Western Force -v- Auckland Blues, Lineup
PELESASA TO PLAY HIS 50TH WHILE IOANE HAS ONE LAST SUBI HURRAH
Powerful centre Junior Pelesasa will earn his 50th Super rugby cap when the Emirates Western Force play the Blues at Subiaco Oval on Friday night.
Pelesasa returns to the starting line-up wearing 12, with Matt Giteau shifting back to flyhalf and James Hilgendorf switching to the bench.
In other, rotational changes, Luke Doherty and David Pocock come into the 1st XV at blindside and openside flanker, respectively, while Richard Brown and Matt Hodgson move to the bench.
Hodgson is bracketed with David Pusey, who has a leg strain and whose selection will be determined later in the week.
Friday night’s match, the final round of the regular season, will be winger Digby Ioane’s last in the ocean blue at Subiaco Oval, having decided to further his career with the Reds.
It will also be the final time that local fans will see scrumhalf Chris O’Young, who is leaving the Force to play in Glasgow.
Emirates Western Force Head Coach John Mitchell said the Blues had been the competition leader for most of the season, and would be bolstered by the return of Luke McAlister.
“Troy Flavell has also had an outstanding season, as has Isaia Toeava and of course Dougie Howlett is Super rugby’s most prolific try scorer of all time, so they are going to be a handful,” he said.
“Parts of our performance against the Cheetahs were outstanding but against a team like Blues we will need to sustain the pressure for longer periods of play.”
Mitchell said that, as with the previous week, the Force had no choice but to win and play well.
“We come in to Friday night’s game with a slim opportunity. We must make the most of it and finish the regular season at home with a performance we can be proud of. Our wonderful supporters deserve as much.”
The squad:
1. Gareth Hardy
2. Tai McIsaac
3. Troy Takiari
4. Rudi Vedelago
5. Nathan Sharpe (c)
6. Luke Doherty
7. David Pocock
8. Scott Fava
9. Matt Henjak
10. Matt Giteau
11. Digby Ioane
12. Junior Pelesasa
13. Ryan Cross
14. Scott Staniforth
15. Drew Mitchell
16. Luke Holmes
17. AJ Whalley
18. David Pusey/Matt Hodgson
19. Richard Brown
20. Chris O’Young
21. James Hilgendorf
22. Haig Sare
