wallaby, has had an injury-ravaged career, making only 11 Force appearances since his 2010 debut, needing three major operations and suffering a fourth serious injury all to his right knee.


He was in the Force wider training group last year and played for Perth Spirit in the National Rugby Championship.


He has recently returned from training stints with the Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh clubs where he would be a valuable asset as he has a Scottish grandmother and would not be classed as an overseas player.


Louwrens, who has come through the Force academy, was also in the Force wider group but suffered a season ending knee injury in training last year.


Turner said he would be relishing another opportunity after several false starts.


“It’s another chance to get some exposure and to play at the highest level,” Turner said.


“There maybe an opening to play in Scotland in the future but right now I’m just looking forward to getting back with the force,”


Foley said Louwrens and Turner would slip seamlessly into Saturday’s squad.


“Justin is very fit, he’s always in good condition. It’s a good opportunity for him having been involved last year and it’s a good opportunity for Ryan as well,” Foley said.


“Ryan did a great job against the Chiefs.


“Lets face it, you don’t often get a debut under more difficult circumstances, away from home, against a team that’s in very good form and one of 14 men.


“He was thrown right in at the deep end and he did very well."


Louwrens did not miss any of his nine tackles.


“This is a guy that was in a key position. We needed people to make extra tackles. We had a guy out there that was ripping in for us,” Foley said.


Foley said his side needed to grab their opportunities against the Blues, the way they did against the Chiefs.


“We’re up against a Blues side that’s full of international players and getting one across the line is obviously what everybody is after. The challenge is to back it up," he said.


“We took opportunities on the weekend better than we had in the previous few games and that was a really good sign.


“We’ve got to take our time, make sure we understand how we are going to get momentum against them and repeat what we did against the Chiefs…take those opportunities that are on offer.


“If we keep 15 men on the field we should be able to defend a bit better as well.”

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