Western Force Mauritius 10s Squad

[Bally]

Ruru is better than Louwrens. Louwrens hasn't improved much this year.

It is time for the young WA talent to be given a decent crack at Super level. Koteka, Hardwick, Lacey, Winter, Ainsley, Taylor, Vui and Ruru should be given game time to help them develop. Im talking significant game time too not just 5-10mins of garbage time at the end of games, they need 10-20 games to find their feet and the pace of the game then another 10 to 20 games to see if they adapt and are up to it. This is one area we have been not very good at the last 3 years and is why some youngsters are heading east for development. While Foley was a nice guy who tried really hard he stuck to his core guys and never let some of these guys have their time to show if they are up to it. They would get a crack at NRC, show some good things then get buried back into the training squad. I feel for Koteka, last year was named Force rookie of the year, has been great in Premier Grade but has not seen any Super Rugby this year. How does help a players development? Weve got a guy like Brache, lots of heart but has scored 3 tries in 4 years. Not exactly a great strike rate for a winger yet we have a former Australia U/20s winger who has shown he can be a try scorer at the higher levels never get a crack at Super level. The year Burton and Lacey were in the Australian U20s, they were the 2 best backs in the team yet Burton gets his opportunities and Lacey doesn't.
Foleys unwillingness to use players other than his core group showed that he was not the right fit for the Force. The Force will be relying on Diamonds in the rough and developing players for future stars, whoever the new coach is has to embrace these recruiting methods and give them time to flourish.

Finally someone talking sense.i lost faith in foley when he selected a second string team against the British lions and then has treated the local comp like a door mat good riddens i say.

[Ralto]

State government should give them a parade. World wide competition winners. Neither AFL team can make that claim

Decent back page would be nice

[Sheikh]

Finally someone talking sense.i lost faith in foley when he selected a second string team against the British lions.

We had to play the Lions in a mid-week game, with a Super-15 match 4 days later against the Waratahs. Foley couldn't pick a full strength team against the Lions and expect to be competitive at the weekend.

[beige]

We had to play the Lions in a mid-week game, with a Super-15 match 4 days later against the Waratahs. Foley couldn't pick a full strength team against the Lions and expect to be competitive at the weekend.

Thus denying a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a number of players for the sake of a dead rubber that we lost anyway. Didn't turn me off Foley but I'll never agree with that decision.

[Bally]

Thus denying a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a number of players for the sake of a dead rubber that we lost anyway. Didn't turn me off Foley but I'll never agree with that decision.

The players i talked to were the same that they missed out on a once in a lifetime opportunity and to say the least they werent impressed.

[jargan83]

We had to play the Lions in a mid-week game, with a Super-15 match 4 days later against the Waratahs. Foley couldn't pick a full strength team against the Lions and expect to be competitive at the weekend.

So he chose to be competitive in a game which had no bearing on the where the Force would finish in 2013, which the Force were comfortably beaten in anyway.

Absolutely brainless decision by old mate Foley.

[Herbasimplex]

So he chose to be competitive in a game which had no bearing on the where the Force would finish in 2013, which the Force were comfortably beaten in anyway.

Absolutely brainless decision by old mate Foley.

Perhaps Foleys lowest moment IMHO.

[andrewg]

i lost faith in foley when he selected a second string team against the British lions and then has treated the local comp like a door mat good riddens i say.

Some people were saying the same about the 10s team selection.

However, fringe and local players were given a chance and came good.

I reckon that there's more to the Louwrens' situation than is obvious - such as how he applies himself at training, following game rules, attitude etc etc. Plus his delivery has been slow.

[Beauregard]

Some people were saying the same about the 10s team selection.

However, fringe and local players were given a chance and came good.

I reckon that there's more to the Louwrens' situation than is obvious - such as how he applies himself at training, following game rules, attitude etc etc. Plus his delivery has been slow.

Well said Andrew re the 10s team - great result for a team that would not compete with Nedlands on a bad day apparently... I for one am proud of the lads and Ruru deserves a shot at the top regardless of which club he plays for.

[GIGS20]

Perhaps Foleys lowest moment IMHO.

Really?

Out of all the lows you pick that one?

That's saying something!

[westies man]

I was one of those that questioned the selections and I stand by it.Those that were selected and will have no input into the Force or local rugby next season should not have been chosen over a player that will contribute to the game in this state.
At no stage did anyone question the concept or the benefits of the tournament to develop young local talent.

[Sheikh]

We had to play the Lions in a mid-week game, with a Super-15 match 4 days later against the Waratahs. Foley couldn't pick a full strength team against the Lions and expect to be competitive at the weekend.

Thus denying a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a number of players for the sake of a dead rubber that we lost anyway. Didn't turn me off Foley but I'll never agree with that decision.

So he chose to be competitive in a game which had no bearing on the where the Force would finish in 2013, which the Force were comfortably beaten in anyway.

Absolutely brainless decision by old mate Foley.

So of Foley's options:

1. He puts out a 2nd string side against the B&I Lions and a full strength side against the Waratahs. He gets pilloried for not giving the majority of Force players the opportunity to play against the Lions.

2. He puts out a full strength side against the B&I Lions and a 2nd string side against the Waratahs. He'd have got pilloried for putting a glorified friendly ahead of a Super Rugby match, and potentially giving the Lions a better tour match to prepare for the Wallabies.

3. He puts out full strength sides against both the B&I Lions and Waratahs. He'd have got pilloried for risking injury for Force players by making them play two games in 4 days (even though this happens often in the UK and France, and over much longer seasons).

Haters gonna hate

[beige]

Ah yes, the old 'anyone who disagrees with anything the Force does is a hater' argument - never gets old.

[westies man]

Hugh Roach
Sione Kolo
Tim Metcher
James Hilterbrand
Ben Matijow
These players are hardly household names but got a once in a lifetime opportunity to play against the Lions here in Perth.
Can remember talking to a few local and Force players and they were really pissed that Foley flew these guy's in from Sydney for the one game,never to be seen again.
Sheikh did you notice the Welsh lads Warburton and Roberts play 2 test matches and one against the Chiefs in the space of 7 days last week.
It was around about then I was done with Stonefish.

[andrewg]

Obviously at least the players have moved on from that point as Michael Foley had the support of the playing squad at the time of his sacking.

From those whom I've spoken to the vast majority of the playing squad, including those who weren't getting regular team selection, believed that Foley was the best man for the job as coach.

Many of them through Foley's efforts and honesty have come to the conclusion that they didn't have what it takes to be successful at SR (at this point in time).