Force look for four in a row

The West Australian
Nick Taylor
April 1, 2014, 6:33 am


Western Force are aiming for a record-breaking four consecutive wins when they tackle Queensland Reds in Brisbane on Saturday night, but hooker Nathan Charles said there was no complacency in the side despite the recent run of good form.

Charles, who will celebrate his 50th appearance, said there were still plenty of goals to achieve this year after wins over the Rebels, Highlanders and Chiefs.

"It's a false sense of achievement if you are getting comfortable," he said.

"We've set a good platform but we still haven't achieved the four wins and a draw which we did last year. Until we better that, and achieve goals we have set, we won't be happy."

Charles said coming up against former coach Richard Graham in his first season in charge at the Reds was not a distraction.

Graham was stood down after a player vote midway through 2012 when it was revealed he was defecting to the Reds.

"That's the least of our worries ... there's Quade Cooper, there's Will Genia, there's a lot of other players," Charles said.

"Richard's a coach, he's not on the field, he's not going to be playing against us. It hasn't even been talked about."

There has been big improvement in the Force line-out this season with Charles one of the competition's most accurate hookers with his throwing. He is also relishing the use of the rolling maul as an attacking option.

"Once we lost Sharpie (Nathan Sharpe) there were guys who had to step up and things didn't gel for us last year," he said. "This year we have really singled it out, making the set piece a stand point for the team to go forward."

And the rolling maul? "Forwards scoring more tries. What could be better," he said.

Charles, the only professional athlete in the world with cystic fibrosis playing a contact sport, joined the Force in 2010.

"Playing 50 games is something I'm very proud of and to do it at one club is something I'll hold close to my heart," he said.

The Force will go into the game rested after a bye, which Charles said had come at a good time.

"We've had a good week off, everyone's rested," he said.

"We had five physical matches. It was great to put the feet up. As good as it is physically, it's good mentally as well."

Charles, 25, was snatched out of Sydney club rugby midway through 2010 on a short-term contract as injury cover.

He made his Force debut seven days after he got the call at half-time in a Sydney University match.

"We've set a good platform … Until we … achieve goals we have set, we won't be happy."" *Nathan Charles *

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