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Team as per last week with Kuenzel missing out to concussion protocols:
FORCE (1-15): Tom Robertson, Feleti Kaitu'u (c), Santiago Medrano, Fergus Lee-Warner, Izack Rodda, Brynard Stander, Kane Koteka, Tim Anstee, Ian Prior, Reesjan Pasitoa, Manasa Mataele, Richard Kahui, Kyle Godwin, Toni Pulu, Jake Strachan
RESERVES: Andrew Ready, Harrison Lloyd, Greg Holmes, Ryan McCauley, Ollie Callan, Isaak Fines-Leleiwasa, Jake McIntyre, Byron Ralston
Great to see Ralston back on the bench
Simon Cron: “People talk about winning and losing all the time and they are critical, but there’s a process to get into and it’s the ability to stay present, do your job and execute skills under pressure.”
Carter Gordon dropped to the bench for the Rebels:
REBELS (1-15): Cameron Orr, Jordan Uelese, Cabous Eboff, Matt Philip, Ross Haylett-Petty, Sam Wallis, Brad Wilkin, Michael Wells (c), Joe Powell, Matt To'ouma, Glen Vaihu, Raymond Nu’u, Stacey Ili, Lachie Anderson, Reece Hodge
RESERVES: James Hanson, Matt Gibbon, Sef Fa’agase, Thomas Nowlan, Tamati Ioane, James Tuttle, Carter Gordon, Young Tonumaipea
Simon Cron: “People talk about winning and losing all the time and they are critical, but there’s a process to get into and it’s the ability to stay present, do your job and execute skills under pressure.”
Gordon needed to sit after the shocker he had last week. I'm not even saying that he needed to be hooked, after a performance like that you'd expect he'll have a mountain to climb before he gets the confidence to play properly.
The good news, To'omua throws a lovely three man cutout ball to our wingers for a try. Put money on it, he's a master!
I reckon we have them towelled up in the set piece and probably also the loose.
As for the backline, Hodge's boot is likely to be the only thing that'll trouble us.
If last week was season defining (and I actually believe it turned out that way) this week is our opportunity to show that we can convert field position into tries. if that doesn't happen this week, I'm pretty confident we'll struggle.
C'mon the![]()
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Simon Cron: “People talk about winning and losing all the time and they are critical, but there’s a process to get into and it’s the ability to stay present, do your job and execute skills under pressure.”
The Rebels will make it a scrap, as they always do. Gotta keep discipline up. They don't have much in attack, we'd be suited to playing for territory a bit and backing our line-out to disrupt.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
Happy with those teams. Hopefully Kuenzle has a quick recovery as he looked good before injury.
Rebels will be much less dangerous with Gordon not in the team. As GIGS20 has said, we look to have them covered on paper everywhere except perhaps tactical kicking. Weather looks ok for Saturday as well. A must win game really if we're going to have a decent year.
Yeah I mean Matt Phillip vs Fergus Lee-Warner as locks, before Sunday I would have said Phillip was better in that position, but somehow Fergus and Rodda made Darcy Swain (who I don't really rate) and Caderyn Neville (who I do) look idiotic. To the point where the Brumbies had to resort to crap trick plays to break the shackles. so I'm quite happy for that pairing to continue, because I would have called the Ponies' lineout the most dangerous in the country.
Hodge vs Strachan is a hard one to call. Hodge probably has the defensive positioning and the boot, but Strachan has about 1000% more in attack. Reesjan seems to have plenty of boot to make up for the difference
C'mon the![]()
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Really? I musta been watching another game. I'll grant you our blokes had the edge at the line-out, at least in the first half. Apart from that I thought Swain had great day out. I think he's got lots of potential and I'd bet Sundays line-out performance will turn out to be a blip on the radar..
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Glad they kept the same team, other than forced replacement. Soooo important to win this one.
Exile
Port Macquarie
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!" - Rocky Balboa
Western Force boosted by Richard Kahui experience in Melbourne Rebels grudge match
Nick Taylor article in The West
The experience of former All Black Richard Kahui will be key to steadying the Western Force backline in their grudge Super Rugby Pacific clash with Melbourne Rebels on Saturday.
The World Cup winner replaces young gun Bayley Kuenzle who is sidelined after receiving a head knock in his Force debut against the Brumbies last week.
Kahui has been used across the backline, in midfield and on the wing, for the last two seasons and feels comfortable at inside centre next to Kyle Godwin.
“Excited to play.... to come and add something, even if it’s just effort, work hard off the ball and add a bit of voice,” Kahui said.
“Disappointed for Bayley. He had a really great pre-season. He’s someone we can really look forward to seeing in the next two seasons.”
The Rebels have also turned to experience in veteran Matt Toomua to steady their ship as they return home for their first home game in 287 days.
Toomua starts at fly-half with young playmaker Carter Gordon moved to the bench after he produced a mixed bag in the heavy opening-round loss to Queensland.
Kahui said the Wallaby would bring direction and calm to the Rebels backline.
“Their main thrust, 9, 10 and 12 are all really experienced, really great at their territory game, big kickers,” he said.
“They have the ability to hurt you if you make mistakes. We have to put pressure on, slow down the 9-10 combination.
“They are playing a different shape from last year, trying to move the ball a bit more. We need to keep constant pressure, force them deep or to chance their arm a bit and force some mistakes.”
Kahui said the new-look Force will not be inhibited, having been given a freedom to run the ball from the start.
“We’ve got a brand of rugby where we want to take opportunities when they are there,” he said.
“We don’t have to wait. Sometimes in rugby you think it’s the first 20 minutes, lets just kick the ball and go for territory.
“We are talking about taking opportunities. We are not discouraged from playing what we see.”
Captain Feleti Kaitu’u is expecting a huge battle in the pack.
“The Rebels have a very talented group, individually a very passionate group,” Kaitu’u said.
“I’ve no doubt they will front up physically and it will be a real battle up-front.
“They never go away no matter what the scoreboard says. We’re well aware of that.”
The hooker said they would not use the controversial 2017 culling of the Force and saving of the Rebels by Rugby Australia as extra motivation
“We’re pretty big on not wanting to dwell on the past,” he said.
“We want to take the club in a new direction and part of that is accepting what happened and creating our own legacy with the current group we have.”
Simon Cron: “People talk about winning and losing all the time and they are critical, but there’s a process to get into and it’s the ability to stay present, do your job and execute skills under pressure.”
Keep your eyes up Kyle. To'omua will likely throw you a cut-out to intercept at some stage. He's a 12 not a 10.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Playing well, but we need some pay...