Double late injury blow for Force

Western Force have been forced into two late changes for Friday's Super 14 match against the Bulls at Subiaco Oval.

Western Force have been forced into two late changes for Friday's Super 14 match against the Bulls at Subiaco Oval.

Inside centre Lachlan MacKay and reserve back rower Tamaiti Horua withdrew from the team's line-up with minor injury complaints.

MacKay was set to start at inside centre, but was sidelined by a niggling groin strain on Thursday.

Flanker Horua doubled the Force's bad news when he failed a test on his injured rib cartilage at Thursday's 'Captain's Run' session at Subiaco Oval.

Coach John Mitchell said he was not prepared to carry a player at less than full fitness against the reigning Super 14 champions.

“Lachlan has got a bit of a (groin) strain and is at about 85 per cent, so we've decided not to take a risk with him,” said Mitchell.

“We can't afford to carry someone who's not at 100 per cent fitness, so both Lachlan and Tamaiti have been pulled out of the team for tomorrow night,” he said.

World Cup Wallaby Scott Staniforth will take the place of MacKay at inside centre, while Staniforth's right wing position has been awarded to rookie flyer Nick Cummins.

Matt Hodgson joins the reserves bench in place of Horua, while the new man on the bench is 19-year-old Durban-born Dane Haylett-Petty.

Western Force: 15 Cameron Shepherd, 14 Nick Cummins, 13 Ryan Cross, 12 Scott Staniforth, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Chris O'Young, 8 Richard Brown, 7 David Pocock,6 Scott Fava, 5 Nathan Sharpe (c), 4 Tom Hockings, 3 AJ Whalley, 2 Tai McIsaac, 1 Pek Cowan. Replacements: 16 Luke Holmes, 17 Troy Takiari, 18 Sam Wykes, 19 Matt Hodgson, 20 James Stannard, 21 Josh Tatupu, 22 Dane Haylett-Petty.

Date: Friday, April 4
Venue: Subiaco Oval, Perth
Kick-off: 19:45 (12:45 GMT)
Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Lyndon Bray (New Zealand), Matt Goddard (Australia)
Television match official: Geoff Acton (Australia)
Assessor: Wayne Erickson