Longbottom proves a real force
NICK TAYLOR, The West Australian
May 30, 2011, 7:09 am
When the Western Force pack wheeled the Hurricanes at a five- metre scrum during Friday's Super Rugby clash, it showed just how far prop Kieran Longbottom has come since his days playing for Rockingham.
Packing down against 43-Test All Black veteran Neemia Tialata 50 minutes into the game, he sent the 127kg All Black back-pedalling.
A Wallabies jumper may still be a dream, but Force forwards coach Nick Stiles believes displays like Longbottom's at Palmerston North are putting it within his reach. Maybe not in time for this year's World Cup but in years to come.
"He is a rare commodity. He can play on both sides of the scrum," ex-Wallaby Stiles said.
"Technically he is better than most other props in Australia at the moment.
"He's packed well and stood up against a lot of internationals.
"He outscrummed (Brumbies prop) Ben Alexander and he had Tialata on the back foot. He has answered every question that's been asked of him.
"Around the field he's very strong with ball in hand and he's one of our biggest tacklers. His work rate is exceptional and (Wallabies coach) Robbie Deans has shown he wants props that have a high work rate."
Longbottom, 25, is the first born-and-raised West Australian to make the Force professional squad through their academy and the ranks of local rugby and made his run-on debut against the ACT Brumbies in Canberra this year.
Though disappointed by Friday's 34-28 loss to the Hurricanes, he was pleased with his own performance.
"It was one of the best games to play in. The scrum felt good," he said. "Tialata is a big boy with some strength. I watched the tape after the game and he got one over me but I was pretty happy with the way things went."
Like his teammates, Longbottom was surprised when, after they had wheeled the Hurricanes pack, referee Glen Jackson awarded a reset to the home side.
It was a game-changing decision. Ma'a Nonu scored his second try from the play.
"My side turned Tialata and I couldn't believe that we didn't get the decision," Longbottom said.
"We would have cleared our line and things might have been different."
As for the future, Longbottom is looking only to the next three years with the Force.
"The Wallabies is something I dream about but I'm not expecting anything," he said.
The Force stay in New Zealand for their match against the Highlanders at Carisbrook on Friday.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...-a-real-force/
