Four Saffas for the Force

 

On the bench there are two more South Africans in Francois van Wyk and Brynard Stander.

 

With regular skipper Matt Hodgson (hamstring) sidelined until after Week Eight, Sam Wykes will become the ninth player to lead the Western Force, while Chris Alcock will start on the openside flank.

 

Foundation squad member Pek Cowan will equal Nathan Sharpe’s tally of 92 matches for the club – second only to Hodgson’s 113 games.

 

Recruit Steve Mafi, who joined the squad from the Leicester Tigers, is in line to make his Super Rugby debut against the Waratahs.

 

The Force have won two and drawn one of their encounters with the Tahs in Sydney, and will be looking to back up their 28-16 result over the Waratahs in their last meeting in Perth in 2014.

 

Western Force: 15 Dane Haylett-Petty, 14 Luke Morahan, 13 Kyle Godwin, 12 Solomoni Rasolea, 11 Marcel Brache, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 Chris Alcock, 6 Angus Cottrell, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Sam Wykes (captain), 3 Tetera Faulkner, 2 Nathan Charles, 1 Pek Cowan.

Replacements: 16 Heath Tessmann, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Oliver Hoskins, 19 Steve Mafi, 20 Brynard Stander, 21 Ian Prior, 22 Zack Holmes, 23 Luke Burton.

 

Date: Sunday, February 15

Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney

Kick-off: 16.05 (05.05 GMT; 13.05 AWST)

Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)

Assistant referees: Damien Mitchelmore (Australia), Michael Hogan (Australia)

TMO: Ian Smith (Australia)