1 Attachment(s)
Western Force Take Shape for Pre-Season
Emirates Western Force Coach John Mitchell has named a strong starting XV for Thursday’s pre-season clash with the Queensland Reds at Members Equity Stadium (7.05pm WA kick off).
Among the new inclusions for the Force is inside centre Scott Staniforth, who returns to action for the first time since injuring his shoulder during the Wallabies’ 2007 World Cup campaign in France.
Lock David Pusey and back rower Scott Fava also return to the lineup after sitting out the team’s opening trial defeat to the Crusaders in Melbourne last Saturday with minor injury complaints.
While fielding a strong lineup for his team’s final pre-season hit out, Mitchell insisted he has not yet settled on his preferred lineup for the Super 14 season opener in Durban on February 15.
“It’s our final pre-season match so we needed to look at a few more guys in the run on team prior to naming our squad to fly to South Africa,” said Mitchell.
“We are still a way off settling on our lineup for the opening match against the Sharks, and at the moment it’s about building our depth as a group,” he added.
“Just about everyone in the squad will have played decent minutes (for the pre-season) after Thursday night’s match.”
Mitchell said Thursday’s trail would give his side a well-rounded preparation leading into the start of the competition proper.
“We’re fortunate enough to have matches against teams from each country to start our campaign. We played the Crusaders (NZ) and we’ll also play an Aussie team (the Reds) before opening the competition against the Sharks in South Africa,” he said.
“Plus we’re growing our game under the new ELV’s (Experimental Law Variations) and looking for what will work best for us on the field.”
Tickets are still available for the clash, which is the sole pre-season match to be played in WA before the Force return from South Africa to take on the Crusaders in Week Four (Sunday 9 March).
Tickets: Ticketmaster 136100 or Official Ticketmaster site. Tickets for Concerts, Sports, Arts, Theatre, Family, Events, more.
Emirates Western Force v Queensland Reds
Thursday 7 February, 2008
Members Equity Stadium, Perth
Kick off: 7.05pm (9.05pm AEDST)
Emirates Western Force
1. Gareth Hardy
2. Tai McIsaac
3. AJ Whalley
4. David Pusey
5. Nathan Sharpe (c)
6. Scott Fava
7. David Pocock
8. Richard Brown
9. Matt Henjak
10. Matt Giteau (vc)
11. Drew Mitchell
12. Scott Staniforth
13. Ryan Cross
14. Nick Cummins
15. Cameron Shepherd
Reserves (to be selected from)
Luke Holmes, Troy Takiari, Pek Cowan, Sitaleki Timani, Scott Fardy, Matt Hodgson, Sam Wykes, James Stannard, Scott Daruda, Josh Tatupu, Dane Haylett-Petty, James O’Connor, Keiran Longbottom, Lachlan MacKay.
and SMH's take????????????
Force's Super 14 side still undecided
February 5, 2008 - 4:38PM
Western Force coach John Mitchell has continued to dangle the carrot of Super 14 selection for his younger players, despite appearing to name his best squad for this week's final trial game against Queensland in Perth.
With returns for Scott Fava, Scott Staniforth and David Pusey, the Force XV to face the Reds on Thursday took on a "first-choice" look, with only the late withdrawal of winger Haig Sare throwing some doubt on his availability.
But Mitchell, who gave many of lesser lights game time in the second half of the loss to the Crusaders last weekend, said his mind was still to settle on his favoured combination.
"It's our final pre-season match so we needed to look at a few more guys in the run-on team prior to naming our squad to fly to South Africa," Mitchell said.
"We are still a way off settling on our line-up for the opening match against the Sharks, and at the moment it's about building our depth as a group.
"Just about everyone in the squad will have played decent minutes (for the pre-season) after Thursday night's match."
The Force welcome back Staniforth into their midfield after his recovery from a shoulder injury suffered during Australia's World Cup campaign.
Matt Giteau will again play at flyhalf, where he has trained for the entire pre-season and he has categorically stated he wants to stay there this year.
His duel with potential Wallaby rival Berrick Barnes could be one of the highlights of the game, and one of the talking points of the Super 14 season.
Mitchell will also have both his errant back rowers, Richard Brown and Fava, in action together for the first time since their off-season "Quokka" disgrace during drunken antics on Rottnest Island.
Fava had been struggling with a slight hamstring niggle.
David Pusey will partner captain Nathan Sharpe in the second row, after his off-season ankle surgery, while Lachlan MacKay also makes a welcome return to the Force bench after two years battling various injuries.
Mitchell said the trial would give his side a well-rounded preparation leading into the start of the competition.
"We're fortunate enough to have matches against teams from each country to start our campaign." he said.
"We played the Crusaders and we'll also play an Aussie team before opening the competition against the Sharks in South Africa.
"Plus were growing our game under the new ELVs (Experimental Law Variations) and looking for what will work best for us on the field."
Western Force: Cameron Shepherd, Nick Cummins, Ryan Cross, Scott Staniforth, Drew Mitchell, Matt Giteau, Matt Henjak, Richard Brown, David Pocock, Scott Fava, Nathan Sharpe (capt), David Pusey, AJ Whalley, Tai McIsaac, Gareth Hardy. Res: Luke Holmes, Troy Takiari, Pek Cowan, Sitaleki Timani, James Stannard, Scott Fardy, Matt Hodgson, Sam Wykes, Scott Daruda, Josh Tatupu, Nick Cummins, Dane Haylett-Petty, James O'Connor, Kieran Longbottom, Lachlan MacKay.
© 2008 AAP
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