Western Force 2019
- Thread starter RugbyReg
- Start date
Jimmy_Crouch
Peter Johnson (47)
Jonah Placid signed from Toulon.
as is said on the page before this one
Rugbynutter39
Michael Lynagh (62)
I am looking forward to next years GRR comp and at this point understanding what last few sides will fill the 8 team comp muted for next year.
Rugbynutter39
Michael Lynagh (62)
Yeh tend to agree. Fines could well be starting option for 2020 with Prior on the bench if current form continues.
brokendown
Bill McLean (32)
Prior has been injured for quite some time
But good to see him back doing weights.
Looks like the pectoral muscle has knitted back ver well.
I reckon the Captain will be playing against the Malaysia Valke.
In Fines & Prior the WF have two good but very different options.
Prior may not have the individual brilliance of Fines but the team plays better when Prior is out there.
Forceright
Allen Oxlade (6)
He’s recovered really quickly, good to see. And yes, Ian & Deegan are a good combination in managing the team during the game. They both have cool heads and direct the play well. Ian has really grown well in to the captaincy. Hope he does get a run at the nex5 game.
Force tackle World Cup team
August 16, 2019
The Western Force continue to gather admirers around the world including former Wallabies great and current Tongan national coach Toutai Kefu who has invited the West Australian side to the Pacific nation as they finalise their Rugby World Cup preparations.
Kefu, who played 60 tests for Australia, including the 1999 World Cup, approached the Force after keeping tabs on the WA side during their unbeaten run in the 2019 Global Rapid Rugby Showcase.
“To be invited to play against a national team as part of their preparations for the World Cup is a huge privilege for our players and for the club,” Force head coach Tim Sampson said.
“Opportunities for clubs to play against national teams do not occur often.
“The invitation to travel to Tonga highlights that the Western Force is recognised and respected throughout World Rugby and is a credit to the environment of elite performance everyone has worked hard to create here,” Sampson added.
The match will be held at Teufaiva Sport Stadium in Tonga on Saturday, August 24. The timing of the game will be ideal for both sides with Tonga getting another tough hit out, while the Force kick start their National Rugby Championship campaign at the end of the month.
A proud rugby nation, Sampson knows it will be a tough challenge against the ‘Ikale Tahi who will be playing their last game at home before a further two pre-World Cup matches against Fiji and the All Blacks in New Zealand.
Tonga kicks off their World Cup campaign in Sapporo on September 22 against England and up to four players who took part in the Global Rapid Rugby competition are in contention to pull on the jersey including Leon Fukofuka, Latiume Fosita, Sefo Sakalia and Fotu Lokotui.
Sampson said there was a buzz around the club as they prepared to test themselves against a side brimming with international talent.
“We were wrapped with our performance against the Valke last Friday, it was very satisfying to see the way the group performed as we finalised out Rapid Rugby season,” Sampson said.
“We have quickly turned our attention to tackling Tonga and know that we will need to be at our very best against a world-class side that Toutai has brought together.”
Game details:
Date: 24 August 2019
Time: 10am AWST – (Tonga: 3pm)
Location: Teufaiva Sport Stadium
https://www.westernforce.com.au/force-tackle-world-cup-team/
Good to see the Western Force in such good company.
The game against the Western Force will be followed by games against the Fiji National side and the ABs as part of Tonga's preparation for the RWC.
Great prep for the WF before the first NRC game the following weekend.
August 16, 2019
The Western Force continue to gather admirers around the world including former Wallabies great and current Tongan national coach Toutai Kefu who has invited the West Australian side to the Pacific nation as they finalise their Rugby World Cup preparations.
Kefu, who played 60 tests for Australia, including the 1999 World Cup, approached the Force after keeping tabs on the WA side during their unbeaten run in the 2019 Global Rapid Rugby Showcase.
“To be invited to play against a national team as part of their preparations for the World Cup is a huge privilege for our players and for the club,” Force head coach Tim Sampson said.
“Opportunities for clubs to play against national teams do not occur often.
“The invitation to travel to Tonga highlights that the Western Force is recognised and respected throughout World Rugby and is a credit to the environment of elite performance everyone has worked hard to create here,” Sampson added.
