LESSONS FOR THE FORCE IN OPENING TRIAL

[normie]

as long as he doesn't get too many reds

wine or cards?

[sandgroperrugby]

Want to know how Mitch Inman, Ben McCalman and Ben Whittaker went as these three have been really talked up and in the positions they play will have a major impact to the Force playing depth in the next couple of years

[James]

Want to know how Mitch Inman, Ben McCalman and Ben Whittaker went as these three have been really talked up and in the positions they play will have a major impact to the Force playing depth in the next couple of years

Well apparently the Force were dominant in the scrum and Whittaker was the starting hooker but apparently they were also torn to shreds in the line-out. Saying that the Stormers had Andries Bekker and AJ Venter (?) who have a mountain of experience over Tom Hockings and Richard Stanford so maybe the dodgy line-out was down to their inexperience. God help us if we lose Sharpie to injury. Don't know about the others though.

[AndyS]

Big thing for mine was that Shep had a run, two weeks ahead of his original "hoped for" outcome. Fingers crossed it bodes well for the robustness of his recovery.

[BDAVEY]

I think we are all concerned about injuries this season I question our depth....... I am more worried about or loose forwards and the depth there? I getting nervous about the 2010 season

[James]

There are two players we simply can't afford to lose. Andre Pretorius and Nathan Sharpe. Everyone else can be replaced by someone else who is equal or almost as good as they are. Our prop stocks are very healthy. We have three promising hookers (assuming the James Parsons thing goes ahead) but none seem to be head and shoulders above the others. Our backrow is pretty versatile and I reckon Richard Brown and Matt Hodgson could fairly comfortably cover all three spots. We are fine for scrum-halves too. Once Nick Cummins is back our outside back options will increase a fair bit too. So it really just comes down to those two and hey the situation was exactly the same with Sharpie and Matt Giteau last year.

[Burgs]

I'd only be nervous about this season if I thought we had a chance of winning it, for some time I have been resigned to the fact that, like it or not, we are in a rebuilding year with far better times not very far ahead.

[James]

I'd consider this season a success if they re-sign Cam Shepherd and David Pocock and maybe score us a new winger or something.

[fulvio sammut]

Wash your mouths out with soap, Burgs and James.

[Burgs]

Nah, champers in a pewter cup in a couple of years instead

[AndyS]

There are two players we simply can't afford to lose. Andre Pretorius and Nathan Sharpe.

Agreed, with the proviso that by the end of the year there better have been major progress made or plans in place to handle precisely those eventualities. In particular a key success for mine will be one of our locks finally making the step up to actually partnering and, when necessary, being capable of stepping into the boots of Sharpie.

we are in a rebuilding year with far better times not very far ahead.

But implicit with that is that there is not a big turnover of personnel again at the end of this season. Bam and Shep would be a good start, but there are a number of key positions we will need stability in if progress is to be made. I guess we'll see.

[The Lone Hydrangea]

Hockings could be anything if he gets his shit together.He was a standout from the ARC. Id suggest that Sharpie can spot talent and im sure he is giving the good oil to him. We will finish 5th and with a nice home record for a change. Snatch a couple of wins away..................lookout

[sandgroperrugby]

Hockings will go alright. I am just hoping that Wykes can develop into a more consistent player. He had some blinders last year and then followed them up with some below par games (may have been the injuries). That game where he had the crap hair doo for example was one of his best performances.

Pocock is the must sign for the club, he doesn’t seem unhappy and with his brother over here now should be good for years to come. That is of course if the ARU doesn’t drag its feet on contracts.

[SleazyWineBaas]

Hockings has an incredible amount of fibrous tissue on his forhead for such a young man. It represents a tough scone that doesn't mind putting it in the danger zone. Despite the flowing locks, you can expect the Sharpe hair style withing 5 years, once he works out that his melon really isn't pretty and he must accept reality. Male pattern baldness awaits.

He's a goodun. I'm expecting big things in 2010 from him. Australia is short of world class locks. This is a real opportunity for him. No John Eales on the horizon. Step up son. You are the master of your destiny, the captain of your soul

[James]

Hockings will go alright. I am just hoping that Wykes can develop into a more consistent player. He had some blinders last year and then followed them up with some below par games (may have been the injuries). That game where he had the crap hair doo for example was one of his best performances.

Pocock is the must sign for the club, he doesn’t seem unhappy and with his brother over here now should be good for years to come. That is of course if the ARU doesn’t drag its feet on contracts.

Wykes isn't really a lock I don't think. Not unless he bulks up a fair bit. He has the mobility and ball carrying ability to be a great 6 and with Pretorius' field position oriented game and a less open non-ELVs based game he is worth a look there. You could play Sharpie, Hocking and Wykes in the first XV with two backrowers on the bench and make the change as the games opens up. I hope his shoulders hold up well this year there just isn't much depth at lock in Australia.

I hope Pocock will stay too and I am fairly confident he will. If you have competition for a Wallabies jersey from Phil Waugh and George Smith you need every little bit of help you can get and John Mitchell can still teach him a lot. At least if he does go let it be to the Reds.