The Western Force's final SMARTECH Super Rugby Pacific game of the season against the Waratahs is no dead rubber with plenty at stake at HBF Park on Saturday night.
The Force cannot make the finals but need to win the Round 15 game, the Force Members’ Round, (kick-off 5:35pm, tickets via Ticketmaster) to avoid the possibility of the wooden spoon.
The Waratahs, who have lost their last 10 Super Rugby Pacific games outside Sydney, need to win their last two matches to have a slim chance of making the top six.
The Force have a bye in the final round.
They are looking to break a four-game losing streak, but coach Simon Cron told reporters during the CD Dodd Conference after Thursday's training that players needed no motivation for the game.
"Last game's critical for us in front of the Sea of Blue, our supporters, our house," he said.
"You can't get much more motivation than that. You should not have to gee a player up.
"They should be ready to go. For us every game matters. It's irrelevant of the table.
"That stuff (the ladder position) is probably part of it but for us it's more about giving a performance that we can be proud of.
"It's about performance and what we do on the field."
Cron said the season had been extremely disappointing.
"You can see it in the faces of everybody in the organisation," he said.
But he said they had to continue to build depth in key positions ahead of next month's British and Irish Lions clash at Optus Stadium.
"We will keep driving forward," Cron said.
Cron has brought seven big names back to Saturday's side - Carlo Tizzano, Nic White, Harry Potter, Ben Donaldson, Dylan Pietsch, Nick Champion de Crespigny and Hamish Stewart.
"A number of guys back this week that we missed last week that get an opportunity to step forward again and show us what they are made of," Cron said.
"Exciting to have them back obviously. They want to play rugby, we want them to play rugby.
"Their rugby brain's very important for us, to make decisions under pressure.
"Having them back is really important for us."
Flanker Tizzano and winger Peitsch were sidelined with pectoral and quad injuries respectively and back-rower Nick Champion de Crespigny returns after a week on head injury protocols.
Winger Potter, centre Hamish Stewart and scrum-half White are back after being managed for the Round 14 loss to the Fijian Drua in Lautoka.
Playmaker Ben Donaldson returns to the starting side after coming from the bench in Fiji.
Prop Fatongia Paea was signed as injury cover when the Force were in New Zealand, and with five loosehead's now unavailable, will make his starting debut. He came from the bench against the Chiefs.
He will join hooker Nic Dolly and tighthead Tom Robertson in the front row, captain Jeremy Williams and Darcy Swain in the second row and Tizzano and Champion de Crespigny in the back row with Will Harris.
Stewart links with Bayley Kuenzle in the centres, Mac Grealy reverts to full-back with Kurtley Beale on the bench.
Waratahs prop Taniela Tupou has been recalled to the starting side in one of several moves by coach Dan McKellar including Hugh Sinclair replacing injured Rob Leota at blindside flanker.
In the backline Lawson Creighton returns at fullback after missing the past two matches, Andrew Kellaway shifts to the wing, Darby Lancaster drops to the bench with Lakaia Foketi replacing Henry O’Donnell.
Western Force
Starting XV: Fatongia Paea, Nic Dolly, Tom Robertson, Jeremy Williams (c), Darcy Swain, Will Harris, Carlo Tizzano, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Nic White, Ben Donaldson, Dylan Pietsch, Hamish Stewart, Bayley Kuenzle, Harry Potter, Mac Grealy
Reserves; Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Ryan Coxon, Tiaan Tauakipulu, Reed Prinsep, Titi Nofoagatotoa, Henry Robertson, Alex Harford, Kurtley Beale
NSW Waratahs
Starting XV: Angus Bell, David Porecki, Taniela Tupou, Fergus Lee-Warner, Miles Amatosero, Hugh Sinclair, Charlie Gamble, Langi Gleeson, Jake Gordon (c), Tane Edmed, Triston Reilly, Joey Walton, Lalakai Foketi, Andrew Kellaway, Lawson Creighton.
Reserves: Mahe Vailanu, Tom Lambert, Daniel Botha, Ben Grant, Jamie Adamson, Teddy Wilson, Jack Bowen, Darby Lancaster
Game details
Western Force vs NSW Waratahs
Saturday 24 May, 5:35pm WST
HBF Park, Perth
Live on Stan Sport & 9Gem
