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Wayne Smith From: The Australian March 21, 2011 12:00AM
ONE win doesn't make a winter but it is not out of the question that Western Force could muscle its way to the top of the Australian conference now it has broken through for its first Super Rugby victory under new coach Richard Graham.
Despite being without a win in its first three matches in the competition, unluckily losing to the Reds 21-20 in Brisbane and then even more cruelly drawing with the Blues, Force is still placed mid-table in the Australian conference on 11 points.
That leaves it trailing the Reds (17) and Waratahs (14), equal with the Brumbies but marginally ahead of the Rebels, who are on six points but is the only Australian team not to have had a bye, which automatically earns four points.
Unlike its four conference rivals, however, Force is yet to host a derby in Perth.
And perhaps as importantly, it has maintained a consistent standard throughout the season, with none of the wild mood swings that have characterised the Tahs, Brumbies, Reds and Rebels.
Its only heavy defeat came against the Sharks, 39-12, but even then Force battled bravely after losing Mitch Inman and David Pocock to serious injuries in the first five minutes and then having to play for the last hour a man down after winger Rory Sidey was given a red card.
"I've looked at the Australian conference table and we are right in the hunt," Graham said yesterday.
"The top four (Australian) teams have all had the bye so the table gives a fair indication of where we all are.
"I'm not sure we're the most consistent Australian side because that should be judged on wins and the Reds have had three.
"It would have been nice to win that first one against them but I'd like to think the boys have consistently displayed character and determination." They showed both qualities in abundance as they came from behind to defeat the Lions 27-15 in Johannesburg yesterday (AEDT).
The Lions, led by Force's original coach John Mitchell, conveniently replicated the same around-the-corner game plan Mitchell employed in his five years in Perth and the Force players were ready for them, missing just six tackles all match.
If the Force has been consistent all season, then no player has embodied that quality more than openside flanker Matt Hodgson who, as he did last year, has stepped up to minimise the impact of Pocock's knee injury.
Captain Nathan Sharpe, in his 136th Super Rugby match to equal George Gregan's tournament record, also shone, as did fullback Cameron Shepherd and prop Pek Cowan but the player Graham singled out for special mention was outside centre Nick Cummins.
"I think he's definitely playing himself into Wallabies contention," Graham said.
"Last year he was way out of condition and really didn't take himself or his profession seriously.
"He is now in the best shape of his life and is really contributing."
The Force winds up its South African campaign in Cape Town on Saturday against the table-topping Stormers, who maintained their unbeaten start to the season by defeating the Bulls in Pretoria yesterday in a replay of last year's Super 14 final.
The Western Cape team has been in a parsimonious mindset this season, having scored only two tries while letting in three, which gives it the rare distinction of having the worst attack but the best defence in the competition.
"So you'd have to think it's going to be a pretty close affair," the Force coach predicted, perhaps not realising that three of the five matches between the two sides have been decided by a single point.
Certainly, if it comes down to goalkicking it could be a neck-and-neck game, with rival kickers James O'Connor and the Stormers' Peter Grant each having landed 21 goals from 27 attempts this season.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1226025037960
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Originally Posted by Burgs
