White & Rodda to start, Hoopert to make long-awaited Force debut

[Burgs]

'There’s no doubts about belief' - Cron bullish on finals push

Thu, May 9, 2024, 4:52 PM
Ben Somerford

Video- https://westernforce.rugby/news/forc...preview-202459

Western Force head coach Simon Cron has no doubt the belief remains within the group as they gun for a late-season Super Rugby Pacific finals push starting with Saturday’s clash with the Fijian Drua.

With four rounds to go, the Force take on the eighth-placed Drua this Saturday from 7:55pm at HBF Park.

The Force may have a 2-8 record but are only seven points outside the top eight and have the belief they’re still in the finals hunt with three of four remaining games to come at home.

“There’s no doubts about that (belief),” Cron told reporters on Thursday after training. “A couple of these guys, we can’t get them off the (training) field.

“There’s belief. The Reds’ game, the Brumbies’ game, the Crusaders’ game are all good examples of what we can do, we’ve just got to put it together for 85.”

Cron won’t let the players get ahead of themselves with the upcoming fixtures, but fans will know the Force also face the 11th-placed NSW Waratahs in Round 13, offering another opportunity to take points off another side around them on the ladder to boost their top-eight bid.

“Every game is a final,” Cron said about the upcoming fixture. “Great players want to step forward, great players step up in those games. So that’s what we’re talking about.”

The Force will be boosted by the starting returns of Wallabies duo Nic White and Izack Rodda this Saturday, with Cron enthused by the leadership they bring.

“It’s good have Whitey back in from a leadership point of view,” he said. “Really good leader on the park.

“Izack gets an opportunity to put his chest out and lead us forward. His chance to lead the team a bit. I challenge him on that this week and he’s keen for it.

“It’s also about the guys around him stepping up and taking ownership around their roles and one of those has to be contact zone.”

Contact zone has been a big topic of focus this week for Cron’s men, with the head coach pinpointing that as the reason behind heavy losses away to the Chiefs last week, as well as the Blues last month.

“That’s an area we’ve got to win,” Cron said, noting the Drua will be strong in the contact zone.

He added: “They’ll come hard, they’ve got some speedsters at 13, 9 and 14. They’ve got a lot of good ball players.

“They’ll play Fiji ball, a lot of offloads. We’ve got a good idea of what’s coming, now it’s about what we do.”

On the team line-up, Cron explained the decision to move Sam Spink to the reserves, with George Poolman coming into the XV on the wing and Bayley Kuenzle reverting to outside-centre.

“I think Bayley has been defending really well,” Cron said. “He’s one of our best defenders, he’s got a bit of speed.

“I think it’s critical to give him an opportunity at 13 and give Spinky a chance to come off that bench and maybe do a few things that he’s been working on. He is a big body, he’s a strong guy. Good opportunity for him.”

Cron also noted the Club debut of front-rower Harry Hoopert, who hasn’t played at Super Rugby level since 2022, with the ex-Reds man missing the 2023 season with an ACL injury before suffering a knee injury in 2024 pre-season.

“It’s exciting for Harry,” Cron said. “He’s a good man, he’s been working hard.

“That injury unfortunately in the pre-season for him sometimes happens when you’re coming back from major injuries.

“He’s taken his time, but he’s built back up and gets the chance this week to put on the Force jersey.”

Kick-off on Saturday is 7:55pm, with the curtain-raiser being the WA FMG Championship Grade clash between the Mandurah Pirates and Bunbury Barbarians from 5:25pm. Gate 1 opens at 5:10pm for the curtain-raiser.

Tickets are available for the game via Ticketmaster, along with the Force’s Flexi Membership, with four tickets to any of the remaining three games for only $75.

[Burgs]

White underlines importance of 'double points' Drua clash

Fri, May 10, 2024, 2:59 PM
Ben Somerford

Western Force scrum-half Nic White has underlined the importance of Saturday’s Super Rugby Pacific Culture Round clash with the Fijian Drua which he says is worth double points.

With four rounds to play in the Super Rugby season, the Drua are eighth on 17 points, with the Force in 12th on 10 ahead of Saturday’s clash at HBF Park from 7:55pm WST.

"It's an important one for us, a really big game," White told reporters on Friday ahead of captain’s run.

"Worth double points against Fiji and we need to start getting some momentum.

"With four weeks to go there's certainly still a chance, and it starts tomorrow night."

Opta Stats also show the Drua have won only once in their 20 Super Rugby away games since their inception in the league.

On the flipside, Drua duo Iosefo Masi (56) and Selestino Ravutaumada (41) are two of just three players to have beaten over 40 defender this season (also Mark Tele'a from the Blues, 47).