The match will be held at Teufaiva Sport Stadium in Tonga on Saturday, August 24. The timing of the game will be ideal for both sides with Tonga getting another tough hit out, while the Force kick start their National Rugby Championship campaign at the end of the month.
A proud rugby nation, Sampson knows it will be a tough challenge against the ‘Ikale Tahi who will be playing their last game at home before a further two pre-World Cup matches against Fiji and the All Blacks in New Zealand.
Tonga kicks off their World Cup campaign in Sapporo on September 22 against England and up to four players who took part in the Global Rapid Rugby competition are in contention to pull on the jersey including Leon Fukofuka, Latiume Fosita, Sefo Sakalia and Fotu Lokotui.
Sampson said there was a buzz around the club as they prepared to test themselves against a side brimming with international talent.
“We were wrapped with our performance against the Valke last Friday, it was very satisfying to see the way the group performed as we finalised out Rapid Rugby season,” Sampson said.
“We have quickly turned our attention to tackling Tonga and know that we will need to be at our very best against a world-class side that Toutai has brought together.”
Game details:
Date: 24 August 2019
Time: 10am AWST – (Tonga: 3pm)
Location: Teufaiva Sport Stadium
https://www.westernforce.com.au/force-tackle-world-cup-team/
Good to see the Western Force in such good company.
The game against the Western Force will be followed by games against the Fiji National side and the ABs as part of Tonga's preparation for the RWC.
Great prep for the WF before the first NRC game the following weekend.
STRONG SQUAD NAMED FOR NRC
August 26, 2019
The 2019 Western Force National Rugby Championship squad will feature the best talent from WA club rugby combined with seasoned Global Rapid Rugby professionals.
Led by Head Coach Tim Sampson, the Force, who lost to Queensland Country in the semis last year, has named 14 additions in its 41-man squad.
Making his return to Australian professional rugby, former Force back Chris Tuatara-Morrison will be looking to impress after three years between French Top 14 League team Brive and Pro D2 team Colomier. Tuatara-Morison played with the men in blue from 2013-2014 before moving to France.
Amongst those who have stood out in the Fortescue Premier Grade competition and successfully pushed their case for NRC selection is this year’s Most Improved Player winner, Rory O’Sullivan, who played four Rapid Rugby games for the Force as injury cover for Ian Prior.
Playing from the bench in the Force’s last two matches, Prior will captain the team having fully recovered from a pectoral injury which kept him out for most of the Rapid Rugby season.
“This is what the Western Force is about. It’s about having and providing that pathway for national selection by playing through state representative teams,” Prior said.
“There is some really exciting talent here, lots of really good players that I think will fit in nicely.”
Other local talent includes Wests Scarborough pair Dom Hardman and Aisake Meo and Jack Bromley and Leon Feke from UWA. The squad will also see RugbyWA Senior Academy members Ollie Callan, Jackson Pugh and Grason Makara called-up to the professional side.
The Western Force will kick-off its campaign with a home game at UWA Sports Park against last year’s runners-up Queensland Country before flying to Fiji to take on the 2018 champions, Fijian Drua.
“It’s really exciting to take on the two Grand Finalists straight off the bat. Obviously, Queensland Country having lost in the semis to them last year, it’s good to get the opportunity to front up against them first. It will be a good measure as to where we are at,” Prior added.
“We love playing at home in front of our crowd and trying to ‘Fill the Hill’. It’s a tough place to travel and play for away teams, but a really good place for us. Hopefully, we can play some of our best rugby and get the biggest NRC crowds which we have had in the last few years.”
Recovering well from a long-term knee injury, Force front-rower Kieran Longbottom, was unavailable for selection.
Forwards
Aisake Meo, Andrew Ready, Ben Grant, Brynard Stander, Cameron Orr, Carlo Tizzano, Chris Alcock, Chris Heiberg, Dominic Hardman, Feleti Kaitu’u, Fergus Lee-Warner, Harrison Lloyd, Heath Tessmann, Henry Stowers, Jack Bromely, Jackson Pugh, Jeremy Thrush, Johan Bardoul, Markus Vanzati, Ollie Callan, Tevin Ferris, Tom Sheminant.
