Western Force are embracing the challenge of Saturday’s
crucial must-win Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific clash against Fijian Drua at
HBF Park.
Coach Simon Cron said players were thriving under pressure
as they head into the penultimate game of the regular season.
They are currently ninth on 22 points, six from sixth spot
and a maiden finals appearance and round off the season with a home game
against the Waratahs in the last round.
Cron told reporters at Friday’s CD Dodd Coaches’ Conference
the squad was enjoying the intensity of the build-up with the knowledge their
season could be on the line.
Cron said they had been living with the do-or-die scenario
for some weeks.
“It’s a must win, has been for a while,” Cron
said. “The boys have been really good at keeping that edge.
“They know what they need to do. We know what we need
to do as a team. It’s about the way we train and then go into that game with
that mindset.
“As a player it’s a great opportunity to learn how to
handle those moments and what you’re going to do in those moments. The boys
have done that now for a few weeks.
“It adds to the belief and understanding what to do in
those moments.”
Cron said they had to be precise and physical against a Drua
side who are dangerous from any part of the ground.
They also need to use their strong set piece to start
momentum.
“Execution all over the field,” he said. “You
don’t want to give the Drua free ball.
“We were a little bit guilty of that in our game over
in Fiji. It’s an area of work on and the boys have been good the last few weeks
on it.
“That (set piece) will be the starter and then
obviously doing the basics well is important. Making sure we do the things that
work on the ground, ball carry height, all the things that make our game
work.”
The game is part of Kids Round aimed at encouraging juniors
to play rugby and families to attend Super Rugby game.
The club is offering one junior ticket for free with each
paying adult.
It is the last match of the round but there will be no
“black-out” of other results going into the game.
“For us it’s about what we do, how we do it. The boys
are pretty clear on that,” Cron said. “It’s about getting out there
and playing our game.
“Outcome is one thing but role and dominating your role
is more important.”
Cron has made just one change to the starting side, Bayley
Kuenzle coming in at outside centre from the reserves last round.
George Bridge is out with soreness having played more
minutes than any other Force player this season.
Kuenzle can play on the wing or centre but Cron believes
midfield is his best role.
“BK (Kuenzle) brings size, strength, power in his own
game,” Cron said. “He can be really direct, he’s a good distributor.
“BK’s always proven to be great when he gets on that
field. It’s a perfect opportunity for him at 13 to have that combination with
Hamish (inside centre Hamish Stewart).
“It’s happened a number of times this year.”
Academy graduate, 20-year-old Australia U20s midfielder
Boston Fakafanua is in line for his debut from the bench.
“He’s an amazing talent, strong ball carrier,”
Cron said. “He’s got all the skills and all the talent. We back him.
“We looked earlier in the season around how we could
get him game time. He had a couple of early injuries which probably kept him
out.”
Kurtley Beale, named among the reserves, will become the
third most capped player in Super Rugby history with 186 appearances if he
takes the field, moving past Aaron Smith and leaving him behind only James
Slipper and Wyatt Crockett on the all-time list.
Cron described Beale as an “enormous role model”.
“Not only in the indigenous space but throughout rugby
in Australia for a long period of time,” he said. “He’s a great man.
“He’s still driven, he’s a thinker, he’s a family man,
he does a lot of stuff for us that we think is critically important.
“He’s bought a lot of spark into the last 20-30 minutes
of our games. It’s a credit to what he does to his body each week.
“Every Sunday he will be in ice baths, recovery,
stretching, roll outs. People who last a long time in the game are the best
professionals, the ones who look after their bodies and the body’s the tool. He’s
one of those.”
Cron has named an unchanged pack for Saturday’s game, with
Harry Johnson-Holmes, Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Misinale Epenisa in the front
row.
Captain Jeremy Williams and Darcy Swain make up the second
row, vice-captain Nick Champion de Crespigny, Carlo Tizzano and Vaiolini Ekuasi
start in the back row.
Nathan Hastie and Max Burey will link in the halves with
Stewart partnering Kuenzle in midfield.
Dylan Pietsch, Zac Lomax and with Mac Grealy round out the
back three.
Western Force starting side: 1 Harry Johnson-Holmes,
2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 3 Misinale Epenisa, 4 Jeremy Williams (c), 5 Darcy
Swain, 6 Nick Champion de Crespigny (vc), 7 Carlo Tizzano, 8 Vaiolini Ekuasi, 9
Nathan Hastie, 10 Max Burey, 11 Dylan Pietsch, 12 Hamish Stewart, 13 Bayley
Kuenzle, 14 Zac Lomax, 15 Mac Grealy.
Reserves; 16 Nic Dolly, 17 Marley Pearce, 18 Sef Fa’agase,
19 Franco Molina, 20 Will Harris, 21 Agustin Moyano, 22 Boston Fakafanua, 23
Kurtley Beale.
Drua starting side: 1 Meli Tuni, 2 Zuriel Togiatama,
3 Samuela Tawake, 4 Mesake Vocevoce, 5 Temo Mayanavanua (c), 6 Vilive Miramira,
7 Kitione Salawa, 8 Isoa Tuwai, 9 Isaak Fines-Leleiwasa, 10 Kemu Valetini, 11
Manasa Mataele, 12 Virimi Vakatawa, 13 Maika Tuitubou, 14 Taniela Rakuro, 15
Isikeli Rabitu.
Reserves: 16 Sairusi Ravudi, 17 Penaia Cakobau, 18 Mesake
Doge, 19 Isoa Nasilasila, 20 Elia Canakaivata, 21 Simione Kuruvoli, 22 Isaiah
Armstrong-Ravula, 23 Iosefo Namoce.
Game details
Western Force vs Fijian Drua
Saturday 23 May, 5:35pm WST
HBF Park, Perth
Live on Stan Sport (TV) & 91.3 SportFM (radio)
FOR BUY ONE ADULT, ONE JUNIOR FREE PROMOTION
*Please note that when purchasing tickets via the
Ticketmaster website it will prompt you to purchase 2 x tickets at half price.
For example: 2 x
General Admission tickets at $14 each. Total $28.00 which is the usual cost of
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