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NICK TAYLOR, The West Australian
March 7, 2012, 6:59 am
Our first home game of the year has us brimming with excitement as we take on the Hurricanes at nib Stadium on Friday night.
I have been asked what playing in my 150th game of Super Rugby will mean to me and to be honest, at this stage, not a great deal.
After the disappointing loss to the Reds, where we could have produced so much more, there are far more important things to focus on come Friday night.
For now it is all about winning at home this weekend in front of our sea of blue.
Perhaps in four months when I have hung the boots up I will look back at the milestone fondly.
That first game for the Force was pretty special. It was a big moment for the State, for the city and for all the guys that came across to be involved.
Our first home win at Subiaco in our second year was definitely a highlight, but it is the people I've played with and the people I've met along the way that are the real standouts for me.
Rugby is well and truly alive and kicking this year. Some of the New Zealand conference games have been outstanding and at this early stage of the season you would have to think the Kiwi teams have embraced an exciting brand of rugby and are producing some dynamic displays.
When you compare this season with the same stage last season, the same number of tries have been scored - 50 to be precise.
However, where rugby has been kicking goals this year is the fact that there have been 109 converted penalties compared to 73 at the end of week two in 2011.
Teams who don't play at the right end of the field are being punished for their indiscretions far more frequently.
We started the game last week against the Reds with a good grasp of this and had them under pressure in their half for the opening 30 minutes, but two quick tries against the run of play hurt us dearly.
Once more the character of the team cannot be questioned as we wrestled our way back with some good attacking play and resultant tries to skipper David Pocock and James Stannard from the base of a ruck.
Down by just six points with 25 minutes to play we should have kept them pinned in their half, but failed to do so.
Our discipline, mine included, let us down on the weekend and this point has been drilled home.
Two exciting young men in Phoenix Battye and Ben Seymour made their debuts last weekend. It is great to see a couple of players with so much ability get their opportunity and to share in their first forays into Super Rugby.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...-the-heart-is/
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Originally Posted by WF1964
