Sam Carter signed for the season

https://www.rugby.com.au/news/force-...carter-2024324

The Western Force have added experience to their lock stocks with the signing of 16-cap Wallaby Sam Carter for the remainder of the season.

Carter, who stands at 201cm tall, joins the Force from English Premiership Rugby club Leicester Tigers.

The former Wallabies lock earned 122 Super Rugby caps for the ACT Brumbies between 2011 and 2019, before stints in Ireland with Ulster (2019-2023) and most recently England with Leicester (2023-2024).

Carter, 34, was part of the Wallabies’ squad at the 2015 World Cup. He followed in his father David’s footsteps in representing Australia at Test level.

Force head coach Simon Cron said Carter’s addition offered quality and experience to the squad.

“Sam’s quality is known as an ex-Wallabies lock and he’s ready to go, having been playing over at Leicester in England,” Cron said.

“One of the areas we’ve been thin during the pre-season and into this season is the availability of tight-five forwards and Sam helps allay that. He gives us a genuine lock option, with Izack Rodda and Felix Kalapu still not available for training or games.

“Sam also brings with him a wealth of experience, big-game mentality and genuine height. Plus he has been playing already in-season with Leicester, so he’s fit and available. He’ll be great around the team with his experience.”

Carter arrived in Perth early last week and said he was thrilled to make the move to the west.

“I’m excited to be joining the force for the rest of the season,” Carter said. “My family and I are looking forward to the opportunity to come home to Australia.

“I think I bring a lot of experience and rugby knowledge and I’m keen to add to what the Force are building.

“It’s an exciting young squad with a lot of potential and it’s great to be back in the Australian rugby environment.”

OK, big question

If Rodda gets fit and plays the rest of his contract out, do we extend Carter's contract given they'd likely be fighting for the same spot and we have young blokes who need game time to build their game?

Clearly if Rodda is seen as a medical liability Carter is a good like-for-like replacement.

I think in Cron's ideal world, Jeremy Williams is a 6.

That'd be a solid back 5- Carter, Rodda, Williams, Tizzano, Harris. Kalapu and Anstee on the bench.

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Originally Posted by James

I think in Cron's ideal world, Jeremy Williams is a 6.

That'd be a solid back 5- Carter, Rodda, Williams, Tizzano, Harris. Kalapu and Anstee on the bench.

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Carter/ Franklin either is a good pairing with Rodda. I would have thought that Rodda's game time would be ramped up. I am pretty sure I heard him say he was hoping to be back for the next home game - not sure that was authorised comms though :)

Injuries to our first pick tight 5 has put a big dent in this season. But as always it's given others experience. There was a better set piece performance when the finishers/replacements came on on Saturday. Hopefully Throbber and others are not too far off so there's not a lot of clarity about who we'll need for 2025 just yet. If all are fit, the only thin stocks are in the hooking dept.

Great signing, always liked him when he was Brumbies/Wallabies.
I'll swing my thoughts to the discussions around the future to the 2025 Speculation thread to avoid duplication.

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Originally Posted by shasta

Injuries to our first pick tight 5 has put a big dent in this season. But as always it's given others experience. There was a better set piece performance when the finishers/replacements came on on Saturday. Hopefully Throbber and others are not too far off so there's not a lot of clarity about who we'll need for 2025 just yet. If all are fit, the only thin stocks are in the hooking dept.

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Hopefully Brendon Paenga-Amosa will be here next year on a long term deal to shore up the Hooking stocks

Sam did a brief media conference from the airport flying out this morning, find it on Force TV on the official website.
Sounds like the full process took ten days from Tigers to Force.

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Originally Posted by Burgs

Sam did a brief media conference from the airport flying out this morning, find it on Force TV on the official website.
Sounds like the full process took ten days from Tigers to Force.

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Pretty sure he was signed by Leicester as short term injury cover over the Six Nations.

'I'm excited to be back': Carter rushed into Force squad ahead of Fiji clash
Tue, Mar 26, 2024, 5:51 AM
Nathan Williamson


Carter was playing for the Leicester Tigers just 11 days in the Premiership Rugby Cup Final, going down to Gloucester before the call came from Force coach Simon Cron.

With injuries to Izack Rodda (thigh), Jeremy Williams (calf) and Felix Kalapu (hamstring), the 34-year-old will likely come straight into the side for Saturday's clash against the Fijian Drua.

“It all happened pretty quickly because I was mid-season with the Leicester Tigers and this opportunity came up with the Force down a couple of locks,” Carter said to reporters.

“It happened in about eight days and I took the opportunity and took my family and I’m excited to be back in Australia.

“I’d spoken to Cron a little bit over that time, but it all happened so quickly that he just wants me to be myself and bring the experience and knowledge and fit in with the group as best I can.

“I’m excited to get back in with the guys. I played only about 10 days ago anyway, so I’m fit and ready to go.

“I’m just picking up the systems and the way the Force does things. Hopefully, I can dive straight back into it.”

He comes into a Force side full of confidence after their win over the Queensland Reds to open their account for 2024.

Carter last played Super Rugby for the Brumbies in 2019, when the Drua were in the National Rugby Championship and talks of a Super Rugby inclusion hadn't begun.

It'll be a stark change in climate for the second-rower from the middle of England as they head to Laukota for their inaugural game in Fiji.

“It’s going to be a tough task with the Fijians at home," Carter added.

“It’s a different climate, atmosphere so they’ll be a tough team but I’m certain this team has the potential to match it.”

The Force will be without Will Harris after he failed a HIA during their win over the Queensland Reds, offset by the return of Marley Pearce from a suspension.

https://www.rugby.com.au/news/im-exc...i-test-2024325

i wonder how they go about getting all the plans, calls and tactics in. there must be a bunch of inconsistencies that results from this sort of thing?

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Originally Posted by palitu

i wonder how they go about getting all the plans, calls and tactics in. there must be a bunch of inconsistencies that results from this sort of thing?

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Gives him something to read on the flight to Fiji ;)

I would think as a professional player he has a pretty vast library of stuff he's experienced in his career, so most of it would be learning the calls.

Something like "New York is the same as a verandah,, but with a left side option."