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Captain Matt Hodgson will become the first player to represent the Western Force in 100 Asteron Life Super Rugby matches this Saturday (8 March) when the Western Australian club takes on rivals, the Melbourne Rebels, at the ‘Force Field’ (nib Stadium).
Hodgson started at openside flanker in the Force’s inaugural match against the Brumbies in 2006, and has played in 99 of the club’s 115 matches over the past nine seasons.
Western Force Head Coach Michael Foley says his team is focused on a performance worthy of such an achievement.
“Saturday is significant and fitting milestone for Matt and his family,” he said. “The commitment Matt has made to the club over its relatively brief history has earnt him the respect of every member of the Force family.
“Our focus is to be stronger from the start of the match. While we’ve identified the things that are costing us, the challenge is to ensure we nail those areas for Matt and our supporters on Saturday night ”
Hodgson will be joined in the back row by No.8 Ben McCalman and Angus Cottrell, who replaces Chris Alcock after the flanker was omitted as a precaution due to a shoulder complaint.
Lock Wilhelm Steenkamp returns to the starting XV in place of Hugh McMeniman, who is recovering from a back injury sustained last weekend, while prop Pek Cowan has also worked his way back into the run-on front row.
In the backline, Jayden Hayward has been reinstated at fullback after scoring a try off the bench in last weekend’s match against the Brumbies. This followed up from his 24-point haul in Force A’s 29-23 win over Reds A in their opening Pacific Rugby Cup match a fortnight ago.
Hayward’s inclusion at fullback sees Luke Morahan start from the wing, while Sias Ebersohn also returns to the run-on side at flyhalf.
On the bench, hooker Heath Tessmann will suit up against his former Rebels teammates, while lock Adam Coleman and outside back Marcel Brache are in line to make their debut for the Western Force, having each previously made one Super Rugby appearance for the NSW Waratahs and Stormers respectively. Back-rower Brynard Stander returns to the line-up after recovering from a head knock suffered during the side’s opening round match against the Waratahs.
2014 Asteron Life Super Rugby – Week Four
Western Force v Melbourne Rebels
The ‘Force Field’ (nib Stadium), Perth
Saturday, 8 March 2014
Kick-off: 4.40pm
1. Pek Cowan
2. Nathan Charles
3. Kieran Longbottom
4. Sam Wykes
5. Wilhelm Steenkamp
6. Angus Cottrell
7. Matt Hodgson (c)
8. Ben McCalman
9. Alby Mathewson
10. Sias Ebersohn
11. Nick Cummins
12. Kyle Godwin
13. Junior Rasolea
14. Luke Morahan
15. Jayden Hayward
Reserves
16. Heath Tessmann
17. Tetera Faulkner
18. Ollie Hoskins
19. Adam Coleman*
20. Brynard Stander
21. Ian Prior
22. Zack Holmes
23. Marcel Brache*
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
Well it's a start. Lets hope a minor change in personal make a major change in play.
Sias needs to seize this opportunity and show us the same flair with running the ball he did when he came on last week. Don't go into your shell and just kick everything. Getting Hayward in was a gimme and Morahan is a far better option on the wing that Delitt who hasn't shown much since being Force young player of the year a couple of years back.
Shame MMM hasn't come up for this weeks game because Wykes has been really disappointing. Adam Coleman gets his chance off the bench and I hope he throws his weight around along with Stander.
They must take this game and do it for Hodgo and reverse our terrible record against the Rebels. Their fans are just marking this one down as a training session. Come on Force!
Was hoping they would start Ian Prior over Alby, otherwise team looks good.
Cmon Force let's do it for Hodgson
Force got this
Ive only missed one home game and it was when they beat the Brumbies last year
I think this is a pretty good balance of making some changes to fix some of the problems without chucking the baby out. Wykes can consider himself bloody lucky that Madness is hurt and would want to watch himself because Coleman will legitimately think there's a starting spot up for grabs.
Otoh Stander can consider himself pretty unlucky to be in a team with so many backrowers of quality. He's probably only sitting the bench because he's on the way back from injury, expect to see him early I'd Higgers needs some stopping!
Good to see Pekka adding some iron to the front row and the back three is what we've been asking for.....if we don't get some line breaks now, we all have to shut up and wait for a new contracting season.
C'mon the![]()
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I think this is a pretty good balance of making some changes to fix some of the problems without chucking the baby out. Wykes can consider himself bloody lucky that Madness is hurt and would want to watch himself because Coleman will legitimately think there's a starting spot up for grabs.
Otoh Stander can consider himself pretty unlucky to be in a team with so many backrowers of quality. He's probably only sitting the bench because he's on the way back from injury, expect to see him early I'd Higgers needs some stopping!
Good to see Pekka adding some iron to the front row and the back three is what we've been asking for.....if we don't get some line breaks now, we all have to shut up and wait for a new contracting season.
C'mon the![]()
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Seems the Rebels are using this game as a training run. The Rebels using the Force as a training run - is this how far we've fallen :-(((
We HAVE to smash them to smithereens!!
http://www.espnscrum.com/super-rugby...ry/217175.html
Seems the Rebels are using this game as a training run. The Rebels using the Force as a training run - is this how far we've fallen :-(((
We HAVE to smash them to smithereens!!
http://www.espnscrum.com/super-rugby...ry/217175.html
Why is everyone posting everything twice everything twice?
Glad to see Hayward on the team sheet. He definitely did enough last week to be in the starting line-up.
Reasonably happy with the changes that Foley has made in the response to last week. Will be keen to see how Coleman fares at lock if he gets on the park. Wykes should see it as a sign. Still can't believe that Battye isn't getting a run though.
The Rebels were a clear class above us in their match against the Cheetahs last week. They were so much better disciplined and organised. We will need a massive turnaround in our performance to get over the top of them if they play the same.
I really like the look of our side this week. Although if MMM was fit would have benched Wykes.
Force A playing in Brisbane on Monday, which will be their last game in PRC.
Perhaps some of those players will fly from Brisbane to Dunedin for the following week, but certainly all will be available theafter then
![]()
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
Force A playing in Brisbane on Monday, which will be their last game in PRC.
Perhaps some of those players will fly from Brisbane to Dunedin for the following week, but certainly all will be available theafter then
![]()
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!