Force vs Blues highlights: Blues end Australian drought

Roar Guru

21st May, 2016

4408 Reads

Kickoff: 7:45pm (AEST)
Venue: nib Stadium
Betting: Force $2.40 v Blues $1.57
Referee: Jamie Nutbrown
Last five Meetings: Blues 4-0 (one draw)

Force
15 Dane Haylett-Petty, 14 Marcel Brache, 13 Ben Tapuai, 12 Kyle Godwin, 11 Luke Morahan, 10 Ian Prior, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 Matt Hodgson (c), 6 Brynard Stander, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Ross Haylett-Petty, 3 Guy Millar, 2 Harry Scoble, 1 Francois van Wyk.
Replacements: 16 Anaru Rangi, 17 Pek Cowan, 18 Tetera Faulkner, 19 Rory Walton, 20 Angus Cottrell, 21 Ryan Louwrens, 22 Luke Burton, 23 Semisi Masirewa

Blues
15 Melani Nanai 14 Matt Duffie, 13 George Moala, 12 Piers Francis, 11 Tevita Li, 10 Ihaia West, 9 Billy Guyton, 8 Steven Luatua, 7 Tanerau Latimer, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Josh Bekhuis, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu, 3 Charlie Faumuina, 2 James Parsons (c), 1 Sam Prattley
Replacements: 16 Quentin MacDonald, 17 Ofa Tu'ungafasi, 18 Sione Mafileo, 19 Hoani Matenga, 20 Kara Pryor, 21 Bryn Hall, 22 Matt McGahan, 23 Male Sa'u

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Dane Haylett-Petty is one Froce player in strife after misbehaving in South Africa. (AAP Image/ David Rowland)

Will Sinclair

Roar Guru

21st May, 2016

224

4408 Reads

Match result:

In a close affair the Blues have taken out a win on Australian soil, leaving the Force still winless at home in this 2016 Super Rugby season.

REPORT: BLUES DENY FORCE

Final score
Force 13
Blues 17

Match preview:

The Force welcome the Blues to Perth in this compelling Round 13 Super Rugby fixture. Join The Roar for live coverage from 7:30pm (AEST).

Prior to the bye last weekend, the Force finally broke their seven-game losing streak, beating the Sunwolves in Tokyo.

They will want to win here to stay in touch with the Reds in the battle for the Aussie wooden spoon – and to give their long suffering fans something to cheer about!

The Blues are a bit of a mystery. Before last weekend, they had won three on the trot – against the Sharks, Rebels and Kings – and looked to be building, but then were dreadful in losing to the Lions in Johannesburg.

The Force are winless against the New Zealand sides this season, if they lose this game, they will have lost to all five Kiwi teams, but if we take a line through their one-point home loss to the Crusaders back in Round 7, they can definitely win this game.

Meanwhile, the Blues have only won a single away game this year, against the Kings, but before last weekend their losses were tight games against Kiwi opposition, which is creditable.

The Blues have lost the Ioane brothers to the Sevens squad, and will be without Rene Ranger for the rest of the season. Billy Guyton replaces Bryan Hall at halfback. Ben Tapuai returns for the Force, while Pek Cowan is back on the bench.

Prediction
Blues 1-12

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