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Venue & Time
Subiaco Oval, 7.05pm Saturday 12 April
Head-to-Head:
Played: 2, Won: 0, Lost: 1; Drawn: 1
Previous match:
March 2, 2007: Emirates Western Force (16) v Waratahs (16) – Sydney
The Emirates Western Force are sure to come out with all guns blazing after a last-minute victory against the Bulls last week. The WA side will be especially keen to assert its dominance in order to avoid a repeat of last year’s stalemate against the Waratahs and, more importantly, add its first ever victory against the ‘Tahs to the resume.
The Waratahs have had somewhat of a rollercoaster year, but with a 5-2 record going into this match, the Tahs certainly haven’t had their worst season. Various criticisms of the team’s play seem to have only hardened the resolve of the team, which posted an impressive 37-16 win over the third placed Blues last week, scoring five tries and gaining a bonus point along the way.
Conversely, the Emirates Western Force won in a tight finish against the struggling Bulls, on a night when the sky threatened to unleash a downpour on Subiaco Oval. An early shower made the ball greasy during the first half, leading to multiple handling errors, one of which handed the Bulls their second try. They will need to stamp out handling errors to secure the four points in this All-Australian derby.
Players to watch:
Matt Giteau: The Waratahs would have had nightmares after Giteau’s try in their 2007 hit-out. His dazzling footwork created holes in the Waratahs defence, and after a Man-of-the-Match performance on Friday against the Bulls, he will certainly be one to watch again this Saturday.
Luke Burgess: the young halfback made his first start in Super Rugby last week, and immediately looked the part. A gifted ball runner and crisp distributor, Burgess allowed his backline the opportunity to attack with depth and purpose, and is surely in the sights of Wallabies selectors already.
Teams:
Emirates Western Force: TBA Thursday
Waratahs: 1. Benn Robinson 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau 3. Matt Dunning 4. Will Caldwell 5. Dan Vickerman 6. Dean Mumm 7. Phil Waugh [c] 8. Wycliff Palu 9. Luke Burgess 10. Kurtley Beale 11. Lote Tuqiri 12. Tom Carter 13. Rob Horne 14. Lachie Turner 15. Sam Norton-Knight
Reserves: 16. Adam Freier 17. Al Baxter 18. David Lyons 19. Beau Robinson 20. Brett Sheehan 21. Matt Carraro 22. Alfi Mafi