The Western Force host their first game this season against the table-topping Hurricanes who have come away from their South African tour with two wins out of two. Join us for live scores and commentary from 9:45pm AEDT.
The Hurricanes have won the last six meetings between these two, which actually doesn’t say that much, because the last time these two met was in 2013.
Still, the Hurricanes, currently second, will be hoping to extend their stay at the top of the table.
The Western Force were a tad disappointing against the Reds last week. Beating the Hurricanes will go some way to proving that last year’s good form wasn’t a blip, and that their win against the Waratahs wasn’t because the Tahs had an off day.
The Force left Lang Park last week with an undesirably long list of walking wounded. Francois van Wyk, Chris Alcock, Matt Hodgson, Dane Haylett-Petty and Adam Coleman are all worse for wear and will be sitting out this game. But, and that’s a big but, talisman Pek Cowan will return to bolster the Sandgropers, who currently have the worst set-piece success rates (69 per cent for scrums and 59 per cent for lineouts).
The other big news for the Force is that winger Nick Cummins has been ruled out of this game, Michael Foley preferring the Honey Badger rest and recuperate for the Brumbies game next weekend. Presumably though, morale at the Force camp has shot upwards like a NASA space launch since Cummins returned from Japan last Saturday.
The Hurricanes on the other hand have been racking up both competition and frequent flyer points. The ‘Canes were sprightly in beating the Lions away 22-8, before getting across the line in Pretoria against the Bulls, 17-13.
Coming off their South African tour, Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd has rather predictably rotated personnel for this game, making five changes. Captain Conrad Smith has been rested, and in his place Dane Coles will skipper the side, his first time doing so. TJ Perenara has been benched, while All Black Victor Vito will start his first game of his season at number 8.
Prediction
Pek might fix things, but the Force’s mess of a scrum combined with the Hurricanes’ monstrously good backline puts the Force in deficit on two crucial areas.
But the Force have hope: the Hurricanes will undoubtedly be weary from travelling for three rounds, have changed their team and winning formula, and the ‘Fremantle Doctor’ can do crazy things to the unaware.
Hurricanes by 10.
Machpants
Roar Guru
That's pretty awful
Machpants
Roar Guru
They've got the bye
Brawlsinmauls
Guest
Yea sorry, I mean overseas. They play 'away' games in NZ :)
ethan
Guest
What????
amit
Guest
Throw that crystal bal..its outdated nw I guess
Hoy
Roar Guru
How does that work? Four away games? Bit light on isn't it? Or do you mean travel oversea?
Digby
Roar Guru
:shock:
Kuruki
Roar Guru
Nehe Milner Skudder. That is all.
Kuruki
Roar Guru
Yes, it's a common thing in Australia.
Digby
Roar Guru
I was overreacting a month ago! ;)
Squirrel
Guest
I was at the game . Force tried hard gave a 110% but got nothing
Brawlsinmauls
Guest
I think they can finish top two in the NZ conf. They only travel one more time to Queensland for the remainder of the season so good luck to them. I like the way the play bar the Bulls game
Chas
Guest
Good ref, hardly noticed him.
DJW
Guest
And to think the Canes still have players to come back Impressive performance The Force very poor, looked like a team who hadn't played together before. Brumbies away next weekend, could be another long night
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Recall some people thought the Hurricanes would be tired from the flight back from South Africa, but WA isn't as long a flight as NZ or the Australia East Coast, next week is their real return game from the western tour.
Charging Rhino
Roar Guru
That's what John Plumtree will do for your team!! Especially the forwards. Didn't watch it but sounds like the Canes are playing well. Sharks came agonizingly close twice with Plum in the coaching staff, and a brutal forward pack.
Squirrel
Guest
Man of the match was zack Holmes can you believe it
Batdown
Roar Rookie
The Hurricanes have an experianced, physical pack, were the WForce gunshy? Yes. The Force couldn't handle the H'canes rugged defence and dogged determination at the breakdown. V. Vito did not take a step back and their captain lead from the front with simple "do as I do" attitude. Some of the H'canes cleanouts were brutal. Easy go forward ball means plenty of space for an incredibly strong, fast and talented backline. C. Smylie and B. Barrett tore them to shreds.
Machpants
Roar Guru
Well the Canes looking good, but the proof comes against decent opposition ie kiwi teams in NZ! :-) Still I enjoyed that and watching THE BUS smashing and bustling his way through defences was a joy
Harry Jones
Expert
Nick, you did very well. Digger, start overreacting! Title dreams!!!!!!