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AS A former backrower, Tatafu Polota-Nau has empathy for the Western Force's makeshift hooker as he battles to learn the role in the unforgiving Super 14.
But sympathy? Please. You've got the wrong member of Team Tonga.
Polota-Nau and the Waratahs pack are intent on cranking up the pressure on Force's new hooker Ryan Tyrrell when they clash in Perth tomorrow, aiming to disintegrate the Force's lineout for a second consecutive week.
Tyrrell - a converted hooker who was still a part-time scaffolder last year - had a nightmare in his run-on debut against Queensland, joining forces with Pek Cowan to lose a tally of nine lineouts from the Force's 19 throws. It helped the Reds dominate possession and run in a record 50-10 thrashing.
But despite being hauled off after just 30 minutes at Suncorp for his wild throwing, Tyrrell, 26, has been named to start against the Waratahs following the withdrawal of Cowan with a neck injury yesterday.
"We will definitely target the lineout area, and in the set-piece area they haven't been going too well. On their ball we will definitely want to put pressure on them," Polota-Nau said yesterday.
Tyrrell is the first Western Australian-born player to start for the Force but only switched to hooker last year in their academy. Prior to that the journeyman was a backrower for Perth club rugby side Rockingham.
Polota-Nau, who did likewise as a teenager, can appreciate the difficulty involved; especially throwing straight.
"Especially set-piece wise, it takes a long time. I am still learning at this moment," Polota-Nau said.
With another rookie in Ben Whitaker replacing Cowan on the bench, NSW will be all over the injury-hit Force lineout like an inexpensive suit.
"It is an area where there will be some doubt, and when a team has doubts about a certain area you want to test it," Tahs coach Chris Hickey said. "You can build a lot of pressure on to their jumpers, and that transfers on to the thrower as well."
In a year of terrible injuries, Force yesterday lost two more Wallabies in Matt Dunning (concussion) and Cowan. Coach John Mitchell said the keys to beating NSW are clearly controlling possession.
"You have to win your own [set-piece]," Mitchell said. "We certainly don't want to give away eight out of nine like we did in the first half last weekend. No team can survive under that reality no matter what level you're in."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1225842562089
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