Folau fit for Force debut in Super Round clash
Folau Fainga’a and Manasa Mataele return to face the Reds after a cautious late withdrawal in Round 1.
Fainga’a has proven fit, and will start at hooker for the first time in the Force jersey. Consistent front rowers Robertson and Medrano add weight against a hard-hitting Reds uniform.
Mataele returns to the right wing after pulling up tight moments before the team was due to run on at HBF Park. Mataele was one of just two players to make 1000+ metres from their carries in last season’s Super Rugby campaign (1023m) and also made the joint-second most line breaks of any player in the competition last term (14). His power through contact will be welcomed heading into a strong Reds defence.
Fresh out of his short-lived retirement, comeback king Jeremy Thrush earns a start after securing the match-winning try in the final minutes of last week’s home game, partnering with Williams as the locking combination makes for an exciting duo.
Commanding the breakdown, the heavily contested back-row sees Anstee, Wells, and Callan obtain their starting positions as loose forwards.
Shifting the pace of the game with his speed and agility in the second half, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa starts at scrum-half. Facing their former side, experienced Hegarty and Stewart, with near 200 Super Rugby caps between them, are nearby at fly-half and inside centre, aiding the rhythm early on.
Kuenzle provides another kicking option at #13, with Tiatia set for another class act at full-back.
Force vs Reds
1 Tom Robertson
2 Folau Fainga’a
3 Santiago Medrano
4 Jeremy Williams
5 Jeremy Thrush
6 Tim Anstee
7 Ollie Callan
8 Michael Wells
9 Issak Fines-Leleiwasa
10 Bryce Hegarty
11 Zach Kibirige
12 Hamish Stewart
13 Bayley Kuenzle
14 Manasa Mataele
15 Chase Tiatia
Replacements:
16 Tom Horton
17 Angus Wagner
18 Siosifa Amone
19 Felix Kalapu
20 Jackson Pugh
21 Ian Prior
22 George Poolman
23 Jake Strachan
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