Force team to play Cheetahs

[no.8]

Emirates Western Force Coach John Mitchell has named his team for Friday night’s Investec Super 14 Week 2 clash with the Cheetahs at Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein (1am WA kick off).

Mitchell’s men will face a Cheetahs outfit desperate to make amends for last weekend’s shock season-opening loss to the Lions.

The Perth-based team also has to contend with the loss of fullback Cameron Shepherd, who was ruled out this morning with a knee ligament strain.

Drew Mitchell will raise a half century of Super Rugby caps and will return to the position he played for the majority of the 2007 season in Shepherd’s absence.

The change prompted a re-shuffle of the backline, with Scott Staniforth and Ryan Cross sliding out one position to outside centre and wing respectively, while Scott Daruda moves from the bench to inside centre.

Former Brisbane-based boilermaker James Stannard will make his run on debut at scrumhalf after a 15-minute cameo from the reserves bench in his Super 14 debut against the Sharks in Durban last Friday.

The No.9, who goes by the nickname ‘Chucky’, has extra reason to celebrate this week with his 25th birthday occurring the day before his starting debut.

Coach John Mitchell has also tinkered with his forward pack, selecting a rookie blindside flanker and a new-look front row.

Australian Under 19 star Sam Wykes will make his Investec Super 14 debut in the number six jersey, while another relative rookie, Pek Cowan, will make his starting XV debut at loosehead prop.

Troy Takiari replaces AJ Whalley at tighthead prop, while rookie lock Tom Hockings has edged out David Pusey to retain his place in the second row alongside Captain Nathan Sharpe.

Mitchell has provided plenty of cover for his big men, naming five forwards on the reserves bench.

Former Brumbies flanker Tamaiti Horua will make his debut appearance for his new club, after gaining a release from Japanese club Toyota last week.

Horua, whose last appearance for the Brumbies came prior to the expansion of Super Rugby in 2005, will celebrate his return to Australian Rugby alongside a resurgent Lachlan MacKay.

MacKay has managed just three appearances for the Emirates Western Force since joining the team for its debut season in 2006, spending the majority of the past two years rehabilitating from various leg injuries.

Coach John Mitchell said he had always planned to mix up his team selections during the three-week South Africa tour.

“We had a plan for every member of the touring squad to play football on this tour and we’re sticking to that plan,” said Mitchell.

“Obviously with Matt (Henjak ) returning for the tribunal we were left with one less back in the squad for this match so we’ve had to go with five forwards on the bench,” he said.

Overall head to head: Played 2, Emirates Western Force 2, Cheetahs 0.

Last met: 27 April 2007, EWF 45 def Cheetahs 17, Subiaco Oval, Perth.

Emirates Western Force v Cheetahs
Friday 22 February, 2008

Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein

Kick off: 6pm (1am WA Sat 23 Feb)

Emirates Western Force
1. Pek Cowan
2. Tai McIsaac
3. Troy Takiari
4. Tom Hockings
5. Nathan Sharpe (c)
6. Sam Wykes
7. David Pocock
8. Richard Brown

9. James Stannard
10. Matt Giteau (vc)
11. Nick Cummins
12. Scott Daruda
13. Scott Staniforth
14. Ryan Cross
15. Drew Mitchell

Reserves
16. Luke Holmes
17. AJ Whalley
18. David Pusey
19. Tamaiti Horua
20. Scott Fava
21. Lachlan MacKay
22. Josh Tatupu

[The Lone Hydrangea]

Pusey must have a niggle to be on the bench in lieu of Hockings

[Thequeerone]

Boof - where's me boof ?

Guessing this is one of the few games that gives Mitch the latitude to experiment - with the loss of 2 backs from the squad - creativity is called for - interesting to see how they go - seems like the new locks are getting a baptism by fire with Sharpie in the middle - hopefully they will improve on their lineouts from last week

Just noticed Timaiti Horua has appeared from Japan to the bench in Sth Africa - Jeez these guys get around

[travelling_gerry]

maybe the shark bite he got on his arm is infected???????????

[Thequeerone]

NOooooooooooooo!

Can't have more off field dramas - can we ?

[Skiza]

Go ....go hunt those cheetahs down

Good luck Stannard

[travelling_gerry]

The hole left in the Western Force backline by the departure of Matt Henjak will be filled by boilermaker James Stannard this weekend - but former Force halfback Chris O'Young is not far behind him.

