Ben Donaldson, the talented playmaker for the Western Force, has moved past the uncertainty surrounding his recent head injury assessment (HIA) as the team prepares to confront the formidable Highlanders player, Timoci Tavatavanawai. Donaldson was instrumental in the Force’s first win of the season against Moana Pasifika, receiving considerable acclaim and narrowly missing out on full MVP votes for the round.
The incident that triggered the HIA occurred during the warm-up when Donaldson’s mouthguard slipped out, leading to a mandatory concussion evaluation. Reflecting on the unexpected turn of events, Donaldson shared with reporters, “Most games I keep my mouthguard in my sock until right at the end… I went to put the jersey on and the doc came in… and I had to go to a HIA. It was a pretty frantic ten or so minutes, but I think our doc handled it really well. The process ran smoothly.”
Now in Dunedin for their extended trip to New Zealand, the Force is fully focused on their next match. A key priority for the team is to neutralize Tavatavanawai, who has been making waves in the competition with impressive statistics, including 15 tackle busts and seven offloads. Acknowledging the challenge, Donaldson recognized Tavatavanawai as a significant threat both in attack and defense, urging the team to work together to mitigate his influence.
“He’s probably the biggest threat in attack and defence,” Donaldson stated, adding that he plans to confront Tavatavanawai aggressively. “I’ve just got to try and cut his space and time down, get off the line, and throw my body around.”
In preparation for the upcoming game, Coach Simon Cron has made tactical adjustments to the lineup, moving Divad Palu into the centers and welcoming back vital players Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Nick Champion de Crespigny to strengthen the pack. These changes reflect the team’s determination to enhance their performance as they face one of the toughest challenges in the league. The Western Force is poised for a competitive matchup, fully aware of the stakes and ready to give their best on the field.