Pre Season - Force vs Asia Pacific Dragons

[todd4]

Force Name Squad for Dragons Trial Match


By David Berrie on Thu 11th February 16

The Western Force have named a strong 29-man squad for the club’s final preseason hit-out against the Asia Pacific Dragons at McGillivray Oval on Saturday, 13 February.
The Force will be on the hunt for back-to-back victories on Saturday as they continue to build towards the 2016 Asteron Life Super Rugby season after accounting for the Hurricanes 28-0 in Gosford last week.
The squad has been bolstered by the return of skipper Matt Hodgson and scrumhalf Alby Mathewson, after missing the clash with the ‘Canes’ the pair are relishing the chance to get a game under their belts heading into Round One.
New recruit Jono Lance looked at home immediately in the blue jersey, playing a starring role in the triumph over the Hurricanes and has been rewarded with a run-on-start at flyhalf. Lance controlled the play brilliantly last week and will again push the pace as the Force look to fine tune their new attacking game style in front of the Sea of Blue this weekend.
Semisi Masirewa will again feature after the Fijian-flyer scored a brilliant try on debut last week and will be keen to repeat the dose as competition heats up for Round One spots.
The formidable paring of Adam Coleman and Steve Mafi will partner in the second row while Dane Haylett-Petty retains his place at fullback after a brilliant defensive performance in Gosford including a number of bone-rattling hits in the last line of defence that kept the Hurricanes scoreless.
The Asia Pacific Dragons side is made up of players from the Japan Top League and features a host of players with test match experience including former Wallaby Radike Samo, former All Blacks Isaac Ross and Jimmy Cowan and Tongan 2015 Rugby World Cup representatives Latiume Fosita and Hale T-Pole.
The match kicks-off at 5:00PM on Saturday, 13 February, with gates opening at 4:00PM.
Tickets are available both at the gate and online at a discounted rate, children under 17 get in free with a paying adult.
Click HERE to purchase tickets.
2016 Asteron Life Super Rugby – Pre-Season
Western Force v Asia Pacific Dragons
McGillivray Oval, Mt Claremont
Saturday, 13 February 2016
Kick-off: 5.00pm (AWST)
Western Force (Team):
1. Pek Cowan 2. Nathan Charles3. Guy Millar4. Steve Mafi5. Adam Coleman6. Brynard Stander7. Matt Hodgson (C) 8. Angus Cottrell9. Alby Mathewson10. Jono Lance11. Albert Nikoro12. Kyle Godwin13. Marcel Brache14. Luke Morahan15. Dane Haylett-Petty
Reserves16. Heath Tessmann17. Chris Heiberg18. Jermaine Ainsley19. Ross Haylett-Petty20. Chris Alcock21. Richard Hardwick22. Kane Koteka23. Ian Prior24. Peter Grant25. Solomoni Rasolea26. Ammon Matuauto27. Semisi Masirewa28. Maalonga Konelio29. Rory Walton
- See more at: https://www.westernforce.com.au/article/force-name-squad-dragons-trial-match#sthash.SzPlj2rf.dpuf

 

[todd4]

From Palmyra R.U. Club website;

Meet the stars of the Asia Pacific Dragons this week!

1. Club News ▸
2. Meet the stars of the Asia Pacific Dragons this week!

↧ Show more ↥ Show less
 4 days ago By Palmyra Media

As part of Palmyra Rugby Club’s overseas links we are pleased to tell you we will be hosting the Asia Pacific Dragons at the club this coming Thursday

The Asia Pacific Dragons, also known as APDs, is an invitational rugby union football team which was formed in 2011 as the Asia Pacific Barbarians. The team traditionally selects players from Asia and the Pacific Islands.

