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FORCE SIDE NAMED FOR CLASH WITH CHIEFS
By Fraser Smith on Thu 24th March 16
The Western Force have made two changes to the match-day 23 to face the Chiefs at FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton on Saturday, 26 March, as the Western Australian side goes on the hunt for their second win of the season.
In the only changes to the team, hooker Heath Tessmann comes into the starting XV along with Brynard Stander who gets the nod at blindside flanker.
Head Coach Michael Foley says the side had learnt some valuable lessons from last week’s loss to the Hurricanes.
“We were disappointed in our performance on Friday night. For the first 60 minutes of the game, we created enough opportunities to take points,” he said. “However, at key times we gave possession away and released pressure too easily. A lot of the lead up work in attack was what we’ve been practicing and came on the back of good set piece and defence.
“Ultimately, we will stay true to the way we want to play and won’t lose sight of what we are trying to achieve, but to take the next step and win those games, will mean being more relentless to finish our work when we have momentum at different times throughout the game.”
Tessmann comes into the starting front-row and will join the familiar pairing of Pek Cowan and Tetera Faulkner. The formidable pairing of Adam Coleman and Ross Haylett-Petty will start in the second row for the third straight week.
In the backrow, Stander comes into the starting line-up at blindside with Matt Hodgson at openside and the versatile Angus Cottrell will look to make an impact moving to No.8.
In an unchanged back line Alby Mathewson and Peter Grant will look to get the Force on the front foot and continue to build their chemistry while Solomoni (Junior) Rasolea and Ben Tapuai again partner in the midfield. Semisi Masirewa and Marcel Brache will man the wings while Dane Haylett-Petty will look to continue his fine form at fullback.
Coming off the bench, Ben McCalman will look to make his impact felt when he comes off the bench while Ryan Louwrens and Albert Nikoro will be keen to make the most of their opportunity after showing some good signs in theirs stints off the bench last week.
2016 Asteron Life Super Rugby – Week Five
Chiefs v Western Force
FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton Saturday, 26 March 2016
Kick-off: 2:35PM AWST (Fox Sports)
1. Pekahou Cowan
2. Heath Tessmann
3. Tetera Faulkner
4. Ross Haylett-Petty
5. Adam Coleman
6. Brynard Stander
7. Matt Hodgson (C)
8. Angus Cottrell
9. Alby Mathewson
10. Peter Grant
11. Semisi Masirewa
12. Solomoni (Junior Rasolea)
13. Ben Tapuai
14. Marcel Brache
15. Dane Haylett-Petty
Reserves
16. Chris Heiberg
17. Nathan Charles
18. Jermaine Ainsley
19. Sitiveni (Stevie) Mafi
20. Ben McCalman
21. Ryan Louwrens
22. Ian Prior
23. Albert Nikoro
- See more at: https://www.westernforce.com.au/arti....cOtNjs1f.dpuf
So glad to that the coach is learning on the job - "Head Coach Michael Foley says the side had learnt some valuable lessons from last week’s loss to the Hurricanes"
they are going to learn a lot of valuable lessons this season.I feel
Message for Force: Lift skills, cut the errors
Nick Taylor - The West Australian on March 24, 2016, 12:41 am
Western Force captain Matt Hodgson says players must take responsibility for their mistakes and lift their skill levels as they head into Saturday night’s Super Rugby clash with the Chiefs in Hamilton.
Their endurance faces another examination in the second of their three-game tour of New Zealand.
The Force are in a crucial period with only one win in four games and need to re-start their campaign after last Saturday’s 41-6 defeat by the Hurricanes.
Despite the disappointment of the loss in Palmerston North, Hodgson said the side could return to winning ways.
“We are obviously disappointed with the way we have let things slip but we can bounce back,” Hodgson said.
“We’ve had a good review and some solid sessions and we will get better.
“We have plans to score, we just have to execute them. We have to lift our energy levels and work even harder in that area.
“You can see how the game plan is working to create opportunities but it is coming down to individual skill errors at crucial times in crucial areas of the field. When we get into those scoring opportunities we have to take them because you may only get one or two chances in a game.
“We are creating opportunities, the frustrating thing is we are not converting them into points. The options are right. It’s our execution and skill error rate.
“We have to be harder individually on ourselves to make sure we don’t give the ball away.
“It is an area of our game we have been working hard on during training.”
Hodgson said the team had to be smarter at the breakdown and not commit too many players into the ruck. “The Chiefs are like the Hurricanes and will pick certain rucks to compete in,” he said.
“We have to be smarter about how many people we throw into the breakdown and what we are doing at the breakdown to make sure they have to commit.
“We have to control the breakdown, look at the numbers we go in with and commit the opposition. At times against the Hurricanes there were too many people in the line and that was down to how we were playing.”
Chiefs prop Pauliasi Manu is out for the season after tearing his Achilles at training in Hamilton yesterday. The 28-year-old was preparing for his 50th match. Atu Moli appears likely to come on to the bench.
But captain Sam Cane will lead the Chiefs after he was cleared of a dangerous tackle that forced Jaguars prop Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro from the field last week in Argentina.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sp...t-lift-skills/
Pleasing to see Michael Foley rewarding good contributions off the bench.
McCalman struggling with the pace of SR with no pre-season.
Charles needs to lift his workrate.
Who are the Cheifs? Cheifs v Force in NZ...
I know, i am even tipping against my beloved Force these days. I feel so dirty
could never back against them so i pray for a draw
It would be smarter just to not enter a tip vulcan
C'mon the
Never tip against the Force!
Japan and the Pacific Islands for Aussie Super 9's!
Let's have one of these in WA! Click this link: Saitama Super Arena - New Perth Stadium?