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'You could just see how excited he was to be back': Richard Kahui primed for Super Rugby return

(Photo by Teaukura Moetaua/Getty Images)

Western Force have set their sights on taking down the Brumbies’ all-Wallabies front row when the two sides lock horns in Sydney on Saturday night.

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The Brumbies’ front row of Scott Sio (63 Tests), Folau Fainga’a (12), and Allan Alaalatoa (37) boast a combined 112 Test caps between them.

In contrast, the Force’s trio of Kieran Longbottom, 25-year-old hooker Feleti Kaitu’u, and 22-year-old Angus Wagner have none, with 27-Test Wallaby Greg Holmes ruled out with a broken thumb.

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The Aussie Rugby Show | Episode 10

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The Aussie Rugby Show | Episode 10

Wagner and Kaitu’u didn’t even have any Super Rugby experience before this year, but they’ve already proven they are no pushovers.

Longbottom has been impressed by what the duo have produced so far, and he’s confident they will hold their own against the Brumbies.

“Their growth has been huge,” Longbottom said.

“The work they did on the weekend against the Reds was massive, and you could just feel the confidence they got out of that.

“It’s a very good front row (the Brumbies have), but we see it as a challenge and an opportunity to prove ourselves.

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“It’s a Wallaby front row. So if we can have a great day out against them, we can be super proud of that and set our team up for success.”

It’s not just the Brumbies’ front row that poses a threat, with their backline featuring powerhouse runners Irae Simone, Tevita Kuridrani, and winger Solomone Kata.

The Brumbies are unbeaten after two games, while the Force have suffered tight losses to the Waratahs and Reds.

The Force will unleash World Cup-winning All Blacks centre Richard Kahui off the bench, with fellow Kiwi Jeremy Thrush to captain the side in the absence of Ian Prior (shoulder).

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“He’s been energetic and really helpful,” Longbottom said of Kahui, who won the World Cup with the All Blacks in 2011.

“We had a presentation for his jersey earlier this morning, and you could just see how excited he was to be back in Super footy, to be back with a group as open and welcoming as we are.

“He brings a lot of experience to that backline.”

The Force have lost 10 of their past 11 games against the Brumbies, but Longbottom says the team is confident of causing a boilover.

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J
JW 23 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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