The Asia Pacific Dragons originally started playing 15-a-side rugby but expanded to play rugby sevens and rugby tens. The team, as the Asia Pacific Barbarians, won their first match in Hong Kong against an invitational World XV to claim the inaugural Chartis Cup in 2011, and successfully defended the cup in 2012 against the Saracens. The APD's also won the Hong Kong Club Tens in 2012 and the Singapore Cricket Club Sevens in 2013.
The APD’s are in Perth to take on the Western Force this weekend in their second scratch match before the season starts. Known for a very physical running game we expect this should be a good hit up for the Force in their quest for finals this year
Thursday night will involve the Dragons training at Palmyra between 5-6pm and then staying for dinner at the club. A great opportunity for the kids (and big kids) to come and meet International Rugby Stars from the All Blacks, Wallabies, Tonga, Fiji and Samoa. The squad is as follows:
Props
Pingi Talaapitaga - Bay of Plenty ITM / Highlanders
George Bower - Otago ITM
Marcel Renata - Auckland ITM / Maori All Blacks
Freddy Burke - NRC Brisbane

Hookers
Michael Lea - Counties ITM
Gafa Su’a - Counties ITM
Locks
Isaac Ross - NTT Comms / All Blacks
Ben Nee-Nee - Auckland ITM
Adaam Ross - Mid Canterbury
Back Row
Pau Halafihi - Wellington ITM
Radike Samo - Australia
Sione Misiloi - North Harbour ITM
Hadleigh May - NZ U20s
Hale T-Pole - Tonga
Half Back
Jimmy Cowan - Tasman / All Blacks
Ellery Wilson - Hawkes Bay ITM
FlyHalf
Bryn Gatland - North Harbour ITM
Latiume Fosita - Tonga RWC 2015
Midfield
Cardif Vaega - Counties ITM / Hurricanes
Seilala Mapusua - Kamaishi / Samoa
Roy Kinikinilau - Wellington / NZ 7s
Outside backs
Shannan Chase - Hawkes Bay ITM
Jojo Lilidamu - NTT Docomo / Japan 7s
Junior Ngaluafe - Southland ITM
Co-Head Coaches:
Steve Jackson, Head Coach - North Harbour
Danny Lee, Assistant Coach - Hawkes Bay
So get along to Pally on Thursday and enjoy another unique opportunity offered by the Premier Club south of the river.

Updated 06:32 - 8 Feb 2016 by Palmyra Media


http://www.palmyrarugby.com.au/news/meet-the-stars-of-the-asia-pacific-dragons-this-we-1564529.html

 

[qwerty51]

This will get ugly. I think the Force will win by 50+.

 

[Highlander35]

Mid Canterbury? Heartland Championship Mid Canterbury? This will be ugly.

Sent from my LG-P713 using Tapatalk

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Adam Ross possibly Isaac's brother, he was Mid Canty pre-Crusaders (& his dad Jock is a Mid Canty legend, their last & possibly only All Black). But, yeah, he's gonna be well out've his depth & by the look of things he won't be the only one.

 

[Shaker]

Weather is gorgeous and it looks like it'll be a decent crowd.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Yeah ripper day and McGillivray is a great ground to watch at (no hint of bias there either, being an old Uni man).

 

[Forcefield]

24-5 at half time. Not at the game- just reading twitter updates. If anyone is there, hit us up with some comments.

 

[Shaker]

Scrappy first quarter, loads of mistakes from both teams. Force mauled over a try and since then the Dragons haven't contested the Force maul. Big gulf in class but Force aren't looking overly great, Morahan's try is the pick of the bunch.

 

[Shaker]

Crowd shot

 

[Shaker]

Final score was 34-19. Kind of a frustrating match

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^^^ AAP have it 34-26 but either way that's a lot closer than I was expecting. Did Foley make a heap of changes at HT or were the Dragons that much better/ Force that much worse in the second?

 

[GaffaCHinO]

^^^^^^^^^^ AAP have it 34-26 but either way that's a lot closer than I was expecting. Did Foley make a heap of changes at HT or were the Dragons that much better/ Force that much worse in the second?

I wasn't at the game but at half time it was 24-5 then by all accouts the force rang the changes in the second with all the reserves getting on. Wouldnt pay much attention to the score I would say they got what they wanted out of the game.

 

[grievous]

Nothing really Asian about them though is there.
WA used to play Singapore regularly back in the day