The Force lost to the Drua 31-13 in Fiji in Round 6 in torrential conditions with heavy rain and a water-logged pitch but White said it was hard to draw much from that.

“That game was a bit different,” White said. “Not a lot to take out of that.

“Felt like we were playing in a swimming pool over there in Fiji. Certainly an experience that I’d not had before.

“Tomorrow will be a bit different. Hard and fast deck which will suit the way we want to play but also the way they want to play. Should be an exciting game. Looking for a much different result.

“You look after the day-to-day, you look after this week, don’t look too far ahead, both in our season and for personal honours.”

White’s personal honours reference related to the fact he was talking alongside Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt who is in Perth to watch the Force first hand on Saturday night.

Tickets are available for the Force-Drua game via Ticketmaster, along with the Force’s Flexi Membership, with four tickets to any of the remaining three games for only $75.

This is Schmidt’s first to Perth since being appointed Wallabies boss in January, and he flagged a few Force players who’d caught his eye.

“A number have,” Schmidt told reporters, having already noted locks Izack Rodda and Sam Carter. “Obviously I know Whitey from old.

“Ben Donaldson obviously was the incumbent Wallaby 10. His acceleration, his ability to challenge the line and distribute well and have been very evident.

“Jeremy Williams has gone very well. There’s a number we continue to keep an eye on.”

The Australia coach was also asked about 95-cap utility back Kurtley Beale, who is on the comeback trail at the Force having last represented the Wallabies in 2022.

“Kurtley is just finding his feet again,” Schmidt said. “Even talking to Nic about Kurtley, he’s had an influence with his calm experience form the back field which is helping the guys in front of him.

“Then there’s his own athletic abilities that are very useful from the back.”

“I’ve coached teams against Kurtley and he’s shredded us. I know what he’s capable of.”

Tickets to the Wallabies-Springboks game in Perth on Saturday 17 August are available now via Ticketmaster.

RugbyWA are also holding their annual Rugby Championship Long Lunch on Friday 16 August, with details and tickets available here.

Saturday’s game will be preceded by the WA Championship Grade clash between the Mandurah Pirates and Bunbury Barbarians from 5:25pm. Gate 1 opens at 5:10pm for the curtain-raiser.

[Tazzmania]

And again the faith is repaid in spades, what a night to be a Western Force supporter.

That was a cracking team display.

From seeing Reejan warming up with the team, to Williams break for the first try, to the brick wall that the physical Fijians ran into, and then ending with Donaldson motoring in for the final try, and a hell of a lot in between.

Oh what a night.

Stats to follow.

[Tazzmania]

With the attack on fire I thought I would start with those:

Donaldson, Beale and Kuenzle immense, with Robertson and White, and yet again Stewart featuring.

Williams and yet again Princep immense, with Tizzana, Rodda, Horton, Wells, Faifua and Harris all working hard.

[Tazzmania]

Defence wins matches and last night was a casing point.

The team was immense in defence.

Tizzano, Princep and Stewart led the way with outstanding efforts from Williams, Rodda, Pearce, Harris and Wells.

Every week I say it Princep and Stewart need to re-signed ASAP. They are absolute workaholics.

[Kiap]

Defence wins matches and last night was a casing point.

The team was immense in defence.

Tizzano, Princep and Stewart led the way with outstanding efforts from Williams, Rodda, Pearce, Harris and Wells.

Every week I say it Princep and Stewart need to re-signed ASAP. They are absolute workaholics.

Appreciate your stats, Tazz

Thanks!

[GIGS20]

Thanks Tazz, some commentary from the Gospel according to GIGS

Carlo Tizzano? 100% from 17 tackles........absolutely MUST make a Wallabies squad based upon that stat alone, leave aside the fact that he's in the top 2 or 3 on-ball opensides in Oz at the moment and he's also putting in big shifts with ball in hand. The bloke's an absolute machine!

and Bayley Kuenzle runs for 100m at over 9m per carry with 5 clean breaks FROM 13!!!!!!

Those are stats you only typically see from a winger, usually when all the hard work is being done on the inside and he's just taking the ball in space. To do it through the sort of traffic he was facing last night is astonishing!

Robertson looked sharp, I was a bit surprised that the stats make it look like he was just distributing, If he can dart out for a few cheeky ones around lazy ruck defence he'll surely challenge for a more regular start.

Let's continue the pressure and belt the Tahs next week!

[boof1050]

I think the game plan has also suited Wells coming on for 20mins or so and making an impact. Good to see. Stewart was a deadset pest to the attackers all night.