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Western Force need to impose themselves at scrums against the Waratahs in Super Rugby Pacific clash
From the West
Western Force will be looking for an improvement at scrum time when they pack down against the Waratahs in Sunday’s Super Rugby Pacific clash.
The Force lost four of their set pieces in the 29-16 loss to the Queensland Reds on Friday while only taking one from the visitors.
It was later in the game, after having the upper hand, that the pack lost its way; something prop Tom Robertson said the Force would rectify.
Robertson, rated by many as the best loosehead prop in Australia and called back into the Wallabies last season after a three-year absence, will be packing down against his old teammates.
“That was probably the most disappointing thing against the Reds, the set piece,” Robertson said.
“We started out quite strongly and then towards the back end, we fell away a bit, especially when (Reds prop) Taniela Tupou came on.
“We’ll deal with that.
“It’s your connection between loosehead and hooker, and hooker and tighthead, making sure your back five are on the same page so we are hitting together.
“We want to be making sure we are doing the same thing rather than going one out hitting one side.
“The Waratahs are tough at scrum time but in different ways to the Reds. We’ll be ready for them.”
The Reds also managed to slow the Force ‘s new, upbeat style, and is another area they are going to have to get right at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday.
“That was another disappointing thing, we didn’t play at the speed we wanted to,” Robertson said.
“We were slow on our attack and that’s something we really pride ourselves on this year.
“We want to have a fast up-tempo game, throw the ball around.
“We just didn’t do that. It’s a big focus to get that speed ball back, play the game we want to play.
“You’ve got to lay that platform at the set piece otherwise there’s no playing at speed.
“The Reds were quite smart, taking stoppages when they could to slow the game down.
“We’ve got to learn from that.”
The Force will stay on the eastern seaboard after the Waratahs game, moving to Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Coast before their next game against Fijian Drua back at Leichhardt Oval the following Saturday.
“We are ready for the trip,” Robertson said.
“The last few years teams got used to being on the road.
“Two weeks on the road are not going to be an issue.”
Meanwhile, powerhouse centre Izaia Perese has committed to the Waratahs until the end of 2024 and looms as a Wallabies X-factor at next year’s World Cup in France.
Perese said he was forever grateful to the Waratahs for handing him a lifeline while he was plying his trade in France after being sacked by the Brisbane Broncos in 2020.
Perese had pleaded guilty to supplying a dangerous drug in September 2019, leaving his football career in tatters.
Simon Cron: “People talk about winning and losing all the time and they are critical, but there’s a process to get into and it’s the ability to stay present, do your job and execute skills under pressure.”
Down the road from you X, will you be making the trip to Leichhardt?
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
Hope we can get over the tahs this weekend. Any chance Thrush is fit?
Exile
Port Macquarie
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!" - Rocky Balboa
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
These next 2 games will make or break our season. On form and paper we should win both.
Then we have 3 straight home games after that so we are in a good position if we want to take it
2 wins from the next 2 would be great. One would be the minimum expected, but will also mean ground to cover later.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
I think the question is - Can the Tahs beat us?
At the moment I think we are the Tahs Monkey team - just like, in the past. Rebels have been our Monkey team.
This match will show us - are we number 3 in Australia or number 4
Exile
Port Macquarie
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!" - Rocky Balboa
The Tahs haven't won yet but they are not far off the mark. I thought it was a step backwards last week. If the game plan was as the experts saw it - to run the Reds around and tire them, it didn't work. The team went away from it after oranges anyway. The combinations have a bit to go yet and an up-tempo game needs execution to match. I'm picking Prior to start again and base this week on our strong D.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
The tahs smashed the drua in round one. I think both teams are looking to be in a similar spot, so should be a tight game. They've had more wet weather experience this year as well. However I think our forward pack is better than theirs so hopefully that gives us the edge. We'll be very disappointed with our performance last week as well, so should be looking to bounce back.
Agree with Prior and likely Koteka back into the starting lineup. Possibly Mataele to the bench for Ralston given Mataele seems to have a bit of a case of butter fingers so far this year.
I think he needs to carry on starting. See the stats below after three rounds of the Aussie teams:
Metres Run:
1 - Manasa Mataele (Force) 209
2 - Tom Banks (Brumbies) 172
3 - Izaia Perese (Waratahs) 136
4 - Jake Gordon (Waratahs) 136
5 - Harry Wilson (Reds) 132
Defenders Beaten:
1 - Izaia Perese (Waratahs) 17
2 - Manasa Mataele (Force) 11
3 - Jock Campbell (Reds) 10
4 - Kyle Godwin (Force), Glen Vaihu (Rebels) & Tamati Ioane (Rebels) - 8
Good to see Kyle up there as well.
Simon Cron: “People talk about winning and losing all the time and they are critical, but there’s a process to get into and it’s the ability to stay present, do your job and execute skills under pressure.”
Interesting line up:
FORCE (1-15): Tom Robertson, Feleti Kaitu'u, Santiago Medrano, Jeremy Thrush, Izack Rodda, Fergus Lee-Warner, Ollie Callan, Tim Anstee, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Manasa Mataele, Bayley Kuenzle, Kyle Godwin, Toni Pulu, Jake Strachan
RESERVES: Andrew Ready, Harry Lloyd, Greg Holmes, Jackson Pugh, Brynard Stander, Ian Prior, Jake McIntyre, Richard Kahui
Simon Cron: “People talk about winning and losing all the time and they are critical, but there’s a process to get into and it’s the ability to stay present, do your job and execute skills under pressure.”