With the sacking of Henjak still sinking in on both sides of the world, Force coach John Mitchell named his squad to take on the Cheetahs on Friday, with Stannard handed his Super 14 debut in unique circumstances.

With Henjak awaiting confirmation of the sack from the ARU back in Perth, Stannard was the only recognised halfback left in the Force squad.

But O'Young, who has been playing in Glasgow since tiring of being Henjak's deputy last season, will sign in the next 24 hours and will then travel to South Africa to join the squad.

Mitchell said the loss of Henjak had meant more than one shake-up in the squad.

"Obviously with Matt (Henjak) returning for the tribunal we were left with one less back in the squad for this match so we've had to go with five forwards on the bench," Mitchell said.

"We had a plan for every member of the touring squad to play football on this tour and we're sticking to that plan."

Stannard arrived in Perth in early 2006 from the Souths club in Brisbane and was invited to be part of the RugbyWA academy shortly afterwards.

Having qualified as a boilermaker following his departure from St Edmund's college in Ipswich, the 24 year-old deputised for Henjak during the ARC championship.

As news of Henjak's fate reached South Africa overnight, skipper Nathan Sharpe said the team supported the tribunal decision but was personally disappointed for both players.

And the Wallaby lock, who is expected to re-sign with the Force on his return, said he was also disappointed the incident had tarnished the Force's reputation.

"The players will be working very hard to make sure we change that," Sharpe said.

"The waiting is now over, we can get on with it and bounce back."

And after a tumultuous week at RugbyWA headquarters, Mitchell was also dealing with his own headaches at the Force base in Durban, with Cameron Shepherd forced out of the side through injury, Scott Fava dropped to the bench and Gareth Hardy dropped altogether.

Drew Mitchell switches to fullback, and Dave Pusey was another casualty of the first week loss to the Sharks, relegated to the bench.

Tom Hockings is retained in the second row as Sharpe returns from illness.

Shepherd's absence means a rare start for Scott Daruda in the backline, while Sam Wykes will also make a Super 14 debut in the backrow, with another relative rookie, Pek Cowan, making a starting XV debut in the front row.

Former Brumbies flanker Tamaiti Horua will make his debut appearance for his new club, after gaining a release from Japanese club Toyota last week

[benny]

go chucky !!!

but who's missed out from being in the being a squad member vfrom he first game:

I know henners and sheps not there but who else is missing ?

and who's taking the kicking duties now .. durada ?

i wonder when cross was last on the wing, dont think he ever played on the wing for the roosters ......could be wrong but (plenty of people tell me, so one more wont make a difference)

GO BOYS !!!

[slomo]

and who's taking the kicking duties now .. durada ?

gitts took over kicking duties last season from shep, so i suppose it'l be the same this year......

[Thequeerone]

Sheps does the long ones - remember the 60metre penalty against the Sharks - Gitts does the closer ones - seems to work for both of them !

[The EnForcer]

With the cheetahs being touted as one of the slower teams in Super 14 pitted against the line up we have then you would figure that by the second half we will be running rings round them.

One hell of a bench to be carrying over an untried run on line up....pretty amazing.

I would like to think the essence of the tactical game for us is to tire them out then bring on some more experience in the forwards and completey f'k them.

I picked the boys last week but knew it was a tough ask but this week I will be genuinely dissapointed if we do not have a good win against the Cheetahs.

This will be our first win of many in 2008. BRING IT ON BOYS!

[littleleck]

Just wondering why Daruda gets on there instead of Mackay at inside, or possibly just bring in a winger instead of shuffling the centres, who appeared to be comfortable last week.

[pruc]

well done chucky

gitts took over kicking duties last season from shep, so i suppose it'l be the same this year......

does that mean chucky is the back a kicker??

[inactive]

It does seem to be a pretty strange line up considering Fava played pretty well last week and boof gone altogether. Agree with Little Leck why didnt they bring in a winger but then again do we have many more wingers?

Seems strange to shift two players out of position cross and Staniforth??

[Jehna]

It certainly doesn't look like a strong line up on paper...a little concerning. I can't imagine why we wouldn't just bring in anoher winger. We have a fair few of them and frankly i'd ratehr experiment with our back line newies than our forwards. Look at that pack! Sharpie is going to have a time of it keeping it all together...