Super Rugby LIVE: Waratahs take on Force with their season of the line
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Latest posts
7.14pm
Andrew Kellaway out for Waratahs
Some late team news, Andrew Kellaway is out, with the Wallabies utility back switching out with Darby Lancaster who gets another chance on the wing after a difficult night in defence for the Waratahs.
There's a direct showdown between former Waratahs' playmaker Ben Donaldson and the current man in possession of the jersey, Tane Edmed.
Taniela Tupou gets his first start after coming off the bench for the last five games for the Waratahs, expect the tighthead to make Fatongia Paea's night as difficult as possible in the set piece.
The Force can't qualify for the finals in Super Rugby, but they have the first game against the British and Irish Lions and many of their team including breakaway Carlos Tizzano and winger Harry Potter will be desperate to book their place in Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt's extended Test squad.
6.58pm
How the Waratahs are lining up
6.58pm
Can the Tahs make finals?
6.58pm
It's all on the line tonight
Good evening rugby fans. It's Jonathan Drennan, and I will be guiding you through tonight's action in Perth.
There is rarely a dull day on the Waratahs' beat and here we are on the penultimate game of the season against the Force.
Last season, the Waratahs would be well in with a chance of playing finals, but this year, with the number of slots down from eight to six, they must win in Perth.
If they win against the Force, they then must win against the Blues in Auckland and also hope that Moana Pasifika lose against the Hurricanes.
None of this is impossible, but it's going to be a hell of a job for a team that hasn't won on the road this year.
There were some strong words from coach Dan McKellar and captain Jake Gordon after last week's defeat against the Crusaders and a tough review at training. Will it be enough to inspire this Waratahs team? We will soon find out.
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Overton leads returning quartet for India Test series
Jamie Overton has returned to England's Test squad for the first time in three years for the series opener against India as Jacob Bethell, Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse also return. Overton has been a regular in the white-ball set-up in recent times but won his solitary Test cap against New Zealand in 2022, taking two wickets and hitting an unexpected 97 with the bat. It remains to be seen whether the allrounder will be fully fit to take the field at Headingley on June 20, having broken the little finger on his right hand during the recent ODIs against West Indies, but he has been given every chance to prove his fitness. The England and Wales Cricket Board has said the 31-year-old will be "assessed and reviewed daily" by its medical team, who have already ruled Overton's Surrey teammate Gus Atkinson (hamstring) out of the match. In his absence, England have further bolstered their pace bowling stocks with comebacks for fit-again pair Woakes and Carse. Woakes, who faces the tourists with England Lions in Northampton over the next four days, could edge out Sam Cook, who retains his place after a quiet debut against Zimbabwe. Carse, meanwhile, is in line for his first home cap after impressing over the winter in Pakistan and New Zealand. A thornier selection dilemma concerns Bethell, the 21-year-old rising star who is back from IPL duty and placing pressure on the top three. Bethell confirmed his status as an outstanding prospect with a highly-accomplished series against West Indies and has already shown an aptitude for the cut and thrust of the Test arena on the New Zealand tour. Vice-captain Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley were both thought to be under pressure from his reintroduction but the pair reeled off matching hundreds against Zimbabwe and received glowing praise from skipper Ben Stokes in the aftermath. ENGLAND SQUAD FOR FIRST TEST V INDIA IN LEEDS: Ben Stokes (capt), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes. Jamie Overton has returned to England's Test squad for the first time in three years for the series opener against India as Jacob Bethell, Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse also return. Overton has been a regular in the white-ball set-up in recent times but won his solitary Test cap against New Zealand in 2022, taking two wickets and hitting an unexpected 97 with the bat. It remains to be seen whether the allrounder will be fully fit to take the field at Headingley on June 20, having broken the little finger on his right hand during the recent ODIs against West Indies, but he has been given every chance to prove his fitness. 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Vice-captain Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley were both thought to be under pressure from his reintroduction but the pair reeled off matching hundreds against Zimbabwe and received glowing praise from skipper Ben Stokes in the aftermath. ENGLAND SQUAD FOR FIRST TEST V INDIA IN LEEDS: Ben Stokes (capt), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes. Jamie Overton has returned to England's Test squad for the first time in three years for the series opener against India as Jacob Bethell, Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse also return. Overton has been a regular in the white-ball set-up in recent times but won his solitary Test cap against New Zealand in 2022, taking two wickets and hitting an unexpected 97 with the bat. 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A thornier selection dilemma concerns Bethell, the 21-year-old rising star who is back from IPL duty and placing pressure on the top three. Bethell confirmed his status as an outstanding prospect with a highly-accomplished series against West Indies and has already shown an aptitude for the cut and thrust of the Test arena on the New Zealand tour. Vice-captain Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley were both thought to be under pressure from his reintroduction but the pair reeled off matching hundreds against Zimbabwe and received glowing praise from skipper Ben Stokes in the aftermath. ENGLAND SQUAD FOR FIRST TEST V INDIA IN LEEDS: Ben Stokes (capt), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.
