0
Force must fluctuate just one more time
Wayne Smith | March 13, 2009
Article from: The Australian
THERE'S only one small problem with Western Force coach John Mitchell's plan to bring an end to his side's wild fluctuations from match to match -- there needs to be one last wild fluctuation tomorrow if the Perth side is to return to its old winning ways.
After starting the season with a deflating loss to the Auckland Blues, the Force laboured to an unconvincing win over the bottom-placed Cheetahs before blitzing the Brumbies to become only the second visiting Australian team to win in Canberra since the start of Super rugby in 1996.
That stirring performance should have been the springboard to a glittering season but at their next outing, last Friday against the Chiefs in Hamilton, the Force went to sleep in defence.
"We have to get rid of this characteristic of being an on-and-off side and start bringing some consistency to our performances," said Mitchell yesterday from Christchurch where the Force plays a depleted and desperate Crusaders outfit tomorrow.
Certainly Mitchell doesn't want the Chiefs game to become his baseline for consistency, but ultimately where the Force sets the bar will not be up to him. "It's not really the coach who can make it happen," he said. "It's up to the player group. They are the masters of their destiny."
The Crusaders side named for this match bears little resemblance to the dynastic Canterbury teams of seasons past. Take out Brad Thorn, Leon MacDonald and Richie McCaw's replacement as captain Kieran Read and the red-and-blacks are virtual unknowns outside of Christchurch.
The Force has muscled up for the occasion by bringing in 51-match veteran David Pusey for Tom Hocking in the second-row. In similar vein, 198cm Brumbies recruit Richard Stanford has displaced 184cm Matt Hodgson at blindside flanker to help shore up an increasingly scatty lineout.
Meanwhile, Hugh McMeniman wasn't lacking in support from Reds team-mates yesterday with most of the Queensland squad at the funeral of his father, Geoff, who died last Friday.
The Wallaby has trained all week with the side for tomorrow's must-win home match against the Sharks at Suncorp Stadium, and certainly his experience will be needed against the South African side now rated 5-2 favourites to win the Super 14 title.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...015651,00.html