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The Chiefs are currently on a six-game winning streak at home in Super Rugby Pacific. Not only that, but the Chiefs have won their last seven games against the Western force by an average margin of 24 points. Will moving the game to Bay Oval have an effect of Clayton McMillan’s team or will home comforts still come to the Force?
However, both teams are entering this weekend’s contest without one of their star playmakers and the loss will hit the Chiefs harder than their Australian competitors.
Let’s take a look at three areas that will go a long way to deciding this weekend’s clash:
Damian McKenzie and Nic White
Both the Chiefs and the Force are missing key playmakers for this weekend’s clash. Both halfbacks are integral to how these teams play but for me, it’s the Chiefs who are dealt the worse hand. Damian McKenzie has been in red-hot form this season in both the 10 and 15 shirt and his time at fullback means Josh Jacomb has had time at flyhalf. However, regardless of the number on his back, McKenzie has been tasked with the goal kicking so it will be interesting to see how Jacomb performs with this added responsibility on his shoulders.
Nic White has added some real international quality to this Force team and his experience has been a great help to Ben Donaldson, who is having the best season of his career. White isn’t firing on all cylinders at the moment. He’s having moments in games that showcase his quality, but he needs to start delivering each and every moment while on the field. The breakdown was a mess last week out versus the Hurricanes, they did an excellent job of slowing down Force ball and whenever White did get his hands on the ball, defenders were already within arms reach. His try scoring assist to Mac Grealy is what sets him apart from his scrum half competition, but Henry Robertson can fill the gap in the aggregate, he just needs to nail his passing and pick the right options. If he does this enough to a decent level, he can replace White’s magic, with SRP level quantity over international quality.
The Lineout
The lineout has been a serious area of strength for the Force this year, with and without the ball.
In fact, the Force have the No.1 lineout in the competition, winning 90% of their own ball.
Darcy Swain has been a fantastic signing for the Force this year. He’s won the most amount of lineouts this year with 54 takes, six of which are steals. Worth noting that Swain has played in 9 games this year, however, the only other player in the top 10 of lineout wins with 9 games, has a total of 29 takes and that’s Samipeni Finau.
Jeremy Williams sits at 6th in lineout takes with 34, 6 of which were steals and has played 8 games. Will Harris starts on the blindside of the scrum this week and he sits 4th on the lineout steals table with 4.
If the Force are to secure a foothold in this game, they need their halfbacks to kick for touch and use Harry Potter and Mac Grealy to run like madmen on the chase to prevent quick throws. Simon Cron’s side needs to force (haha) the Chiefs into a lineout formation as often as they can where they can lean into the strength of this team.
Mac Grealy Pushing For A Wallabies Call
Last week, even before this game, I was calling for Mac Grealy to be Joe Schmidt’s next debutante.
For me the former Red now Western Force fullback is the next best 15 behind Tom Wright. There’s an abundance of talent in the back three in Australia and Joseph Sua’ali’i Waratahs form has added another variable into the equation. But rather than forcing wingers into fullback to accommodate guys, I think it’s important that Joe Schmidt develops the next best out and out 15 and that’s Mac Grealy.
Grealy has regularly been named in Teams of the Week and was even nominated for Player of the Round last time out. Grealy is the fullback in Simon Cron’s first-choice back three alongside Dylan Pietsch and Harry Potter. Grealy, the only one who hasn’t been capped in that trio, doesn’t look a step out of place. He’s made the 8th most carries this season, has made the 6th most metres and is tied 7th for defenders beaten.
He’s combined the defensive side of his game, which he established last year for the Reds, with a counterattacking and playmaking ability in Perth. He’s 23 years of age and is only getting better and better.
Chiefs Starting XV (1-15) Aidan Ross, Samisoni Taukei'aho, George Dyer, Josh Lord, Tupou Vaa'i, Samipeni Finau, Jahrome Brown, Luke Jacobson, Cortez Ratima, Josh Jacomb, Daniel Rona, Quinn Tupaea, Anton Lienert-Brown, Emoni Narawa, Shaun Stevenson
Chiefs Replacements (16-23) Brodie McAlister, Ollie Norris, Reuben O'Neill, Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Simon Parker, Wallace Sititi, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Kaleb Trask
Western Force Starting XV (1-15) Ryan Coxon, Nic Dolly, Tom Robertson, Jeremy Williams, Darcy Swain, Will Harris, Carlo Tizzano, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Henry Robertson, Ben Donaldson, Bayley Kuenzle, Hamish Stewart, Sio Tomkinson, Harry Potter, Mac Grealy
Western Force Replacements (16-23) Tom Horton, Atu Moli, Josh Smith, Sam Carter, Reed Prinsep, Doug Philipson, Max Burey, George Poolman
