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Wallabies spots on the line for Western Force ahead of new Australian Super Rugby competition
By AAP
Western Force coach Tim Sampson believes he has players capable of challenging for Wallabies spots, once they get the opportunity to shine in the Australian Super Rugby tournament.
The Perth-based club on Wednesday accepted an invitation from Rugby Australia to join the country's four Super Rugby sides in a tournament scheduled to start in early July.
That means their players will have the opportunity to impress new Wallabies coach Dave Rennie, despite not playing in Super Rugby before it was suspended in March.
"There would be guys within our squad who I think should be considered as part of a Wallabies squad," Sampson told AAP.
"There's some young guys who have done very well in the Australian 20s recently, who I think can't be ignored.
"I really hope that we can get recognition and if our team plays well and also individuals play well then I'm sure that will happen."
With injured Jonah Placid the only member of the contracted 34-man squad unavailable, Sampson didn't envisage having to look externally.
"That has been a priority to look after the guys we have currently contracted," Sampson said.
"That squad of 33 leading into a 10-week tournament that's a good number."
Force was cut from Super Rugby after 2017 but have since played matches under the Rapid Rugby format.
"Some of those games that we played they had 14,15 contracted players and they were just missing their Wallabies," he said.
While Force competed under different rules in Rapid Rugby, Sampson stressed his players had playing under the standard rugby laws in the NRC.
"There are some adjustments to our game we have to make but the players are used to it and they adapt pretty well," Sampson said.
He isn't fazed the likelihood of the Force starting the competition with a string of away games given the current travel restrictions in WA.
"I think if you embrace it in the right way in a positive manner that it can work in your favour," he said.
"We had three and a half weeks away together last year throughout Asia.
"If it's going to be longer than that, which we don't know at this stage, that's just something we are going to have to manage and discuss as a staff."
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Latest Comments
Willis is decent in the lineout to be fair, but definitely lacking a heavyweight ball carrier.
I think between Underhill, Curry, and Willis there isn't a huge amount between them. Maybe Willis would be good enough to start, but he wouldn't massively improve the team.
Go to commentsI'm not sure he is getting there and I don't think he will. Progress has been glacial honestly. Our attacking structure hasn't improved at all, except that he's now picking Marcus Smith who is a one man attack at the moment... And our defence for obvious reasons is now awful. I would have faith in Borthwick if I had faith in his assistant coaches... But I don't think Wigglesworth is an attack coach and why would he be? He's never been an attack coach and he spent his entire career box kicking. Our defence coach has never been employed as a defence coach and is still the head coach of a second division French side with an awful defensive record. The fact that Borthwick appointed them both is a poor reflection. If we still had Felix Jones and we had Mike Catt/Nick Evans or someone in the attack coach role, I'd be content to be patient and that results will come. With Wigglesworth and Joe El Abd, I have no faith that we will improve and I've seen no signs that we are.
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