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Article from: AAP
Justin Chadwick
April 11, 2009 11:48am
WESTERN Force is counting the cost of Friday night's last-gasp 28-27 loss to the Hurricanes, with several players in doubt for next week's match.
Winger Nick Cummins, who scored a brace in the after-the-siren loss, is of the biggest concern after injuring the same leg he broke last year and may miss his side's next match against New South Wales Waratahs.
The 21-year-old, who signed a new two-year deal earlier in the week, limped off in the 49th minute and will have scans on his left leg over the weekend.
Fellow winger Scott Staniforth, who twisted his knee and ankle late in the game but played on, will also be assessed, along with flanker David Pocock (concussion).
Western Force coach John Mitchell said he expected teenage sensation James O'Connor to return after missing one week with a hamstring injury, but Cameron Shepherd is likely to spend his fourth straight game on the sidelines due to a lingering ankle complaint.
The Force, who led 27-16 with four minutes remaining, were left to rue some crucial missed tackles in the dying minutes after a 77th-minute try to David Smith and an after-the-siren touchdown to Cory Jane snatched the win for the Hurricanes.
"In life sometimes you don't have a choice of how to lose, but I guess it's a test of our character,'' Mitchell said.
"It will be a real test for us as a group how we move forward from that situation. We can actually take a lot of goodness out of it even though it does hurt.
"They went to another level (in the first half) and the boys were asked to. They looked like they were enjoying themselves.''
Although the Force gained two bonus points, they will probably have to win their remaining five games of the season to have any chance of reaching the finals.
But Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper was adamant the Force were top-four material despite the loss.
"These guys are going to be make the top four I believe, that's how good we rate them,'' Cooper said.
"I certainly believe the Force will be there. The contact area, they slowed our ball down really well and stole the ball - I stopped counting at four.
"Pocock is good, (Richard) Brown's good. They're good players. We try to look after our contact area, we work really hard and we still weren't able to achieve a quick go forward, so credit to the Force.''
But Cooper's praise was little consolation to Force skipper Nathan Sharpe.
"Obviously heartbroken,'' Sharpe said.
"With three and a half minutes to go there was a crucial period where we needed to control the ball and we didn't and that ended up costing us the win.''
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/stor...005403,00.html
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when I saw Staniforth's knee in slow motion.. I was shocked he was able to continue to play....
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Was the wait worth it - Ya betta baby 
