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Western Force Head Coach John Mitchell has announced his team for Saturday night’s final round Investec Super 14 clash with the Highlanders at Subiaco Oval.
The stage is set for an emotional night as the WA side take to the ground for the final time before a move next season to the rectangular Members Equity Stadium.
The club will bid farewell to foundation players Tai McIsaac and Scott Staniforth, who along with Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell, Tamaiti Horua and Josh Valentine will suit up for the final time in ocean blue.
The night will also feature a pair of significant milestones, and signal the end of a famous streak.
12-test utility Scott Staniforth will earn his 100th Super Rugby cap in what will be his last match in Australia before moving to Japan to join newly-promoted Top League club Yokogawa.
The 2006 West Australian/Rosendorff Player of the Year recovered from a pre-season knee injury and will reach the ton with his ninth appearance of the season this Saturday night.
While Staniforth celebrates his century it will also be a significant night for flanker Tamaiti Horua, who will play his 50th Super Rugby match after being named in the starting lineup for the second consecutive week.
Horua, who played 31 matches for the Brumbies before joining the Emirates Western Force in 2008, will wear the Number 8 against the Highlanders with Richard Brown to remain on the sidelines with an ankle injury.
The night will also see the end of a remarkable streak of consecutive appearances for hooker Tai McIsaac, who by the end of Saturday night’s fixture will have played in all 52 of the WA side’s Super 14 matches since the team’s inception in 2006.
Mitchell has been forced to make two changes to his starting lineup after last week’s dramatic loss to the Stormers, while winger Nick Cummins makes his return from a fractured leg.
AJ Whalley will start at tighthead prop for the injured Ben Castle, who has played his final match for the club after spraining the AC joint in his left shoulder against the Stormers last weekend.
Inside centre James O’Connor (shoulder) and winger Cameron Shepherd (knee) will also miss the clash after being ruled out with injuries.
O’Connor’s place in the starting side has been taken by Josh Tatupu with Junior Pelesasa returning to the reserves bench after missing out on match time in South Africa.
Cummins will start on the left wing, leaving Haig Sare to revert to the bench.
Prop Troy Takiari has also been included on the bench for the first time since the opening round of the season. The 31-year-old has had his season disrupted by a fractured hand he sustained in a weights session early in the season.
2009 Investec Super 14 Week 14
Emirates Western Force v Highlanders
Saturday 16 May, 2009
Subiaco Oval, Perth
Kick off: 7.45pm WST
Emirates Western Force
1. Pek Cowan
2. Tai McIsaac
3. AJ Whalley
4. Sam Wykes
5. Nathan Sharpe (c)
6. Matt Hodgson
7. David Pocock
8. Tamaiti Horua
9. Josh Valentine
10. Matt Giteau
11. Nick Cummins
12. Josh Tatupu
13. Ryan Cross
14. Scott Staniforth
15. Drew Mitchell
Reserves
16. Ben Whittaker
17. Troy Takiari
18. Tom Hockings
19. Richard Stanford
20. Chris O’Young
21. Junior Pelesasa
22. Haig Sare