Force Floored but not Upset
Referees have been asked to scrutinise the Brumbies' front-row tactics heading into the Super Rugby season after their 25-0 trial win over the Western Force in Darwin on Saturday.
The engagement is always a contentious area and former Springboks World Cup winning coach Jake White and his forwards coach Laurie Fisher dipped deep into their box of tricks to help their front three get the upper hand in the set piece.
They held a higher crouch position, dropped late and made their own call as the referee called for the engagement, causing confusion and frustration in the Force front row.
While Force coach Richard Graham did not want to comment about the way the Brumbies packed, it is understood officials at SANZAR - Super Rugby's governing body - received a complaint about the tactics.
Graham made no excuses about the loss, saying his side was "outdone" in the physical clashes and in their attitude to the game.
Hooker Nathan Charles also said the side was "out-enthused".
However, Graham said he had taken plenty from a game in which the Force turned down a handful of kickable penalties to test their lineout and scrum while the Brumbies kicked 15 points from penalties.
Graham left a host of star players like Wallabies David Pocock and Nathan Sharpe behind in Perth and used his amateur local club players.
White used his full squad and turned out two different sides in each half, unleashing his strongest line-up in the second half.
"From a trial point of view we got everything out of it that I wanted," Graham said.
"We ran the ball from everywhere. The game was a bit of a dress rehearsal for the next trial against the Reds. It was not an ideal scoreline, not the start I would have been hoping for.
"The result was not necessarily important. You always want to win but at the end of the day it was a trial.
"We wanted to play as much rugby as we possibly could and put our set piece under pressure and see how we could attack and defend off the back of that."
Graham was happy with the two half-back combinations of scrum-half Brett Sheehan and fly-half James Stannard; and Justin Turner and newcomer Ben Seymour.
Both Sheehan and Turner have had knee extensive surgery.
Graham again stressed that he was not under pressure to find a replacement for Willie Ripia at No.10 after the Kiwi resigned when caught stealing from teammates.
"I'm still looking at options but I don't feel rushed," he said.
"You always want to win but at the end of the day it was a trial." Western Force coach, Richard Graham.
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