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Western Force Head Coach John Mitchell has announced his team for Friday night’s Investec Super 14 Week 8 clash with the Reds at Subiaco Oval.
The WA side will welcome back Wallabies Number 8 Richard Brown after a three-game absence with a shoulder injury, while a new-look backline features six players with Test experience.
Brown returns to the back of the scrum as the only change to the starting forward pack from the last time the team took the field on March 21 against the Sharks.
Teenage back James O’Connor returns to inside centre after a successful debut at fullback against the Sharks, while Nick Cummins returns to the left wing after sitting out the side’s Week 6 outing with a hamstring strain.
O’Connor’s switch and Cummins’ return paves the way for former Red Drew Mitchell to return to fullback, where he has started in four of his six matches this season.
As well as celebrating the return of Brown and Cummins the side has also been boosted by the return of Sam Wykes, who has been named in the selected match 22 for the first time this season after completing a long stint on the sidelines following shoulder surgery last year.
The Australian Under 20s lock underwent a full shoulder reconstruction after being injured at a training session on the side’s 2008 development tour of England last August.
He completed a full eighty minutes in his comeback appearance for WA club side University last Saturday, which was enough to convince the match committee that he was ready to make his return to Super 14.
Mitchell admitted his side is facing a must-win scenario against the Reds this Friday night to keep their 2009 finals chances alive.
“We’ve got no choice but to take responsibility for our own future in the 2009 competition and to do that we’ll need to bring a positive mentality and be willing to chance our arm in each of our remaining games,” said Mitchell.
“The bye last week gave us an opportunity to re-assess our position and set our targets for the remainder of the season and there’s no doubt we need greater cohesion in the second half of our campaign.”
Western Force Squad
1. Pek Cowan
2. Tai McIsaac
3. Ben Castle
4. Tom Hockings
5. Nathan Sharpe (c)
6. Matt Hodgson
7. David Pocock
8. Richard Brown
9. Josh Valentine
10. Matt Giteau
11. Nick Cummins
12. James O’Connor
13. Ryan Cross
14. Scott Staniforth
15. Drew Mitchell
Reserves
16. Luke Holmes
17. AJ Whalley
18. Sam Wykes
19. Tamaiti Horua
20. Chris O’Young
21. Junior Pelesasa
22. Haig Sare