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Western Force handed reality check by Highlanders ahead of New Zealand tour

(Photo by Will Russell/Getty Images)

Western Force coach Tim Sampson says a 25-15 loss to the Highlanders was the reality check his team needed ahead of their three-match swing in New Zealand.

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The Force were blown off the park early on Friday night, with the Highlanders racing out to a 20-3 lead inside 36 minutes to set up the win in Perth.

The result came just a week after the Force lost 20-19 to the Chiefs in a match they would have won if Domingo Miotti had nailed an after-the-siren conversion attempt.

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Sampson rued his team’s ill discipline against the Highlanders, with the penalty count reading 9-3 at half-time.

The Force’s task is about to become a whole lot tougher given their remaining three matches in the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman competition are in New Zealand.

The Perth-based franchise take on the Hurricanes in Napier next Friday, before facing off against the Crusaders and Blues.

Sampson said his team had learned vital lessons from the loss to the Highlanders, who dominated the breakdown at crucial moments.

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“We just couldn’t get any control of the game. That’s the reality check we needed for NZ teams,” Sampson said.

“They were ruthless and very physical at the breakdown, and very quick. They caught us on the hop a fair bit there.

“It (the trip to NZ) is something we look forward to. The challenge of playing over there excites us.

‘Good sides rebound quickly, and I’m sure these guys will rebound.”

The Force will be sweating on the availability of flyhalf Jake McIntyre and lock Jeremy Thrush.

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McIntyre was knocked out in a first-half clash of heads, while Thrush was a late withdrawal after pulling up “lame” and failing a fitness test on the morning of the match.

Force stand-in captain Kyle Godwin is confident the team will be able to fix up its discipline issues.

“It’s an individual thing, but we’ve got to address it as a team,” Godwin said.

“If we can get our core fundam ental skills and breakdown right, that will take care of itself. They won the breakdown tonight, and a lot of our areas and a lot of that ill discipline will evaporate if we do take care of that.”

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R
RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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