Mitchell plea to referee as Force look to play
Western Force coach John Mitchell has pleaded with referee Stuart Dickinson to let his side “play football” in their must-win Super 14 clash with the high-flying Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
The Force stormed back into finals contention with a 55-14 thrashing of the Lions last week but cannot afford to lose over the final three weeks of the season if they are to qualify for the finals for the first time in their four-year history.
Mitchell will instruct the WA side to continue to play free-flowing rugby in an attempt to secure vital victories in their two-match tour of South Africa and they will be pushing for crucial four-try bonus points in matches against the Bulls and Stormers.
But Mitchell warned Australian referee Dickinson against the possibility of the Bulls slowing the ball down at the breakdown in an attempt to prevent the Force forwards from freeing up a star-studded backline for a second week in a row.
“If we are going to stay alive we’re going to have to continue to be attack-focused. Let’s just hope we’re not denied the ability to play football through the resistance at the breakdown and decisions that go against a team that wants to play football,” Mitchell said.
“There have been certain situations in recent weeks where we have been denied. You can see an example last Friday night (against the Lions) when the ball was very clean at the back and you haven’t got people lying on the back of your ruck you can play football. So that’s the most important thing.
“Resistance is going to be greater at Loftus Versfeld against a Bulls outfit that have got great belief and have had success at this level and certainly in big game situations.”
Dickinson is one of Australia’s premier referees and was this morning appointed to officiate the third and final Test between South Africa and the British and Irish Lions in Johannesburg in July.
The Bulls’ Loftus Versfeld stadium is one of the most feared destinations in world rugby but Mitchell says is his side has no problems with visiting the Pretoria ground, which lies more than 1300m above sea level.
The Force have a positive record away to the Bulls after notching a 30-27 win in the only clash between the two sides in South Africa two years ago.
“We’re not concerned about altitude as such, it’s just the fact that the ball goes a bit further in the kicking game,” Mitchell said.
“So kicking execution will be a critical factor. If we send it too far and on their chest they’ll send it back, whereas if it becomes a little bit more contestable and we get up there and get a few of those 50-50's we can go and play some ad-lib football.”
Mitchell is expected to regain the services of back-rower Richard Brown for the clash with the powerful Bulls forward pack after the No.8 missed the win over the Lions with an ankle injury.
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