Pre Season 2023 - Force vs Reds

Reds too hot for Force in Super Rugby warm-up
Story by Nick Taylor AAP

Queensland Reds No.8 Harry Wilson made a big statement to new Wallabies coach Eddie Jones, scoring twice in his side's impressive 45-10 pre-season win over the Western Force.

Wilson was out of favor with Dave Rennie but took a huge step in his battle to get out of the international wilderness on Saturday.

He scored in each of the first two-thirds in a game split into three 30 minutes because of Perth's mini heatwave.

The result also threw out a warning to the Reds' Super Rugby rivals in the six-try spree at UWA Sports Park.

Harry McLaughlin-Phillips also grabbed a double with Ryan Smith and Kalani Thomas each adding one to the Reds' score.

The Force's five-pointers came from winger Zack Kibirige who signed this season from English club Wasps and Campbell Parata.

Both sides were littered with fresh faces - new Force coach Simon Cron starting with seven while 10 of Reds coach Brad Thorn's 30-man squad had not played Super Rugby.

The Force started with an all-international front row, Wallabies Tom Robertson, new hooker Folau Faanga'a and Argentinian Santiago Medrano.

Behind them, experienced Wallabies lock Izack Rodda was back after a lengthy spell with a foot injury.

Thorn has based his side around a powerful scrum.

They had no Wallabies in their starting front-row, but handled everything thrown at them by the Force.

The Force had the better of the opening exchanges but it was the visitors who took the lead from a midfield turnover, breaking through the centre for Wilson to score, converted by Isaac Henry.

They pulled their way into the game, opting to increase their lead with a Henry penalty.

The Force hit back as the first third came to a close, a lovely handling move and chip and chase by Kibirige to the delight of fans who braved the steamy conditions but it was the Reds who continued their scoring spree with just one more from the home side..

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by .X.

Story by Nick Taylor AAP

---

Good to see Nick Taylor got a job with the Australia Associated Press. Hopefully this means more WA rugby news as the West has been pretty poor with rugby coverage since Nick left them.

Here's another one from Nick and hopefully more to come.
I spoke to Nick at the game and it sounds like it will only be a casual thing but he's hoping for more work and will be doing some stuff for RugbyWA so that's good. He said he was hoping to do some work for the WF but that fell through. We need some proper stories, not just the social media stuff that is generated by the Force media unit. They are doing a good job on positive spin, that is their job, but we need more please guys.

Western Force taught Super Rugby lessons by Reds
Nick Taylor
AAP
Sun, 5 February 2023 12:45PM
Nick Taylor

Western Force coach Simon Cron admits there's plenty to fix in his new-look Super Rugby Pacific side after they suffered a pummelling from the Queensland Reds.
The Force went into Saturday's trial in Perth with high hopes, only to see them dashed 45-10 by the Reds.
Cron was quick to identify areas that need to be fixed before his side's next trial against Fijian Drua on February 16.
"We didn't get past one or two phases. We'd get stripped, drop it, or try to throw a miracle pass," Cron said.
"As a team we've got to learn what it looks like to build pressure.
"To build pressure you've got to make them tackle you and to make them tackle you, you've got to hold the ball.
"We had a tendency to not look after the ball and throw it away. Patience is critical and we lacked that.
"We go back and look at the critical few things. Why we didn't build pressure through phase play and why we were slow in our transition defence."
Reds coach Brad Thorn was happy with the result, having seen his side outscore the Force six tries to two.
But he wasn't getting carried away.
"We got a hit out," a circumspect Thorn said.
"You don't get too excited around trial games. It's a trial game. Guys are coming off and on.
"We're working on our game."
Thorn did throw out a veiled crack at the Waratahs ahead of their pre-season clash on Saturday.
"They are the team everyone's talking about in Australian rugby," he said.
"They've got a lot of, I guess, strength.
"They've brought new players in. They are going to be a good challenge for us."
Meanwhile, Reds captain Fraser McReight backed No.8 Harry Wilson for a return to the Wallabies under new coach Eddie Jones after a strong performance and two tries in oppressive heat at the UWA Sports Ground.
Wilson was dropped by former Wallabies coach Dave Rennie for the European tour at the end of last year, but McReight said: "He's just ready to put his hand up.
"He's had a really good pre-season trying to work his way back into the fold.
"He knows the best way to do that is by playing his part out here.
"You saw the carry he does. He's got the heart of a lion. Pretty glad he's in our side."

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by wholetruth

"We didn't get past one or two phases. We'd get stripped, drop it, or try to throw a miracle pass," Cron said.
"As a team we've got to learn what it looks like to build pressure.
"To build pressure you've got to make them tackle you and to make them tackle you, you've got to hold the ball.
"We had a tendency to not look after the ball and throw it away. Patience is critical and we lacked that.
"We go back and look at the critical few things. Why we didn't build pressure through phase play and why we were slow in our transition defence."

---

Couldn't make the game but this sounds pretty familiar, no? I hope they can turn it around. Staying solid for most of the year waiting for "new combinations to gel" becomes a little tiresome after 16 seasons of it. You don't need time for the basics to be done well. Just focus and intensity. So how about making that the priority as a starting point? Sounds like set piece work was OK, so work from that. Even if you don't initially get the win, it's a better foundation than copping cricket scores.

Yep . Set piece and goal line defence was good . I felt the backline struggled with a rush defence and also containing the likes of Petaia . I’m pretty certain this will improve with Tia Tia Kuenzle etc . A couple of outstanding outside plays but a lot of poor execution and penalties…… Go Force …..