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Loss leaves Force future a lot clearer
http://www.watoday.com.au/sport/loss...y.html?page=-1
- Tim Clarke
- January 24, 2009 - 9:31AM
Understanding is not something that has been in great supply around the Western Force in recent times, but that is exactly what coach John Mitchell said he had taken out of the 24-19 defeat at the hands of the Crusaders on Friday night.
While the Force fans - of which nearly 18,000 turned up to watch the Force's first official game of 2009 - might still not fully understand where their team and coach stand after the off-season discontent, they will be a lot clearer on a couple of things after the visit of the S14 powerhouse.
Firstly the Force are fit and up for the fight, after a first 40 minutes of domination which saw them post three tries to one.
But second and more important, they need Matt Giteau to return - and stay in the team.
"It was a very strong start … and the pleasing thing from our perspective is that there looked like there was a really good understanding.
"We got a really workout under fatigue, and some of our decision could have been better.
"But the only way we learn well is to greater resistance and coping with greater resistance, and we will be to grow our game because of playing against them.
"It is our first hit out so let’s not try and dissect the performance and get too serious about the rugby. We've still got a fair bit to build and a lot to do.
"By all means we are heading in the right direction.
"We are still conditioning, we are still heavy legged and we'll continue that right up until round one.
"We've still got plenty to do."
With both sides collectively using over 40 players, rhythm to the contest was in short supply, although new Force scrum half Josh Valentine looked as if he had slotted in behind the Force pack admirably.
Outside him however, Scott Daruda could not bring the same explosive qualities as Kid Dynamite, with Giteau's protégé James O'Connor absent through illness.
Mitchell and captain for the night David Pocock both praised Valentine's introduction.
"Valo is a very clever half-back," Mitchell said.
"He provided good continuity to our game and he's a constant threat."
Pocock was equally as impressed with Valentine's first-up effort for the Force.
"He brings a lot of sniping around the ruck and he dictated where the forwards went for a bit," Pocock said.
And as for the much question but little answered queries about the Force's internal divisions, Pocock again showed his captaincy potential - by giving away almost nothing.
"I think throughout this whole pre-season blokes have been looking forward to getting into it and playing rugby and doing our jobs and letting the other stuff take care of itself," Pocock said.
"It's good to start playing some rugby.
"I mean a lot was said in the press between our CEO and all that kind of stuff so we (the players) just got on with our training and in pre-season you turn up and do the work and go home, so that's what we did."
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