Carter isn't back, he is out with a hamstring injury. Bleyendaal is out too I think. The Crusaders may bring in Willie Ripia!
I tipped the Force to win this game about two weeks ago. Still picking them this week.
For some reason the Force generally play well against the Crusaders. At $4 I may have a peanut or two on them to put my money where my mouth is.
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I'm asking the same question since round one.Did CTM insult Foleys mother or something? You have an exciting attacking fresh player who cut it up in the trials and he can't even make the 22.
Imo Godwin's talent should be developed so that he can become a better inside centre. As a flyhalf, he's got a very bad foot and doesn't seem a big improvement compared with Ebersohn, who is not surely a world-class reference flyhalf (just remember the game against the Cheetahs)Godwin to 10, CTM to 12 and keep Stanley at 13 if you are worried about his defence ,as both Godwin and Stanley are excellent defensively. Even Christies first two games were decent if Sias is injured. 8 Games in and I am over Foley's overly conservative selections. We are 1 and 6. Have a go you mug.
Force deny illegal rugby substitutions
DateApril 12, 2013 - 8:42PMJustin Chadwick
Western Force coach Michael Foley denies the Super Rugby club have been making illegal front-row substitutions this season, claiming the moves have disadvantaged them at times.
A New Zealand publication questioned the fairness of some of the Force's substitutions after a trend developed between rounds 5-7.
In those games, Salesi Ma'afu would run his dash before being subbed out of the game, only to reappear in the second half once fellow prop Pek Cowan retired hurt.
Referees' boss Lyndon Bray cleared the Force of any wrongdoing, saying no questions were asked because Cowan's injuries in those games had been signed off by the club doctor.
Foley was adamant the Force weren't faking Cowan's injuries, pointing to the fact the 26-year-old even had to miss last week's loss to the Rebels due to the build-up of several niggles.
The trend of subbing off and re-introducing Ma'afu into games also wasn't ideal for Foley, given the 30-year-old's ongoing battle with knee inflammation.
And Foley said he would much prefer Cowan to play out entire games, especially when he was the stand-in captain against the Reds in round five.
"There's times when things happen and, as a coach, you've got to react to that in the player's best interest," Foley said on Friday.
"If you keep a player on the field when he's injured and it becomes worse, there's a greater issue to answer than somebody talking about some issue over whether or not we're doing the right thing.
"All of our props have long medical histories.
"They're not necessarily the things that make mothers grin about the game.
"But it's the reality. There's plenty of collisions in the game and we try to manage it as best as we can."
Cowan, who has battled neck, calf and hamstring injuries this season, will return in Saturday night's clash with the Crusaders in Perth.
But the Force will be without in-form lock Hugh McMeniman, who will miss at least six weeks with a fractured left shoulder.
The Crusaders are missing five-eighth Dan Carter, while coach Todd Blackadder has rested forwards Sam Whitelock and Matt Todd following the team's two-game tour of South Africa.
The Force (1-6) are in danger of finishing last in the Australian conference, while the Crusaders (3-3) still have their eyes firmly fixed on making the finals.
The Force made wholesale changes to their backline following the meek performance against the Rebels.
Former Wallaby Sam Norton-Knight was promoted to five-eighth at the expense of Sias Ebersohn, while Jayden Hayward was named at fullback and Junior Rasolea at outside centre.
Ed Stubbs was named on the wing, while flanker Richard Brown, lock Sam Wykes and prop Cowan were other inclusions in the side.
Force: Jayden Hayward, Alfie Mafi, Junior Rasolea, Kyle Godwin, Ed Stubbs, Sam Norton-Knight, Alby Mathewson, Richard Brown, Matt Hodgson (capt), Ben McCalman, Sam Wykes, Toby Lynn, Salesi Ma'afu, Heath Tessmann, Pek Cowan. Res: Ben Whittaker, Tetera Faulkner, Rory Walton, Chris Alcock, Mick Snowden, Sias Ebersohn, Patrick Dellit.
The Whitelocks and Their Friends (TWTF) - 0