It is with a sense of deja vu that I approach this preview. Once again we have two teams fighting to keep up the competition in their conference and whose season could be dealt a serious blow with a loss tomorrow night.
The Force fought hard against the Chiefs last week, but in the end were beaten by a team with that bit more pace and skill. They weren’t disgraced by any means, but the Chiefs looked in control for much of the game. They’re having to work very hard for every point at the moment and that was especially the case last weekend. Try as they might, they couldn’t get anything going in attack. It has been a common problem this season and something that will be resolved if the Force are to challenge and beat the better teams in the competition. The defence was resolute enough, if scrambling at times, but you’ve got to score yourself too.
The pack has been has been consistently good this year and this week they match up with an opposition who is very handy too. In this area of the game, I expect the two teams to be pretty evenly matched. The set pieces have been a real strength for the Force this year, as well as their usual specialty at the breakdown. The Tahs are no mugs in this area either, having one of the better scrums in Super rugby, as well as a very serviceable line out. I expect this area of the game to be a bit of an arm wrestle.
The Tahs are coming off a bye and ironically a loss of their own against the Chiefs. I thought they were pretty good for long periods in the first half, perhaps without getting the full value of the possession and field position they had. The problem is, when you are playing a team so good on the counter you can bash away, come up with nothing and then end up under your goal posts ten seconds later. I don’t think they will have that issue this week, given that the Force don’t play that kind of game. With that said, however, they will be pretty keen to come away with a steady stream of points every time they get in the opposition 22. That was the problem against the Chiefs — they didn’t keep the score board ticking and when their opponents got a bit of parity it was all over.
With the amount of ball the Tahs get, they really should be scoring more often. Even with the injuries they’ve had and departures to other teams, they don’t lack for talent out in the backs. Pretorius, Barnes and Ashley-Cooper are all high quality players, Tom Carter is probably playing his best footy ever in a Tahs jersey and Kingston is developing very nicely on the wing. The only worry really is Rob Horne. I don’t know what is up with him this year, but he’s been pretty quiet and that must be worrying Michael Foley. Outside centre is such a crucial position in defence and attack and Horne has been below his best this season. His match up with Nick Cummins will be a fascinating duel I think. I’d like to see the Tahs break the shackles and try to use that talent they undoubtedly have. If they do, it could be quite an entertaining game.
Teams
Western Force: 1. Pek Cowan 2. Nathan Charles 3. Salesi Ma’afu 4. Toby Lynn 5. Nathan Sharpe 6. Richard Brown 7. David Pocock (c) 8. Matt Hodgson 9. Brett Sheehan 10. Ben Seymour 11. Alfie Mafi 12. Winston Stanley 13. Nick Cummins 14. Rory Sidey 15. David Harvey
Reserves 16. Elvis Taione 17. Kieran Longbottom 18. Phoenix Battye 19. Ben McCalman 20. Josh Holmes 21. Cameron Shepherd 22. Patrick Dellit
Waratahs: 15. Bernard Foley 14. Tom Kingston 13. Rob Horne 12. Tom Carter 11. Adam Ashley-Cooper 10. Berrick Barnes 9. Brendan McKibbin 8. Wycliff Palu 7. Chris Alcock 6. Dave Dennis 5. Kane Douglas 4. Dean Mumm 3. Sekope Kepu 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau 1. Benn Robinson (c)
Reserves: 16. John Ulugia 17. Paddy Ryan 18. Sitaleki Timani 19. Lopeti Timani 20. Jono Jenkins 21. Sarel Pretorius 22. Daniel Halangahu
Details
Date: Friday, 13 April
Venue: Nib Stadium, Perth
Kick-off: 19:10 WST
Referee: Glen Jackson
Game Breaker
The battle between the two back rows will decide this one I think. The Force have three (four if you include McCalman on the bench) quality flankers, all of whom are opensides really. The Tahs arguably have the more balanced combination, with a fetcher (Alcock), ball runner (Dennis) and wrecking ball (Palu). It’s quite a contrast and I think it will be interesting to see how each sides tactics play out.
Fearless Prediction
This one really ought to be tight, given what happened last time the two sides played and the style of game they bring to this clash. The Tahs should win based on the line up they can put out on the paddock and their collective experience. If they play up to their talent, they’ll get the points.
Tahs by 5.
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Waratahs v Force Preview
It’s that time of the year again when everybody is excited about the first Super Rugby game of the season for their team, yet they really have no clue about how they will perform. Not really.
The Waratahs had their biggest win ever against the Force, in Perth last year, but before that they had lost three in a row to the westerners including both games in 2015. Does that mean a lot? Not really either.
The form
There isn’t any unless you count trial form and you probably shouldn’t.
The Waratahs showed they had good depth when their secondary players had a good trial win against the Brumbies’ Firsts, but all the NSW players looked ragged in the Rugby Tens. The non-core squaddies, also played well in the second half of the last trial, against the Highlanders. This made up for the poor form of the main players in the first half and enabled the Tahs to claw their way back to tie the game, before the Clan slotted a winning penalty goal at the death.
The Force had a convincing win against the Rebels at Bond University, scoring four tries to one when both teams were in Queensland recently. Later at the Brisbane Tens they were the only Aussie team to make the quarter-finals and looked promising scoring two tries by half-time, but the Bulls scored three after the break to win.
