'He's scored just under 50 per cent of their points so far this year': The dangerman the Western Force will be trying to shut down in Napier
The Western Force are treating their first foray into New Zealand territory in four years as somewhat of a home affair as they bid to strike a much-needed blow for Australia's Super Rugby strugglers on Friday.
The winless Force face the undefeated Hurricanes in Napier sensing a real opportunity in their quest to break the Australian duck after a collective none-from-10 start in the new Trans-Tasman tournament.
While Super AU champions the Queensland Reds, Brumbies, Melbourne Rebels and NSW Waratahs have all suffered heavy defeats in the opening two rounds, the Force have pushed the Highlanders and Chiefs all the way to be the best performed Australian outfit.
And crossing the ditch for the first time since being booted out of Super Rugby in 2017 holds no fears for Tim Sampson's 2021 surprise packets.
"They're excited," Sampson said on Thursday.
"We haven't had the opportunity to play here for a number of years and some guys have never travelled to play against New Zealand Super Rugby teams.
"But the last couple of weeks have proven that nothing rattles our guys too much. We saw that throughout the Super Rugby AU as well."
With former Hurricanes favourite Jeremy Thrush now on their books, as well as 2011 All Blacks World Cup winner Richard Kahui, the Force are enjoying great support in Napier, a location not so homely for the Wellington-based Hurricanes.
"We've been made very welcome by the locals here so it's wonderful," Sampson said.
"We're going to enjoy the opportunity to play at a ground that the Hurricanes don't play at too often. They haven't played here since February, 2020.
"Hopefully the travel will upset them as well, playing away from their preferred ground and facilities.
"So we're looking forward to playing out at McLean Park and we're going to tap into that and try and use it as a bit of our home base because the locals here are right behind us."
The Hurricanes boast the best attacking record in the competition of the five NZ teams, but have also conceded the most points.
"They really enjoy playing unstructured footy so they're very, very dangerous," Sampson said.
"They've got some big bodies out there on the edges. It's where they like to strike - (Jordy) Barrett at the back. I said to the guys he's scored just under 50 per cent of their points so far this year so they like to throw the ball around.
"Thirty-three per cent of their tries this year have come from unstructured footy but we've been outstanding with our defence all year and we've got to make sure we're very clinical again on the weekend."
- Darren Walton
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I still see nothing in Sotutus play that hes changed his upright running style that failed so many times against decent international defences like the french. Other than that… Iose? Well you have covered his limitations well. If Sititi had been playing the the season… Jacobson? Grace?…Neither shout pick me. So Ardie it is.
Go to commentsThere isn’t one element you mentioned there that every top class or successful team gets up to. The great All blacks sides used to play on the ‘fringes or edge’ but it was essentially saying they were doing something illegal or borderline to gain dominance. The fine margins at the top are minute between the top sides. La Rochelle, the crusaders, Saracens, Toulon etc etc…..have all been accused. Get over it, the comment comes across as salty and naive. Northampton as well as they played to get back into the match were thoroughly beaten and controlled for 60 minutes and Leinster have only themselves to blame for kicking it away and hence losing control of the match and being nearly the architects of their own downfall.
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