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Izack Rodda set for first Force start this season against Highlanders
Wallaby Izack Rodda will start a Super Rugby Pacific match for the first time this season after making a successful return from injury in the Force’s historic win over the Crusaders in Perth.
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Rodda, who has played more than 20 matches in Wallaby gold, came off the bench for an hour in last weekend’s historic 37-15 win over the defending champions at HBF Park.
The towering lock joins former Wallaby Sam Carter in the second row, while team captain Jeremy Williams will make a return off the pine after missing the last three matches through injury.
Head-to-Head
Last 5 Meetings
Wins
4
Draws
0
Wins
1
Average Points scored
31
19
First try wins
80%
Home team wins
80%
Wallaby Nic White will continue as captain this week.
Marley Pearce joins Tom Horton and Argentina’s Santiago Medrano in the front row, while Sam Carter and Rodda will pack down as the locking pair. Will Harris, tackle-machine Carlo Tizzano and former Maori All Black Reed Prinsep round out the forwards.
Captain Nic White joins Ben Donaldson in a familiar halves pairing, while Hamish Stewart and the talented Sam Spink are the Western Force’s midfielders for this round 10 clash.
New Zealander Chase Tiatia, Bayley Kuenzle and 95-test Wallaby veteran Kurtley Beale are the three outside backs in the run-on side.
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After overcoming the Crusaders last weekend, the Western Force have an opportunity to move up at least one more place on the ladder with a win over the Highlanders.
The Dunedin-based outfit are one spot about the Force, with only two competition points separating them.
Should results go their way, the Force could move inside the top eight with a bonus point win. This match will be played at Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Western Force to take on Highlanders
- Marley Pearce
- Tom Horton
- Santiago Medrano
- Sam Carter
- Izack Rodda
- Will Harris
- Carlo Tizzano
- Reed Prinsep
- Nic White (c)
- Ben Donaldson
- Chase Tiatia
- Hamish Stewart
- Sam Spink
- Bayley Kuenzle
- Kurtley Beale
Replacements
- Feleti Kaitu’u
- Josh Bartlett
- Tiaan Tauakipulu
- Jeremy Williams
- Michael Wells
- Issak Fines-Leleiwasa
- Max Burey
- Henry O’Donnell
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Comments on RugbyPass
Yeah nah he comes across as a funny bloke, but that stopped abruptly after the Nutcracker Prince debacle✋
1 Go to commentsAt this point I can’t watch him without thinking he’s a dirty slimebag. He should have been banned for the same amount of time that Quinn was out. It took Tupaea near on a fricking year to get fit enough to play again and his leg will never be the same. The other crap thing is that he was at ABs level and now he has to claw his way back there when he could have had several games under his belt.
4 Go to commentsThe Black Ferns 7’s have been without Captain Sarah Hirini now since Dec 23 in Dubai where she suffered a bad ACL injury - hopefully she is on the road to recovery for Madrid and Paris. Now also have Tyler King and Shiray kaka on the Injured List but the Team still found a way to win in Singapore and claim the overall Title.
1 Go to commentsUtter grub, hope he gets his leg broken. Shocking he is still playing after intentionally breaking quinn tupaeas knee
4 Go to commentsGreat to see NZ 7s teams finally coming into form and playing at the level that is expected of them.
2 Go to commentsChief Cheapshot on the market again.
4 Go to commentsCrusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
13 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
13 Go to commentsEnd to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
13 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
4 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
4 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
3 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
4 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
2 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
3 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
7 Go to commentsADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
7 Go to comments