1
Force call on cool heads to guide them through their grudge match with the side that probably should have been booted from Super Rugby
By AAP
For the fans it's the ultimate grudge match, but Western Force players will do their best to keep emotions in check when they take on the Melbourne Rebels at Leichhardt Oval on Friday night.
Scores of Force fans are still filthy that their beloved franchise was axed from Super Rugby at the end of 2017 instead of the Rebels.
That decision was made despite billionaire mining magnate Andrew Forrest offering a package worth about $70 million to Rugby Australia to keep the Force in the competition.
The Force spent two years in the Global Rapid Rugby wilderness after Forrest's deal was rejected, but they are now in Super Rugby ranks following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Perth-based franchise are 0-3 in the new Australian competition, and were handed a reality check in last week's 24-0 loss to the Brumbies.
Veteran prop Pek Cowan, skipper Ian Prior, flyhalf Jono Lance, and Marcel Brache are among the current players who experienced the Force axing in 2017.
Former All Blacks lock Jeremy Thrush said the player group wouldn't let their emotions get the better of them.
"We've touched on it a little bit," Thrush said.
"It is there and we all know the history behind all that, but we need to focus on what we need to do right, and get our mindset right.
There's always emotion ... there will be that there. But if we let that control us, we'll probably make a fair few errors and let ourselves down."
The Force have named their strongest squad of the season to date, with World Cup-winning All Black Richard Kahui and former Wallaby Godwin named as the new centre pairing.
"You're after cool heads in big games and this is a big game for us," Force coach Tim Sampson said.
"Through our backs, you go Nick Frisby, Lance, Kahui, Godwin, Brache on the wing - there's great experience there."
Foundation Force squad member Cowan has been named on the bench after serving his quarantine period and getting up to speed with the squad.
"He's raring to go. He's like a 20-year-old debutant," Sampson said.
The Rebels have recalled Wallabies No.8 Isi Naisarani, but former Force star Dane Haylett-Petty has been ruled out for at least five weeks with a knee injury.
The Rebels have posted a win, a draw, and a loss from their three games.
- Justin Chadwick
Trending on RugbyPass
2
South Africa vs England player ratings | 2024 Autumn Nations Series
3
All Blacks player ratings vs France
4
Netherlands serve up Tier 2 shock as another World Cup side slayed
5
Latest Comments
At least he no longer writes articles related to the All Blacks. The suggestion with these ratings is that the ABs have a lot more left in the tank... Which is nonsense, this was a nail biter of a test of the highest standard and both sides we're going at it hammer and tongs. As is often the case in rugby, the team that managed to score the most tries won.
Go to commentsWho, the ABs? Oh for sure, they punched above their weight in that cup, but also had got a lot better than anyone had thought they could (except perhaps SAn's) well out from the WC (to the point where you were disappointed not to win it). Then they've probably done the most post analyzing of their RWCs in the past, due to all their failures, they knew how to maximize their itinerary and that first game against France was of less importance than any one off test was against. At least a test like this weekends had meaning, even if it's not surrounded by any overarching point. That first match in the RWC though, along with the Ireland v SA game, were totally meaningless. Everyone already knew they were only going to be up against each other, and that's why NZ were only at around 70% during it.
So you're quite right, it was pointless to make as much out of it as this author did. The same pretty much goes for 2 years prior as well, because that's obviously before the above happened. NZ were at least trying very hard in that game, and although it needed some Ntamack magic at the end, France looked pretty comfortable, or should I say, NZ very poor. That picture obviously turned around this year, but still with that fabulous French flair scoring some crazy tries to win it again.
Go to comments