Spots up for grabs as Force tackle Reds

Nick Taylor, The West Australian
February 15, 2012, 8:53 am


Spots up for grabs as Force tackle Reds
Western Force coach Richard Graham has warned that jobs are on the line and reputations will count for nothing as his side heads into tomorrow night's trial at nib Stadium against the Queensland Reds.

The Force were kept pointless by the Brumbies in their first trial and Graham will want a confidence-building display and not a second blank scoresheet before the season opener against the Brumbies in Canberra in eight days.

"Reputations, at the end of the day, don't count for a lot if you don't perform. The challenge for the group is that they have got to front up and play well," Graham said.

"There are a number of key objectives that we want to get out of the trial but still keep a few things to our chest."

New captain David Pocock will lead the side for the first time this year and Graham has also introduced full-back Cameron Shepherd into the run-on side.

He is keeping Wallabies second row Nathan Sharpe and back- rower Richard Brown on the sidelines. Sharpe is recovering from a calf-muscle tear and Brown had a double shoulder reconstruction in the off season.

Also missing from the line-up that started against the Brumbies is Nick Cummins who received a knock in that game. Centre Pat Dellit will not start for the second time.

All are expected to be fit for the first Super match.

New signing Toby Lynn will take Sharpe's spot next to Sam Wykes in the pack that will boast an all Wallabies back row of Pocock, Matt Hodgson and Ben McCalman.

Graham has named a strong front row in Pek Cowan, Nathan Charles and Salesi Ma'afu.

Young scrum-half Justin Turner will start the match in the new combination with fly-half James Stannard while Graham has kept the same centre pairing of Rory Sidey and Winston Stanley.

"It's an opportunity for Wykesy to improve on his form of last year and for Toby to become familiar with what we are trying to achieve," Graham said.

"Rory and Winston did some really good things last week. We made a number of first-phase breaks and challenged the line. Given how well they performed they deserve another opportunity."

He considered resting Pocock again but thought it important that he get his first leadership experience of the season.

The game kicks off at 7.10pm with a warm-up game between the Western Force A and the Australian Barbarians starting at 4.40pm.

WESTERN FORCE *

_Run-on side: _Pek Cowan, Nathan Charles, Salesi Ma'afu, Sam Wykes, Toby Lynn, Matt Hodgson, David Pocock (C), Ben McCalman, Justin Turner, James Stannard, Napolioni Nalaga, Rory Sidey, Winston Stanley, Sam Wara, Cameron Shepherd

_Reserves from: _Phoenix Battye, Angus Cottrell, Gene Fairbanks, Tetera Faulkner, Kieran Longbottom, Alfie Mafi, Salesi Manu, Ben Seymour, Brett Sheehan, Elvis Taione, Ben Whittaker

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...e-tackle-reds/