Backs
AJ Alatimu, Andrew Deegan, Brad Lacey, Byron Ralston, Chris Tuatara-Morrison, Grason Makara, Halaufa Lavaka, Henry Taefu, Ian Prior, Issak Fines, Jack McGregor, Jake Strachan, Jonah Placid, Kiti Ratu, Leon Feke, Marcel Brache, Nick Jooste, Pama Fou, Rory O’Sullivan.
https://www.westernforce.com.au/strong-squad-named-for-nrc/
August 26, 2019
The 2019 Western Force National Rugby Championship squad will feature the best talent from WA club rugby combined with seasoned Global Rapid Rugby professionals.
Led by Head Coach Tim Sampson, the Force, who lost to Queensland Country in the semis last year, has named 14 additions in its 41-man squad.
Making his return to Australian professional rugby, former Force back Chris Tuatara-Morrison will be looking to impress after three years between French Top 14 League team Brive and Pro D2 team Colomier. Tuatara-Morison played with the men in blue from 2013-2014 before moving to France.
Amongst those who have stood out in the Fortescue Premier Grade competition and successfully pushed their case for NRC selection is this year’s Most Improved Player winner, Rory O’Sullivan, who played four Rapid Rugby games for the Force as injury cover for Ian Prior.
Playing from the bench in the Force’s last two matches, Prior will captain the team having fully recovered from a pectoral injury which kept him out for most of the Rapid Rugby season.
“This is what the Western Force is about. It’s about having and providing that pathway for national selection by playing through state representative teams,” Prior said.
“There is some really exciting talent here, lots of really good players that I think will fit in nicely.”
Other local talent includes Wests Scarborough pair Dom Hardman and Aisake Meo and Jack Bromley and Leon Feke from UWA. The squad will also see RugbyWA Senior Academy members Ollie Callan, Jackson Pugh and Grason Makara called-up to the professional side.
The Western Force will kick-off its campaign with a home game at UWA Sports Park against last year’s runners-up Queensland Country before flying to Fiji to take on the 2018 champions, Fijian Drua.
“It’s really exciting to take on the two Grand Finalists straight off the bat. Obviously, Queensland Country having lost in the semis to them last year, it’s good to get the opportunity to front up against them first. It will be a good measure as to where we are at,” Prior added.
“We love playing at home in front of our crowd and trying to ‘Fill the Hill’. It’s a tough place to travel and play for away teams, but a really good place for us. Hopefully, we can play some of our best rugby and get the biggest NRC crowds which we have had in the last few years.”
Recovering well from a long-term knee injury, Force front-rower Kieran Longbottom, was unavailable for selection.
Forwards
Aisake Meo, Andrew Ready, Ben Grant, Brynard Stander, Cameron Orr, Carlo Tizzano, Chris Alcock, Chris Heiberg, Dominic Hardman, Feleti Kaitu’u, Fergus Lee-Warner, Harrison Lloyd, Heath Tessmann, Henry Stowers, Jack Bromely, Jackson Pugh, Jeremy Thrush, Johan Bardoul, Markus Vanzati, Ollie Callan, Tevin Ferris, Tom Sheminant.
Backs
AJ Alatimu, Andrew Deegan, Brad Lacey, Byron Ralston, Chris Tuatara-Morrison, Grason Makara, Halaufa Lavaka, Henry Taefu, Ian Prior, Issak Fines, Jack McGregor, Jake Strachan, Jonah Placid, Kiti Ratu, Leon Feke, Marcel Brache, Nick Jooste, Pama Fou, Rory O’Sullivan.
https://www.westernforce.com.au/strong-squad-named-for-nrc/
Thanks RR but with none of the info provided above including why no Longbottom.
Tuatara-Morrison moves back to go forward
August 28, 2019
After five years playing in France, Chris Tuatara-Morrison has returned to where his professional rugby career started and wasted no time reacquainting himself with the WA rugby community and working hard to again pull on the Western Force jersey.
His time abroad saw him take in the sights and sounds of three French professional teams, grow his family, with the arrival of his two daughters, and even nail down the French language!
He has been back in Perth since early 2019 and played a starring role for Wests Scarborough in the Fortescue Premier Grade to earn another opportunity at the Force where he played 10 Super Rugby games between 2012 and 2014.
Tuatara-Morrison sees his return not only as a chance to reignite his professional career in Australia but, now a little older and wider, to also share his experience with the young talent progressing through WA’s pathway.
