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Nick Taylor
The West Australian
Saturday, 22 February 2020 4:45PM
Western Force showcased the depth of local talent in their 29-15 pre-season win over Sydney Shute Shield club Eastwood at Success this afternoon.
Coach Tim Sampson was without seven injured senior players including former All Black second-rower Jeremy Thrush, US international centre Marcel Brache, and veteran hooker Heath Tessmann.
But their absence gave Sampson the chance to debut fresh faces from local clubs with 14 of his 31-man squad coming through WA pathways.
With the Global Rapid Rugby season three weeks away Sampson was pleased with the way his debutants stood up.
More here
https://thewest.com.au/sport/western...ng-b881469961z
I thought the Force would beat them by a lot more. But I imagine Tim Sampson has rested these 7 senior players from a trial game and they are not all really injured.
So that makes the result more impressive, if a side made up of nearly 50% local players can beat the side that finished 2nd on the Shute Shield ladder last year. Five tries to three and held them scoreless in the second half.
I could not get to the game. What were the impressions of TWFers who did see the game?
How many the Eastwood players were regulars?
Any chance this was filmed & broadcast & possibly available on the interwebs?
#FU ARU
"May I assure you I have just begun to fight mate" Twiggy Forrest, 05/09/17
Spoke to Nick Hensley yesterday and he said Eastwood boys really enjoyed the game, and thought it was bloody fast rugby and a real challenge, and quite liked the different rules.
went over to sydney with my wellington club,eastbourne,in 1975 to play eastwood(then up to the gold coast) in a preseason match-I don't feel the intensity was the same back then,although the "be back by 9:30 the next morning"was probably our only restriction on that tour