Force v Highlanders
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Not expecting many changes this week. de Groot to start, in a straight swap for DLB & Millar I think might well come in and start with Robinson dropping to the bench.
The others over there are Taylor, Wingham, Arscott & Manson, and I don’t see any reason to bring those guys in. No clue on Renton’s fitness, but I’m assuming he won’t be involved.
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DLB is confirmed to be returning home a week early.
My assumption is that the 23 would look like this.
- Ethan De Groot
- Henry Bell
- Saula Ma’au
- Fabian Holland
- TK Howden
- Sean Withy
- Venevui Lasaqua
- Hugh Renton / Michael Loft
- Nathan Hastie
- Taine Robinson
- Jona Nareki
- Timoci T
- Tanelea Telea
- Caleb Tangitau
- Sam Gilbert
- Soanne Vikenna
- Josh Bartlett
- Sefo Kauitau
- Mitchell Dunshea
- Will Stodart
- Adam Lennox
- Cam Millar
- Thomas Umunga Jensen
I’m assuming that we’ll be resting and rotating a few guys so Dunshea to the bench makes sense given his workload. I’d start Bell with the aim of resting Ma’au next week against the Drua.
Renton straight into the starting side if fit. Otherwise start Michael Loft, and run two locks on the bench with TK, Withy and Lasaqua playing the full eighty.
I can’t see Millar slotting into the starting side so off the bench for him. Big Jim is probably due a rest, but given need for leadership probably won’t get it. Rest of the backline picks itself.
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Can't wait to see Mason's impact!
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Only change to the starting line up is EDG in for DLB who drops out completely.
On the bench, Jack Taylor in for Henry Bell and Michael Manson in for Ajay Faleafaga.
- ETHAN DE GROOT
- SOANE VIKENA
- SAULA MA'U
- FABIAN HOLLAN
- MITCHELL DUNSHEA
- TE KAMAKA HOWDEN
- VEVENI LASAQA
- SEAN WITHY [VC]
- NATHAN HASTIE
- TAINE ROBINSON
- JONA NAREKI
- TIMOCI TAVATAVANAWAI [c)
- THOMAS UMAGA-JENSEN
- CALEB TANGITAU
- SAM GILBERT
IMPACT
16. JACK TAYLOR
17. JOSH BARTLETT
18. SEFO KAUTAI
19. WILL STODART
20. MICHAEL LOFT
21. ADAM LENNOX
22. TANIELU TELE'A
23. MICHAEL MANSON -
I don’t mind keeping the squad basically the same. Gives the squad the chance to bounce back after a tough week last week and prove they should be there before heading home to face the Drua.
A win is vital to the season when you consider the run of games that are about to be coming up. Force are a solid side and even better at home so nothing will be easy.
Fingers crossed the boys are a bit more dialed in this week, better discipline and cutting out those simple errors that are becoming coach killers. If we can manage that, there’s no reason we shouldn’t be rewarded with the W.
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i didnt participate in the last match day thread...but do we not have someone better than Gilbert? that game was the ultimate rocks and diamonds, makes a break/half break to set up the try...then isolates himself and looses the ball...a few times
does faleafaga play 15 at all?
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@Kiwiwomble said in Force v Highlanders:
i didnt participate in the last match day thread...but do we not have someone better than Gilbert? that game was the ultimate rocks and diamonds, makes a break/half break to set up the try...then isolates himself and looses the ball...a few times
does faleafaga play 15 at all?
Nah Ajay isn’t a 15. I guess you can move Taine to 15, he has played there a lot, but that would mean starting Ajay at 10. We might see Taine start at 15 when when Millar is fit and getting a start in 10, I wouldn’t be against that.
Fullback at super rugby level is a big step up from NPC so I’m going to assume Jamie Joseph is going with who he feels most comfortable with back there. Until JRK or Hurley is back fit, Gilbert will remain the first choice 15.
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@Landers92 said in Force v Highlanders:
@Kiwiwomble said in Force v Highlanders:
i didnt participate in the last match day thread...but do we not have someone better than Gilbert? that game was the ultimate rocks and diamonds, makes a break/half break to set up the try...then isolates himself and looses the ball...a few times
does faleafaga play 15 at all?
.... assume Jamie Joseph is going with who he feels most comfortable with back there. Until JRK or Hurley is back fit, Gilbert will remain the first choice 15.
a scary thought...because hes just not comforatable..at all...and also doesnt seem smart enough to let the jackle have the ball when he gets isolated....so is costing us penalties
he can kick, id rather he played it safe and kicked for the corners...but he tries to run it all the time
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Marley Pearce, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Tom Robertson, Jeremy Williams (c), Darcy Swain, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Carlo Tizzano, Vaiolini Ekuasi, Nic White, Ben Donaldson, Dylan Pietsch, Hamish Stewart, Sio Tomkinson, Harry Potter, Mac Grealy
Replacements: Nic Dolly, Atu Moli, Josh Smith, Reed Prinsep, Will Harris, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Max Burey, George Poolman
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@frugby dont get me wrong....he did some really good stuff, atacked the line better at times than we've seen in ages...but then i felt like kept trying it and got isolated a few times which kind of undid the good stuff...he runs at three opposition players expecting to split them because he managed it once...and then gets up after being penalised for holding on looking all frustrated
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Come on Tangitau light it up. I’ve got him as my captain this week.
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Sio having a heck of a carry to start with.
Let's see how many aay Jordan Way screws us tonight
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Robinson straight to ground on the scrum set , Way says play on last week he was penalising the Landers for the same infraction..🤔
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@Canes4life been poor so far
BPA and Ekuasi set to start for Force clash with Highlanders