“France was an eye-opener, I left on a six-month contract and it has been five years! I left with no children and just my wife and now we have two kids. Life happened in France and we loved it but it was time for us to get home,” he said.
“I came back with the goal of making the NRC squad. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, no-one has given me a free pass, but I’ve been biding my time in club rugby and tried to play as well as I could there and its paid dividends.”
The bullocking centre has been training with the Force for the past month while also coaching at Wesley College and working as a Development Officer with Rugby WA which includes the Rugby Roos program.
“I am loving it, giving back and doing some work within rugby as well as keeping my feet grounded,” he said.
“Now that I have a daughter who is four and knows what her dad does for work, giving kids a pathway to get into rugby is something I am aware of and passionate about.”
While the 32-year-old didn’t play Global Rapid Rugby he was an interested onlooker and could see the positive impact the innovative law variations had on the game. In keeping with that theme the 2019 NRC will trial two of its own law variations for World Rugby – a 50:22 kick, which would see a team given the lineout if they kick a ball from their half and find touch in their rivals 22; and a goal-line dropout awarded to the defending team holding their rivals up over the try-line.
“I was quite happy I didn’t have to play in that last game against Malaysia Valke, I am not sure I would have been able to keep up,” he joked.
“Rapid Rugby is exciting, it’s good for the young kids to see that level of rugby and its good for Australian rugby too. It’s an exciting way to play and I do think it’s the way forward for the future of rugby.”
https://www.westernforce.com.au/tuatara-morrison-moves-back-to-go-forward/
August 28, 2019
After five years playing in France, Chris Tuatara-Morrison has returned to where his professional rugby career started and wasted no time reacquainting himself with the WA rugby community and working hard to again pull on the Western Force jersey.
His time abroad saw him take in the sights and sounds of three French professional teams, grow his family, with the arrival of his two daughters, and even nail down the French language!
He has been back in Perth since early 2019 and played a starring role for Wests Scarborough in the Fortescue Premier Grade to earn another opportunity at the Force where he played 10 Super Rugby games between 2012 and 2014.
Tuatara-Morrison sees his return not only as a chance to reignite his professional career in Australia but, now a little older and wider, to also share his experience with the young talent progressing through WA’s pathway.
“France was an eye-opener, I left on a six-month contract and it has been five years! I left with no children and just my wife and now we have two kids. Life happened in France and we loved it but it was time for us to get home,” he said.
“I came back with the goal of making the NRC squad. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, no-one has given me a free pass, but I’ve been biding my time in club rugby and tried to play as well as I could there and its paid dividends.”
The bullocking centre has been training with the Force for the past month while also coaching at Wesley College and working as a Development Officer with Rugby WA which includes the Rugby Roos program.
“I am loving it, giving back and doing some work within rugby as well as keeping my feet grounded,” he said.
“Now that I have a daughter who is four and knows what her dad does for work, giving kids a pathway to get into rugby is something I am aware of and passionate about.”
While the 32-year-old didn’t play Global Rapid Rugby he was an interested onlooker and could see the positive impact the innovative law variations had on the game. In keeping with that theme the 2019 NRC will trial two of its own law variations for World Rugby – a 50:22 kick, which would see a team given the lineout if they kick a ball from their half and find touch in their rivals 22; and a goal-line dropout awarded to the defending team holding their rivals up over the try-line.
“I was quite happy I didn’t have to play in that last game against Malaysia Valke, I am not sure I would have been able to keep up,” he joked.
“Rapid Rugby is exciting, it’s good for the young kids to see that level of rugby and its good for Australian rugby too. It’s an exciting way to play and I do think it’s the way forward for the future of rugby.”
https://www.westernforce.com.au/tuatara-morrison-moves-back-to-go-forward/
The_Brown_Hornet
John Eales (66)
Nice to see the article on Chris, he's one of the coaches of my son's school team. Seems like a good bloke too.
Harry Lloyd off to the Brumbies.
Excellent young man who revelled in playing for the Western Force over the past 2 years.
Especially benefited from the experienced front row and top level scrum coaching.
Going back home.
All the best Harry - thanks for your time in the West.
Excellent young man who revelled in playing for the Western Force over the past 2 years.
Especially benefited from the experienced front row and top level scrum coaching.
Going back home.
All the best Harry - thanks for your time in the West.