Force guarded on O'Connor role

NICK TAYLOR, The West Australian March 10, 2010, 7:49 am



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Western Force coaches are delaying their decision on where teenage star James O'Connor will line up against the Queensland Reds on Sunday.
They were not giving anything away at yesterday's training session, except to say that David Hill, newly signed from the Toshiba club, will start as playmaker at Suncorp Stadium.
"We certainly haven't brought him from Japan to sit on the bench," assistant coach Richard Graham said.
"He will be an integral part of the team this weekend. His experience at 10 in controlling the team, giving us a bit of guidance and shape around the field, you don't learn that overnight.
"Whilst James did a very good job in those two games (against the Hurricanes and Chiefs) he's obviously got some way to go if he's going to be a regular No. 10."
But Graham was coy about whether O'Connor would start at inside centre or full-back.
He said coaching and fitness staff would assess other outside backs before naming the side. "We've got a few options," Graham said.
"The obvious benefits of having someone like James and Mark Bartholomeusz is that both can play in those playmaking roles."
The Force will front a confident and fired-up Reds, who are coming off a 23-18 boilover win against the Chiefs in Hamilton.
"They played for 80 minutes in all four of the games," Graham said. "They are playing with some confidence at the moment."
Graham highlighted their young half-back pairing of Will Genia and Quade Cooper as a danger area.
"Will and Quade as nine and 10 are giving their game some good shape," he said. "He's (Quade) come a long way in the last couple of months from the end of the Wallaby season last year to where he's at now. One or two of their forwards, like Van Humphries that have been around a while, give some leadership to their forwards."

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