Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

Western Force provide update on Rob Kearney as former All Black set to miss Reds clash

By AAP
Rob Kearney (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Western Force coach Tim Sampson is hopeful superstar fullback Rob Kearney will be able to return for Friday night’s season-defining clash with the Queensland Reds in Perth.

ADVERTISEMENT

Kearney hasn’t played since injuring his groin in the 26-19 Super Rugby AU loss to the Reds on March 20.

The Ireland great just fell short of being passed fit for Saturday night’s dramatic 31-30 win over the NSW Waratahs, and he’s firming to return against the Reds.

Video Spacer

All Blacks Dane Coles, Sevu Reece, Shannon Frizell, and Scott Barrett share their favourite drills, what other position they want to play and what their number one tip is for young rugby players. Brought to you by Healthspan Elite.

Video Spacer

All Blacks Dane Coles, Sevu Reece, Shannon Frizell, and Scott Barrett share their favourite drills, what other position they want to play and what their number one tip is for young rugby players. Brought to you by Healthspan Elite.

The Melbourne Rebels and Force are locked in a fierce battle to secure third spot and a place in the finals.

The final round will see the Force play the Reds on the Friday night, and the Rebels play NSW in Sydney the following day.

Bonus points and points differential could end up deciding third spot, depending on results.

The return of Kearney would be a huge boost to the Force, who are riding high after pulling off dramatic victories over the Rebels and Waratahs in consecutive weeks.

“He’s pretty close,” Sampson said of Kearney’s return.

“He was due back a couple of weeks ago, and just tweaked something around his groin area.

ADVERTISEMENT

“He was very close for this game (against the Waratahs). Hopefully he gets through the next few days and he’s available for selection.”

Former All Blacks lock Jeremy Thrush could miss after rolling his ankle against the Waratahs.

The Force trailed by nine points with 10 minutes to go, but a try to Jordan Olowofela in the 72nd minute and a clutch sideline conversion from Argentinian flyhalf Domingo Miotti reduced the margin to two points.

NSW lost a line-out with just six seconds remaining in the match, allowing the Force one more shot at victory.

ADVERTISEMENT

After 23 hard-fought phases, the Force were awarded a penalty for offside, and Miotti calmly slotted the kick from 21m to secure victory.

The result was another heartbreak for the Waratahs, who are winless after seven games and had lost 24-22 to the Brumbies in their previous match.

Waratahs captain Jake Gordon wants his team to finish the season strongly against the Rebels.

“The last two games we’ve been within two points,” Gordon said.

“We’ve still got a point to prove. We’re improving as a team, but we are not where we want to be.”

– Justin Chadwick

ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 6

Sam Warburton | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

Japan Rugby League One | Sungoliath v Eagles | Full Match Replay

Japan Rugby League One | Spears v Wild Knights | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 10 | Six Nations Final Round Review

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | How can New Zealand rugby beat this Ireland team

Beyond 80 | Episode 5

Rugby Europe Men's Championship Final | Georgia v Portugal | Full Match Replay

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
Jon 9 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

35 Go to comments
j
john 11 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

44 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING 'Crikey': Son of league legend Martin Offiah picked by England U18s 'Crikey': Son of league legend Martin Offiah picked by England U18s
Search