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10th April 2009, 13:45 WST
Western Force coach John Mitchell said his side will need to start with intensity if they are to stand a chance against the Hurricanes at Subiaco Oval tonight.
If the Force can withstand the Hurricanes’ early gusts, particularly up front, they will also expect to finish strongly.
Coach John Mitchell acknowledges his side has to start with the necessary intensity or they’ll spend a lot of the game trying to dig themselves out of a hole.
“The Hurricanes have threats all over the park and we’ll have to be at our very best,” said Mitchell.
Loosehead prop Pek Cowan admits he’s in for the biggest test of his rugby career tonight.
The 23-year-old will do battle with Hurricanes and All Blacks tighthead Neemia Tialata knowing he needs to hold up his side of the scrum if the Western Force’s bid for the Super 14 finals is to continue.
At 116kg, Cowan will concede 11kg and years of experience to his front-row rival, but Force coaches believe he will continue to confound physics and make up with aggression what he lacks in mass.
Gareth Hardy’s knee injury in round two established Cowan as the Force’s premier loosehead and he has got the job done in a year in which the scrum has made major advances.
At worst, it has held its own and on occasion, most recently against the Reds, it provided home fans with the rare sight of a Force scrum dominating their opponents.
Cowan, Ben Castle and Tai McIsaac know they will be put under the cosh by the Wellington side’s all-Test front row of Tialata, Andrew Hore and John Schwalger, who had their Sharks counterparts struggling during the first half of last weekend’s match in Durban.
As they did in Perth, the Sharks withstood the pressure and capitalised on mistakes and fatigue in the second half to win.
Cowan, too, is steeling himself for a Friday on which the Force need to be great rather than good.
“They’re unpredictable and everyone from 1 to 15 likes to carry the ball,” he said.
“We’ve got to shut them down quickly.” Cowan himself is a No. 1 who loves to carry the ball and he was prominent last weekend with his carries and his tackling.
“Yea, that part of my game is improving,” he said.
“I can get around the field and make tackles but it all gets judged on the scrums. “First things first — we’ve got to get that right against the Hurricanes.”
Defence will be critical for the Force, especially in the back line where Ma’a Nonu will target the smaller James O’Connor and Rodney So’oialo will run at Matt Giteau.
Kick-off is at 5.40pm.
DAVE HUGHES
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.as...ntentID=135501
they need a good start
not only come back at the end
full 80min boys!
BOKKE“Let me put it this way, A Springbok team contains Afrikaners, Englishmen, coloureds and blacks. It has parochial foes in Bulls, Sharks, Stormers, Cheetahs and Lions. It is a recipe for war! Yet in all the years of John Smit’s captaincy, there has never been one unhappy customer, not one voice of rebellion against his leadership. He is the glue that holds the Springboks together. The man is a legend!”- Jake White
They need to learn how to close out a games. How disapointing is that? The season on the line, in the lead with the game to be won and they play half a game and then stop. Not desperate enough for mine and well on the way to following in the Western Reds footsteps. If you're not successful in Perth you won't be around long.
I hope John Mitchell cuts sick in the locker rooms tonight.
Got so much to say but wanna cool down for a moment. Some of the replacements for the force were dreadful when they came on and it seemed like they thought they had the game in the bag 15 minutes before fulltime.
Dissapointed is all i have to really say
Wholeheartedly agree, the team needs to take a good hard look at itself. Hopefully John gives them a huge boot up the arse.....because that's exactly what they deserve. For mine it looks like they have learned nothing from the previous seasons. They're a team hovering around 7/8 position and this is exactly why.
Mitchell's response after that effort was weak too. http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sto...rom=public_rss I would have expected some stronger words after the fadeout...
Mitchell's gone soft because he had to or face getting the boot. Someone needs to put themselves on the line and say what needs to be said. If Mitch isn't "allowed" to say it then for cyring out loud get someone to say it on his behalf.
We played 80 minutes but clearly that isn't enough. Last week the time between siren and whistle saw us with another try, this week it was the difference between winning and losing. Play until the ref calls full time, not the siren.
we did have a strong start, but the article failed to include in the title ...'and strong finish'
Be There. Be Heard. Be The Force Behind The Force
The one time I'm comparing last night to is the Brumbies game last year. They play like dog poo, come out of the changerooms after being told what's what by Mitchell and win. Hurricanes this year we go into the changerooms at half time with a lovely score and Mitch isn't allowed to do anything so some overly confident men return to the pitch and the Hurricanes showed them what's what instead.
He isn't allowed stronger words if he wants to keep his job. Does he even get to do his job anymore? Bring back our Mitchell![]()
A kick in this game is like a rather nasty alcoholic shooter, only as good as it's chaser...
Courtesy of quality South African commentry