Brothers step out for Force
Western Force will create club history against the Stormers at nib Stadium tomorrow night when two brothers line up for a Super Rugby clash for the first time.
Full-back Dane Haylett-Petty will be joined by younger brother Ross, who makes his debut from the reserves bench.
Dane, 25, recently signed a new two-season deal with the club, while 21-year-old Ross joined the extended playing squad last year.
Both have represented Australia at the Junior World Cup, but have played only four games together — two for Cottesloe and two for Perth Spirit in last year's National Rugby Championship.
Ross has been named on the bench with open-side flanker Chris Alcock returning to the starting side. He replaces Kane Koteka, who was concussed in the loss to the Cheetahs last Saturday night.
Alcock will make his 50th Super Rugby appearance, having played 25 for the Waratahs before joining the Force as coach Michael Foley's first signing ahead of the 2013 season.
The Force will need a huge effort to crack a Stormers defence that was exceptional in the 32-18 win over the Waratahs last weekend.
Meanwhile, Bernard Foley remains hopeful of wearing the green and gold at next year’s Olympic Games despite already securing an unprecedented deal to play rugby year-round in Australia and Japan.
Far from harbouring any burnout fears after being granted the ARU’s first-ever “flexible contract” that will allow the Wallabies playmaker two seasons in Japan while also staying with the Waratahs, Foley is also eyeing a spot in the Australian sevens team for Rio de Janeiro.
“I’ve always been very passionate about the sevens and to play in the Olympics would be special and something I’d love to do,” he said.
Foley, a former Australian sevens captain who won a silver medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, not only expressed his desire to make the Olympics but also revealed negotiations with the ARU and the Waratahs — and presumably sevens coach Geraint John — had taken place.
“Logistically, it’s going to be tough, but ... maybe there will be an opportunity there to work in with the sevens and the Waratahs,” he said.
“Being part of the Olympics would be amazing and there has been that communication as well.”
Foley’s double deal locks the goal-kicking No.10 in with the Waratahs until the end of 2018 and frees up the 25-year-old to play for a Japanese club — tipped to be the Ricoh Black Rams — after the World Cup and again after next year’s Rugby Championship.
TODAY : Crusaders v Chiefs
TOMORROW : Hurricanes v Waratahs, Highlanders v Blues, Brumbies v Rebels, Western Force v Stormers, Sharks v Bulls, Cheetahs v Reds
