Rugby: History not on Highlanders' side against Force

The force does not appear to be with the Highlanders.

With the Highlanders having flown to Australia from South Africa for their match in Perth, a quick look at the record books shows the side will have to overcome plenty of history if it wants to bag a win over the Force.

The Western Australian side has won the past six encounters between the two teams and one has to go back to 2007 for a Highlanders win.

And even then it was an ugly 8-7 victory.

Since then, the Highlanders have had some very forgettable moments against the Force, which has been an under-achiever ever since it came into the competition in 2006.

The loss in 2010 was particularly painful. The sides met in Queenstown - for the second time in three years - and the Highlanders were woeful that sunny afternoon under the Remarkables.

The home team lost 41-27 with a shocking display of discipline which signalled the beginning of the end for coach Glenn Moore.

A year later, the Highlanders were in with a real show of making the playoffs under new coach Jamie Joseph but they failed to fire against the Force, and lost 21-14 in their final game at Carisbrook.

In 2013, when both sides were struggling, the Highlanders lost 19-18 in a game in which new winger Tino Nemani, who had just been drafted into the squad, gave away the match-winning penalty.

It is rumoured he was dropped off in Auckland by management on the flight home, and did not even make it back to Dunedin when the team returned home for its next game.

Nemani signed for the Force this season but has barely been sighted.

Last year, the teams met early in the season and the Highlanders put in an average effort, going down 31-29 at Forsyth Barr Stadium.

The only other win for the Highlanders came when the sides met for the first time in 2006, a home-town 25-22 win at Carisbrook.

The most recent two losses in Perth came when the team was coming back from South Africa when perhaps minds were focused on getting home.

There should be no excuse along those lines this week with the playoffs at stake.

The Highlanders arrived in Perth yesterday and had a brief training run to get rid of the cobwebs.

They have not picked up any injuries from the big win over the Cheetahs and hope to have leading try-scorer Waisake Naholo back in the team as he shrugs off a heel injury.

The Force, which is coming off the bye, sits last on the table, and has won just twice all season, but should have some confidence having beaten the champion Waratahs in its most recent match.

Not only is the match on late Saturday night shaping up as a critical in terms of the season, there are two milestones to mark for the Highlanders.

It will be fullback and co-captain Ben Smith's 100th game for the franchise and flanker John Hardie's 50th game in the jersey.

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