No noughts hanging over Cross
No noughts hanging over Cross
Tuesday 01st April 2008
Ryan Cross: A Force to be reckoned with
Former Roosters league player Ryan Cross is as good an example of the steady emergence of the Western Force as you could find.
Cross switched to the Perth-based franchise after it had taken the wooden spoon in their first season in the Super 14 after nine years with the Sydney glamour club in the National Rugby League (NRL).
He made his debut in 2007 against the Highlanders and played every game for the Western Force last year before being named in the Australia A team and playing in all five of their Pacific Nations Cup games.
After finishing last in 2006, the Force went into the final round of last season with a mathematical chance of making the semi-finals.
This year, they have claimed their first win on New Zealand soil after beating the Blues and followed that up with another away win against the Highlanders a week later.
An unexpected home defeat to the Stormers was a blow to their campaign, but coach John Mitchell and his troops are still knocking on the door of making the top four, with a run of home games still to go.
Cross' form in the midfield has been one of the reasons for the team's success but the former Australian Schoolboys full-back admits it has been a difficult transition coming back to the 15-man code.
"I found last year pretty difficult," Cross told the The Southland Times.
"Obviously, it's a new game and the season is over so quickly but I learnt a lot last year and I definitely feel a lot more comfortable in the team; I'm just really enjoying myself. I've worked hard; it definitely hasn't come easy, that's for sure."
Positioning and deciding when to join a ruck and when to stay out where among the lessons Cross, who switched to league straight after school, has had to re-learn.
"You've just got to get your instinct back and I think last year I was just half a second behind, but now I feel like I'm getting to where I need to be," he said.
Cross and his Force team-mates will be chasing a win against the defending champion Bulls on Saturday - must-win game if they have any hope of reaching the play-offs.
Cross was one of the Force's try-scorers last week - touching down for a consolation try against the Stormers in the last move of the match - and will be looking for more against the struggling Bulls.
An Australian junior rugby league representative, Cross is eager for more international experience, and should he continue putting in impressive performances in the number thirteen jersey - an international call-up is imminant.
"It's definitely in the back of my mind. I'd love to play for Australia," said Cross.
"Hopefully, if I can keep improving and the Force keep winning, then I think you'll see a lot more Force players in the Australian team."
