Two streams of thought

[The EnForcer]

After a day of bottling wine yesterday and plenty of time to chat about the weekends rugby it is clear there are two ways in which to look at the Force's last game. It appears that some are frustrated at our lack of progress and some who are impressed by how well we are going, count me in the later.

Maybe I'm being one eyed but I can't see the critics point. Yes, the Force will have to improve but what else can you expect from a team that have only played 2 matches. And, I admire the way in which Mitchell is going about his job. Penalties were not taken because that is the way he sees us progressing quickly. If we'd kicked all the penalties how much effective play time would our boys have had. This way he is maximising game time for the boys with a view to us becoming genuinely competitive by mid season. Short term sacrifice for a long-term benefit I suggest.

What is worrying at present is injuries. It's always been one of our highest risk areas, as it will take years to develop the depth in our squad that is needed in this competition. This is the one area where we do need a bit of luck, but so far the gods have not been kind to us.

The only thing us supporters can do to help the team is turn up to the games and always be positive.

Go the Force.

[Darren]

Good call there TEF, I was just about to post something similar in another thread about the disparity between one newspaper review and another. I also question why RugbyWA would go with such a flat review for Western Force when there are so many good ones out there, here's another example of a an independent non-biased review, yet very positive review from Yahoo

Surely rugbuWA copywriters can come up with something to put a bit more of a positive spoin on things - chances are that is what their supporters will be reading (althoug they should be comingh here )!

---snip--- ---snip---
NEW PLYMOUTH, New Zealand (AFP) - The Hurricanes had to call on all their defensive powers to withstand a powerful Western Force, eventually winning 29-5 to take maximum points for the second successive week in the Super 14 rugby competition.

Andrew Hore, Lome Fa'atau and Jason Eaton (twice) scored tries, while Jimmy Gopperth added nine points with the boot as the 'Canes backed up in the best possible way to their win over the Blues last week.

Yet the scoreline bore no reflection on the game where the Force dominated possession (71 percent) and territory (61 percent), and spent the most of the second half in and around the Hurricanes 22 metre line.

But they could not break a rock-solid defence built around Hurricanes skipper Rodney So'oialo, and the visitors' only reward was a consolation try to end the game.

"I think we must have killed them in the territory stakes in that second half. It was disappointing not to put more points on the board but that will come," said a disappointed Force skipper Nathan Sharpe, while So'oialo was left to rue the high 3-15 penalty count against his side.

"It's was a very frustrating match. There were a lot of passes that didn't stick tonight and we conceded too many penalties."

The Hurricanes made an explosive start. They had 14 points on the board after six minutes and led 22-0 at halftime, but any thoughts of a runaway win were quickly dispelled when they turned around.

They were forced to defend for the next 30 minutes before breaking out, to have Eaton score his second try and the fourth for the Hurricanes to claim the bonus point.

But the win came at a cost, with centre Conrad Smith taken from the field with a suspected multiple leg fractures.

Smith, seen as the heir apparent to Tana Umaga in the All Blacks, fell awkwardly in a tackle in the sixth minute when setting up the move which led to Lome Fa'atau's try.

Hore had scored first, in the third minute, receiving the ball from So'oialo who had driven up to the line.

Gopperth converted both, added a penalty and then converted Eaton's first try after the lock made amends for losing an attacking lineout by charging through the Western Force pack to recover the ball and score.

Down 0-22 at halftime, the Force then set out to dominate almost the entire second 40 minutes, but while coach John Mitchell has taught them the basics of winning the ball they seemed unsure what to do with it.

Several kickable penalties were rejected by the Force as they went for five pointers but each attack was repulsed.
---snip--- ---snip---

[Egan]

After a day of bottling wine yesterday and plenty of time to chat about the weekends rugby it is clear there are two ways in which to look at the Force's last game. It appears that some are frustrated at our lack of progress and some who are impressed by how well we are going, count me in the later.

Maybe I'm being one eyed but I can't see the critics point. Yes, the Force will have to improve but what else can you expect from a team that have only played 2 matches. And, I admire the way in which Mitchell is going about his job. Penalties were not taken because that is the way he sees us progressing quickly. If we'd kicked all the penalties how much effective play time would our boys have had. This way he is maximising game time for the boys with a view to us becoming genuinely competitive by mid season. Short term sacrifice for a long-term benefit I suggest.