The teams
The Waratahs will field the same run-on side as for their final trial against the Highlanders last week, except that utility back Rob Horne and scrum half Nick Phipps will start the game.
The selection of Horne is extraordinary since he has not played, nor had much contact work, since injuring his shoulder in the Sydney Bledisloe in August. Fullback Andrew Kellaway (shoulder) and Jack Dempsey (achilles) were passed fit, but a final assessment of flyhalf Bernard Foley, who was dazed last week, will be made later.
Athletic Michael Wells, who started a couple of games for the Brumbies last year, will make his Waratahs’ debut, in his hometown, at no. 8. He will be subbing until Jed Holloway is fit to play, which may be on the South African tour.
Ex-Rabbitohs’ leaguie Irae Simone, who returned to rugby union in 2016 and made his mark in the Shute Shield and the NRC, gets a dream start at inside centre in preference to fully-contracted players.
The Force have named three Super Rugby debutants in their starting team: 11. Chance Peni, 12. Bill Meakes and 13. Curtis Rona, and three in the reserves: Isireli Naisarani, Michael Ruru and Alex Newsome. Tatafu- Polota-Nau and Ben Daley will play their first games for the Force from the bench.
The WA team are without 7 Matt Hodgson (hamstring) and 8 Ben McCalman (thumb), having already lost lock Ben Matwijow for the season. But at least flyhalf Jono Lance is fighting fit for his first serious game since he broke his arm playing for Australia A against the French Barbarians in November.
Daryl Gibson – admitted he stuffed up last year
Game plans
Waratahs’ Head Coach Darryl Gibson is on record that he erred in putting pressure on his forwards to be ball players for a period last year and “execute skills they didn’t necessarily have”. That is probably code that the tight-five will be taking the ball up the guts which has been their strength anyway.
They will also try to attack the Force scrum early as they were one of the best scrummaging teams after a horrible start last year.
The Force will have noticed that the Tahs were vulnerable to well-placed tactical kicks in their last trial as they left too many enticing areas to land the ball in; nor were the opponent wingers well-marked for wide kicks. The Force will also spin the ball wide, especially to the right because NSW were short of defenders there repeatedly last time out.
That will fit in well with the plans of new Force Head Coach David Wessels who has signalled an interest in getting the ball wide more, as one way of scoring more tries this year – and score more, they have to.
Curtis Rona recruit fro the Bulldogs – worth a watch folks
Why should I bother?
You’re kidding – the first round of the season and the Waratahs have been the bunnies of the Force in recent times. Then there’s Tatafu returning to Allianz Stadium where no doubt the Tahs crowd will give him a cheer when he runs on.
Interesting match-ups
The hookers – I was looking forward to the contest between Polota-Nau and his recent apprentice Latu, but Tatafu will play from the bench. It will be interesting to see if Polota-Nau makes anything difference at scrum time later on.
The centres – In one corner there is young gun sensation in the NRC, Irae Simone, at 12, and Israel Folau in his preferred position of 13. In the other corner is uncompromising Manly lad and ex-Aussie U20s player 12 Bill Meakes, late from Gloucester, and exciting ex-Bulldog player 13. Curtis Rona, swiped from rugby league. Worth a look this.
The lineouts – Both teams were ordinary in this element of the game last year. Will either show the improvement needed to improve their standings this year?
Prediction
By shaking the tea leaves
The Force had the best goal-kicking percentage in Super Rugby last year but most of them were penalty goals because there weren’t a lot of tries to convert.
Team Lists and Match Details
Waratahs
Forwards: 1. Tom Robertson, 2. Tolu Latu, 3. Sekope Kepu, 4. Dean Mumm, 5. Will Skelton, 6. Jack Dempsey, 7. Michael Hooper (c), 8, Michael Wells.
Backs: 9. Nick Phipps, 10. B. Foley, 11. Rob Horne, 12. Irae Simone, 13. Israel Folau, 14. Reece Robinson, 15. Andrew Kellaway.
Replacements: 16. Hugh Roach, 17. Paddy Ryan, 18. David Lolohea, 19. Ned Hanigan, 20. Brad Wilkin, 21. Matt Lucas, 22. Bryce Hegarty, 23. Taqele Naiyaravoro, 24. David Horwitz.
Force
Forwards: 1. Pek Cowan, 2. Heath Tessman (c), 3. Jermaine Ainsley, 4. Ross Haylett-Petty, 5. Adam Coleman, 6. Brynard Stander, 7. Kane Koteka, 8. Richard Hardwick.
Backs: 9. Ryan Louwrens, 10. Jono Lance, 11. Chance Peni, 12. Bill Meakes, 13. Curtis Rona, 14. Luke Morahan, 15. Dan Haylett-Petty.
Replacements: 16. Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17. Ben Daley, 18. Tetera Faulkner, 19. Matt Philip, 20. Isireli Naisaran1, 21, Michael Ruru, 22. Ian Prior, 23. Alex Newsome.
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Date: Saturday 25 February, 2017
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ)
Assistant Referees: Angus Gardner (Aus), Will Houston (Aus)
Television Match Official: Ian Smith (Aus)
