Western Force more western than ever

The Western Force will be more western than ever this weekend, with two products of WA’s local rugby talent pool being named to take on the Hurricanes in Wellington on Friday.

Winger Dane Haylett-Petty will make his run on debut for the Perth-based side and prop Kieran Longbottom will be on the bench, after both featured in the stirring one point win over the Chiefs last weekend.

But an already stretched Force backline has been further weakened with Ryan Cross to miss the one game tour to Wellington - and possibly longer - with a fractured cheekbone that requires surgery.

Having lost Cross, Nick Cummins, Pek Cowan and Scott Fava from last Saturday, Mitchell admitted his squad was now seriously stretched.

“I have just worked out there are ten people on the injury list, and the (latest injuries) certainly have all come at once,” Mitchell said.

“But we always go out to play well, and we will certainly be looking to do that. You have got to adapt, you cannot cry over spilt milk and you have got to get on with it.”
Former Wallaby John Welborn gave the Force their Perth roots in their inaugural season, although he moved to Sydney to force his way into Waratahs and Wallaby jerseys before moving back to WA in 2005.

With Longbottom already impressing coach John Mitchell in his 70 minute substitute stint against the Chiefs, Haylett-Petty’s rapid progress this year has seen him given the nod after season ending injuries to Haig Sare and Cummins.

The 18 year-old became the first locally-based West Australian to win a place in the Force squad this year, having moved to Perth from his birthplace of Durban in 2000 aged 11.

A product of Hale School, the teenager captained last year’s WA Schoolboys at the Division II Championships, going on to play for the Australia A Schools team against England.

And his Force selection capped a great personal day, after he also featured in the Australian under 20 Junior World Championships to travel to Wales in June.

“It is a really strong team, so I was pretty lucky to get selected. It is a big honour and hopefully everything goes well,” Haylett-Petty said.

Mitchell said he could not afford to protect his youngsters with the injuries besetting the club.

“We have always accelerated youth in our program, and the factor behind that was it was always going to be the case at a new club,” Mitchell said.

“We have never been afraid to expose our youngsters at the highest level.”
But Cross, who has not missed a game since defecting from the NRL last season, will be a massive loss, and his injury could also threaten his probable Wallaby selection.

“He has got about three fractures there and some separation. It has to be screwed - all a bit gooey really,” Mitchell said.

Following his eye-catching starting debut, James O’Connor maintains his place at inside centre, while prop Gareth Hardy returns for his first appearance in eight weeks after overcoming ankle ligament damage.

Western Force: Cameron Shepherd, Dane Haylett-Petty, Josh Tatupu/Lachlan Mackay, James O’Connor, Drew Mitchell, Matt Giteau, James Stannard, Richard Brown, David Pocock, Matt Hodgson, Nathan Sharpe (capt), David Pusey, Troy Takiari, Tai McIsaac, Gareth Hardy.

Res: Luke Holmes, Kieran Longbottom, Sitaleki Timani, Sam Wykes, Chris O’Young, Scott Daruda. (Tatupu or MacKay to come on to bench).

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