What is worrying at present is injuries. It's always been one of our highest risk areas, as it will take years to develop the depth in our squad that is needed in this competition. This is the one area where we do need a bit of luck, but so far the gods have not been kind to us.

The only thing us supporters can do to help the team is turn up to the games and always be positive.

Go the Force.

Have a look at the experience (the ability to know were to run, stronger bodies then our younger boys, our playing depth (we have 2 Wallabies that are reguarly in the starting line up, the other 3 Super 14 sides still have more).

The only thing that has caused us not to defeat Wellington and Brumbies is in fact experience, we have the game plan(although i dont like the incistent kicking) and our bodies are not as strong as the opposition (just look at the scrum and the mauling ruck and yoy can see why we are getting slaughtered...and is why we found it so hard to score a try)

When truth comes down to it, we were $8 to beat Wellington and the Betting Agency obviously thought we would be thrashed...we wern't and if we had of been an experienced side we would have caused a very good away victory.

I think its a learning year, most of our squad have never played Super 14 before and of course trials are nothing like the real game, I have been pleasantly been surprised with many of our players and the future looks good, I would even contemplate in saying that Finals could be a real possibility next season - I mean a strong off-season in weights and continued learning of our game plan and we have a finals bound side.

Thats what I was so impressed by the Force, one of the moves towards the second half showed we were playing directly from the gameplan that Mitchell set us and the result was nearly a try.

Let us not under-estimate our opposition, the Brumbies won in Sth Africa and the team that thrashed us in the pre-season was also walloped by Wellington.

Yet we have no doubt improved no end since Pre-Season and I think our time for victory is this week, lets hope our fellow Western Australians will stay with the team for a few weeks at least...

I think those that are criticising watched the match highlights, not that they were inaccurate but you needed to watch the entire game to see how we played...I think Channel 9 did the best job at doing that, but it was indeed a match you needed to hear or watch and not get your comments by news highlights

[Mambo No. 5]

Fristly - Improvement is what I was looking for. After the Brumbies game I was dissapointed in some of the basic errors that we made so the first thing I was looking for was a reduction in our errors. Whilst not removing all errors from our game we certainly improved a lot in reducing them. So we passed my first request.

Secondly - been competitive. Well we were very competitive.

Overall after watching the game I felt a lot better than I thought that I would. Despite the scoreline, we competed and competed very well. There were times through that game that we were dominating. Some work on our finishing skills this week and watch out the Chiefs.

Loved Digby's game and Staniforth is a great centre. When Graham returns I think that our centres will no longer be our weak link. Hage Sare played a great game after he came on and showed some great promise.

Negatives - need to have some more comunicating between our backs and James when he is going to be kicking. Too many kicks had no one chasing. It was as if they didn't know that it was part of the game plan.

That all aside. Much improved effort - same improvement again and we will be in the winners circle sooner rather than later.

[Rodent]

I thought the boys did exceptionally well to improve as much as they did in some areas (defense and tackling was superb).

However it was obvious it was Brock James first game with his team mates as there were several times where there were no chasers for his kicks (MN5 on the money there). I also thought that he was kicking too much in the opposition 22. I am sure this will change the more he gets to play with the team.

I was a little dissappointed that Daruda didn't get time this week as I thought he was one of the stand outs from week one, despite constant pressure from one of the best flankers in the world being given a two metre head start by an extremely leaniant ref.

The boys definately need a little work on handling the ball as I have not seen so many knock ons ever... Especially so close to the line, those are heart breakers!

But they definately showed enough, Digby was very impressive and Hilgendorf improved out of sight over his previous outing.

But the biggest step up was in the forwards. For the force to control the ball for such long periods of time against one of the hardest rucking sides in the competition is a credit to those guys. Playing away from home our set piece was solid all day and our work at the breakdown was brilliant.

All in all I think it is looking good for the rest of the year. It will take a while for all our backs to click but I think we are definately going down the right path.

I also think this weekend is a great opportunity for our first win.

Hopefully we get another HUGE crowd to help the boys along.