Western Force fortunes like a TV drama

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Western Force fortunes like a TV drama | PerthNow


Tim Clarke

May 08, 2008 11:30am
IF Western Force's season was turned into a television drama, this week's episode could be titled "The Young and the Restless", or "Casualty".

While Force fans have spent the week talking about the hot prospects blooded against the Chiefs - teenage playmaker James O'Connor and homegrown prop Kieran Longbottom - across the Tasman the drain of top players continues.

Tomorrow's opponents the Hurricanes - as well as the rest of New Zealand rugby - are suffering constant repeats of "Getaway''.

With Craig Newby joining the European exodus that has so far claimed Nick Evans, Carl Hayman, Luke McAlister, Byron Kelleher, Doug Howlett, Chris Jack, Anton Oliver and Aaron Mauger, the Hurricanes were rocked by claims Jerry Collins was also planning to follow the gold-brick road.

And although Collins denied the request had been made, his absence from tomorrow's clash with a rib injury could be something fans in Wellington have to get used to.

Longbottom, meanwhile, has spent the week coming to terms with life as a Super 14 scrummager.

"It was a real shock (to come on after 10 minutes against the Chiefs), but I was talking to my dad and a few of the boys, and they reckon it might have been the best way,'' Longbottom said.

"The nerves might have got me by the time I was supposed to go on.

"I always knew it was going to be tough, but I was happy with the way it went. And I reckon we have got a good chance to knock them (the Hurricanes) over.''

What the Force have got tomorrow is a team with 10 likely participants missing through injury - forcing coach John Mitchell to select a backline with an average age of 22.

With 17-year-old O'Connor joined by 18-year-old winger Dane Haylett-Petty and 21-year-old centre Josh Tatupu, Drew Mitchell finds himself one of the Force's senior citizens, aged 24.

"Despite the injuries we have got, there are guys there with quite a bit of experience, like Matt Giteau and Cam Shepherd. They can lead the new young talent around,'' Mitchell said.

"It is going to test our versatility, and we have got guys who can play in different positions.

"Josh has come from rugby league and is someone who brings a lot of excitement, he has fantastic footwork on him and brings a real energy.

"And Dane is young 18-year-old who has a lot of talent and I guess it just a case of producing it on the big stage.''

Rarely can a team with a chance of reaching the Super 14 semi-finals have spoken so little about it, but the Force arrive in Wellington still with the chance to achieve their early-season ambitions.

But as well as the unlikely mathematics, being seven points outside the top four with two games remaining, the probabilities of other results falling their way leave the Force looking to win back pride rather than ladder position.

"They are sitting in third at the moment, but we are going out there to prove a point to ourselves,'' Mitchell said.