Hodgson steps up

[travelling_gerry]

Hodgson steps up



5th March 2009, 8:30 WST

Matt Hodgson says the Western Force are planning to meet ire with fire against the Waikato Chiefs at Hamilton tomorrow.

The Chiefs are in ill-humour after three successive losses and captain Liam Messam promises the home team will bring plenty of desperation and emotion into what is for them a make or break game.

Hodgson, the Force’s new No. 8, and his teammates have seen the reports from New Zealand and accept they have to get on top early to silence the home crowd and punch holes in the Chiefs’ confidence.

“We need to come out as strong as we were for the Brumbies game,” said Hodgson, who replaces the injured Richard Brown.

“The Chiefs have those three defeats in their head and we want them asking some questions of themselves after the first 20 minutes.

“We know they’ll be desperate, but we’ve got to put the pressure on from the start.”

Hodgson last started at No. 8 against the Chiefs at Subiaco Oval last year after Tamaiti Horua’s knee injury required Scott Fava to move to the blindside flank.

He remembers it well, opening the Force’s account by charging down a kick to score a try and then watching Matt Giteau kick an after-the-hooter penalty for a 22-21 win. “It’s quite a coincidence I’ll be back at No. 8 against the Chiefs,” he said. “Hopefully the result will be the same, too.”

Hodgson has built his frame from 97kg to 104kg in the past few years but knows he’s in for a big night against new All Black Messam.

The captain usually slots in on the flank for the Chiefs but played at the back of the scrum in his first Test, against Scotland last November.

He will be there again tomorrow because regular No. 8 Sione Lauaki (hamstring) is out, denying the Force the bone-rattling experience of running into his 117kg frame.

Hodgson has spent the past three days in Sydney establishing a backrow relationship with scrum-half Josh Valentine, deciding in advance how to handle the various situations likely to occur at scrum time.

“We’ve been doing extra work each session and he’s let me know what he likes best,” said Hodgson. “He’s got enough experience to know what to do.”

Hodgson joined the Force from the Waratahs as the starting openside flanker, but the emergence of David Pocock cut his game time.

When Scott Fava left for Sydney after last season, Hodgson saw an opportunity and bulked up to move to the blindside flank, where he started in place of Horua in Saturday’s breakthrough win in Canberra.
DAVE HUGHES


http://www.thewest.com.au:80/default...ntentID=128247

[force addict]

did u re-type that or copy & paste gerry?
how do we meet 'ire with fire'

[Flamethrower]

how do we meet 'ire with fire'

I may be able to help

[MI5_Dog]

I"m so irate it's burning me up!

PS Go Hodgo!!

[Thequeerone]

ire with Fire - almost a character assessment of someone we know to well eh FT ?

Hodgson was very nearly MOM only pipped by Sheps - been waiting for him for a while now after watching the Sevens last year

[force addict]

im confused.

is 'ire with fire' an actual saying?

[Flamethrower]

Tis now

[Thequeerone]

ire is another word for anger - so it could read as anger with fire - pretty good assessment of Hodgson on the night - except I would have used something more controlled than fire perhaps a Shuttle Fuel Cell

[James]

The point they are making is the Chiefs are feeling ire at losing 3 games and that the Force are going to combat the anger using their own 'fire'.

[Darren]

seemed obvious to me - a play on the phrase "to fight fire with fire"

[force addict]

ok... my bad

[GIGS20]

That line was the first thing I noticed in the post....I called it Journalistic poetry, a rare thing in a Force article these days!

Brilliant!