No fears for coach Richard Graham as Western Forces faces tough test

[travelling_gerry]

No fears for coach Richard Graham as Western Forces faces tough test

• By DALE GRANGER
• From: The Sunday Times
• September 18, 2010 7:00PM

NEW Emirates Western Force coach Richard Graham will not focus on the reigning Super Rugby champion Bulls or multiple champion Crusaders that his team will host at nib Stadium in the inaugural Super 15 competition.

The new Super 15 format will feature an extra three games, with teams in the Australian, New Zealand and South African conferences playing derby rivals home and away and four others teams from each of the other two countries.
Under this system, the two teams the Force will not play in the Conference phase are the Chiefs, of NZ, and the Cheetahs, of South Africa.
The top teams on the ladder from each of the three Conferences then advance to a six-team knockout phase, joined by the three next best teams with the most competition points.
In Week 1 of the knockout phase, the third-placed team will play the sixth team and fourth will play fifth for places in the semi-final. Teams qualifying first and second will rest, before hosting semi-finals in Week 2.
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Graham's first game as Force coach will be a testing fixture against the Reds, Australia's form team this year, in Brisbane on February 20.
But it is successive games, against the Bulls on April 23 and the Crusaders a week later that will have Perth fans salivating.
"I want to build a 'Force Fortress' at nib Stadium," Graham said this week.
"Obviously we're pleased to be playing the Bulls and the Crusaders at home, who are the benchmark of the competition.
"But it's also an indication of our mind-set that we prepare well for benchmark teams, but not others in the competition and I'll be striving to install that consistency we need to reap Super Rugby success."
The Force faithful are too painfully aware of this reality.
Decimated by injuries, the Force gave the Bulls a scare for 60 minutes at home last season before capitulating in the last quarter.
The Force then celebrated a famous victory, its first against the Crusaders, after beating finalists the Stormers in a thriller.
In between, the Force was humiliated by the Reds and comfortably beaten by the Chiefs, Cheetahs, Hurricanes and Blues, teams that would never trouble a Force side playing to its full potential.
Graham intends stopping the rot while instilling mental toughness in a side that has also failed to close out close matches.
He gave up the chance of going to next year's World Cup as Wallabies skills coach, taking the Force reins instead.
"It was a difficult decision, because at full strength I truly believe we're capable of winning the World Cup in NZ," Graham said. "In the end I spoke to (head coach) Robbie (Deans) and took the decision myself that I'd excuse myself from the Wallabies."


http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/rug...-1225925979423

[DR GRAFENBURGH]

Roll on February. Cricket is too dull without the great Shane Warne

I'm not sure they have got the format right. I suppose time will tell. Change is never easy to get your head around. The super rugby structure has been a good one to date. Perhaps all the derbies will increase the profile of rugby in Australia and especially in the developing rugby states of WA and Vic?

[AndyS]

We'll see, I guess. I personally think the big advantage of Super rugby is the international aspect, and we seem to get our best crowds for those matches rather than derbies (first ever match aside). But I guess the view must be different from SANZAR headquarters.

Wonder what will happen if they are right and NZ/SA stop needing matches against Australian teams to pull the necessary crowds...

[James]

We have so many ex-pat kiwis who support the Crusaders that they are definitely the biggest crowd pullers in Perth. The Blues/Hurricanes/Stormers/Bulls draw pretty good crowds too. The thing is that the interstate sides (Brumbies excluded because almost noone comes from Canberra) draw pretty decent crowds but in Perth nothing spectacular. Having said that local derbies are much better for crowd numbers than the Lions/Cheetahs/Highlanders/Chiefs.

I don't think the derbies will be that great. As fierce the rivalry is the games are usually pretty average- last year for example the Force v Brumbies game and Force v Waratahs games were as far from a display of skill and quality rugby as you could get and the Force v Reds game was farcical at best.

The thing I'm really excited about is the form of Sharpie/Pocock/McCalman/O'Connor. If we can keep the squad fit and healthy we'd see a nice return to form of Shepherd and Cummins and we have a very strong first choice side.

[Rex Messup]

Derbies should create the most interest. In NZ/RSA they do.

Australian rugby has too much man love

We need to bring back the hate.

I say we stick it up those Labor voting w@nkers from Canberra in the first scrum.

Bring back the hate

Bring back the biff

Nothing like a bit of this to bring back some passion [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3bVBmcvOOs&feature=related"]YouTube - Manly Vs Newtown[/ame]

Too many players going for lattes and a hair dressing appointment together these days

Rugby is a gladiator sport. You get more anger in sooker these days

[farva]

Do we have a rival yet? I know the Tahs and the Reds are the big Aus rivalry, but we need to find an Australian team where we can build a rivalry with.
I guess the closest thing we have would be the Reds as we liberated a few of their under-appreciated players and put them to good use, now the feel a little bitter.

But it would be good to get a good rivalry going with the Rebels maybe to build from the AFL rivalry thats there?

[Swee_82]

But it would be good to get a good rivalry going with the Rebels maybe to build from the AFL rivalry thats there?

Except the good folks at the NSWRU have already decided that they will have that rivalry- hence all the jostling to get the match-up in Round 1 next year.

[travelling_gerry]

We hate them all equally.

[Burgs]

Melbourne.
Victoria is the Collingwood of Australian states.

[GIGS20]

Do we have a rival yet? I know the Tahs and the Reds are the big Aus rivalry, but we need to find an Australian team where we can build a rivalry with.

If you're an Australian rugby fan, you hate the Tahs........it's simple!

[zimeric]

Yes we Canberra is a good option if we are looking to denigrate anyone... we have more reason to hate them than any other state...

[Burgs]

Or even any OF the states

[James]

Yes we Canberra is a good option if we are looking to denigrate anyone... we have more reason to hate them than any other state...

You can't hate Canberra. It is too pitiful a place. Pity is all that can be mustered.

[Rex Messup]

It's easy to hate Canberra

[TOCC]

nobody likes canberra, im heading down for in a few weeks for work, and i argued extensively with my boss to send someone else, i think he gets kicks out of it knowing how much i hate it.