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Kiss goodbye to doubts about safety of betting on Reds
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A Crusaders team on a 16-game finals winning streak, dotted with 10 All Blacks in their starting 15, will welcome the Reds on a cold, wet Christchurch Friday night. Losses in 13 of their past 14 games, including a season-worst 43-19 drubbing this campaign, sums up the one-sided rivalry. Rob Penney's side pipped the ACT Brumbies in Canberra in their battle for second place, while the fifth-placed Reds haven't beaten a top-four side all season. "Absolutely formidable," Reds coach Les Kiss summed up ahead of their must-win qualifying final. "We'll have to take a few hits, might be on the ropes, but we just have a belief we can fight back from those moments." The belief comes from victory there last year that ended a 25-year drought - the Crusaders' only loss to an Australian side in their past 21 games - and the Reds' new-found composure behind flyhalf Tom Lynagh since. They were able to turn the tables on the Highlanders this season, resorting to their trusty scrum to engineer a comeback win. Named at No.8, Harry Wilson's availability after an injury scare on Saturday was a huge mid-week boost. And super-boot Lynagh's competition-best 87 per cent conversion rate could also prove crucial in tough conditions, while the ruck and lineout will be a battle against a Crusaders team stacked with high-calibre Test talent. "It does plant a seed for us, hopefully plants a seed of doubt for them," Kiss said of victory in Christchurch last year. "It's a challenge; he (Lynagh) is up for it and hasn't failed a challenge yet, from what I've seen. "There's been a lot said about what the Crusaders are good at over there and we respect that, but I'll back Tommy to stand up and direct us around the park. "Let's go see what happens." Wilson's combination with flanker Fraser McReight, who is fourth in the competition with 17 turnovers from 12 games, will also be a pivotal one. McReight's influence was curbed in a 31-27 loss to the Hurricanes two weeks ago that dropped them out of the top four. Hurricanes captain and opposing flanker Du'Plessis Kirifi managed that contest superbly. Kiss has urged the Reds to avoid a repeat on Friday against a back row featuring Ethan Blackadder and Tom Christie. "Control the errors and ensure the breakdown is not left up to the ref to decide," Kiss said. "Do our job there to get the kind of ball we want." Former Reds playmaker James O'Connor will come off the bench for the Crusaders as the 34-year-old strengthens his case for a Wallabies recall. He has played just 328 minutes this year - Lynagh has logged 703 - but been impactful at the late stages with his kicking and decision-making. "He's been brilliant there, hasn't he," Kiss said of O'Connor, who left Ballymore after an injury-riddled 2024. "I can only say good things about James. He was good here ... gone over there and done a similar job. "Good luck to him, just not too much on Friday night." HISTORY AGAINST THE REDS * Lost 13 of past 14 games against Crusaders * Crusaders on a record 16-game finals winning streak dating back to 2016 * Reds' 2024 win the Crusaders' only home loss to Australian opponents in their past 21 games. * Three straight quarter-final losses for Reds and only one score of 25+ points in club's 13 finals appearances The statistics make ugly reading for the Queensland Reds, but the Super Rugby Pacific underdogs are hopeful a seed planted a year ago in Christchurch bears them finals fruit. A Crusaders team on a 16-game finals winning streak, dotted with 10 All Blacks in their starting 15, will welcome the Reds on a cold, wet Christchurch Friday night. Losses in 13 of their past 14 games, including a season-worst 43-19 drubbing this campaign, sums up the one-sided rivalry. Rob Penney's side pipped the ACT Brumbies in Canberra in their battle for second place, while the fifth-placed Reds haven't beaten a top-four side all season. "Absolutely formidable," Reds coach Les Kiss summed up ahead of their must-win qualifying final. "We'll have to take a few hits, might be on the ropes, but we just have a belief we can fight back from those moments." The belief comes from victory there last year that ended a 25-year drought - the Crusaders' only loss to an Australian side in their past 21 games - and the Reds' new-found composure behind flyhalf Tom Lynagh since. They were able to turn the tables on the Highlanders this season, resorting to their trusty scrum to engineer a comeback win. Named at No.8, Harry Wilson's availability after an injury scare on Saturday was a huge mid-week boost. And super-boot Lynagh's competition-best 87 per cent conversion rate could also prove crucial in tough conditions, while the ruck and lineout will be a battle against a Crusaders team stacked with high-calibre Test talent. "It does plant a seed for us, hopefully plants a seed of doubt for them," Kiss said of victory in Christchurch last year. "It's a challenge; he (Lynagh) is up for it and hasn't failed a challenge yet, from what I've seen. "There's been a lot said about what the Crusaders are good at over there and we respect that, but I'll back Tommy to stand up and direct us around the park. "Let's go see what happens." Wilson's combination with flanker Fraser McReight, who is fourth in the competition with 17 turnovers from 12 games, will also be a pivotal one. McReight's influence was curbed in a 31-27 loss to the Hurricanes two weeks ago that dropped them out of the top four. Hurricanes captain and opposing flanker Du'Plessis Kirifi managed that contest superbly. Kiss has urged the Reds to avoid a repeat on Friday against a back row featuring Ethan Blackadder and Tom Christie. "Control the errors and ensure the breakdown is not left up to the ref to decide," Kiss said. "Do our job there to get the kind of ball we want." Former Reds playmaker James O'Connor will come off the bench for the Crusaders as the 34-year-old strengthens his case for a Wallabies recall. He has played just 328 minutes this year - Lynagh has logged 703 - but been impactful at the late stages with his kicking and decision-making. "He's been brilliant there, hasn't he," Kiss said of O'Connor, who left Ballymore after an injury-riddled 2024. "I can only say good things about James. He was good here ... gone over there and done a similar job. "Good luck to him, just not too much on Friday night." 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West Australian
3 hours ago
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Overton leads returning quartet for India Test series
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