NSW Waratahs wary of Western Force

[The InnFORCEr]

Darren Walton,
AAP
Updated March 25, 2013, 2:11 pm


The NSW Waratahs will be out to avoid another Western Force Super Rugby ambush when they come up against their former coach Michael Foley on Sunday.

The Waratahs revived their finals hopes and moved to within three points of the top six with their last-gasp 30-27 home victory over the Blues on Sunday as their new ball-in-hand style finally paid dividends.

But they will be wary of what lies in store in a second consecutive Sunday afternoon game at Allianz Stadium when they meet Foley's Western Force.

The Force have a 1-4 record this season, but they've been highly competitive and their one win was a recent impressive away upset of the Queensland Reds.

And the Tahs need no reminding that they were ambushed by the Force in the corresponding Australian derby last year in Sydney.

Throw in the Foley factor, up against the team he guided for one very lean season last year before quitting and heading west, and it makes for a spicy all-Australian clash.

Sunday's stoppage-time success wasn't quite enough to convince Waratahs skipper Dave Dennis that his team had turned the corner after just one win from their previous 12 outings.

"I wouldn't say it's a turning point. It definitely gives the boys a bit more belief in what we're doing," Dennis said of the win over the Blues.

"But this result is irrelevant if we come out next Sunday and don't perform.

"There's still parts of our game - the set-piece was a bit disappointing again.

"But when we do get it right, like when we scored that first-phase try off a set-piece, which is two weeks in a row now, there's some good stuff.

"So we've got to stay focused for the full game and it's an important week again. The Force are going to be another challenge and we've got to perform better again."

Dennis said scoring three tries, and several other near-misses, was evidence that the Waratahs were finally starting to adapt to coach Michael Cheika's ball-in-hand style.

"When we stuck to our structure and how we want to play, we got some good results," he said.

"And that's against a quality team so that will help with any doubts we've had over it, if there were any."

The Waratahs haven't won back-to-back since last April and they will likely need to do so without halfback Brendan McKibbin.

McKibbin hurt his AC joint in a damaging tackle from Blues centre Rene Ranger and faces a race against the clock to be fit to take on the Force.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...western-force/

[stejwill]

Dance of the desperates.
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[zimeric]

a bonus point win would be oh so sweet!!

[Rex Messup]

Tah game is a must win. We need bragging rights over the gimps and anus ticklers at GAGR

[brokendown gunfighter]

if we lose,do we take it without vass?

[Rex Messup]

I prefer to take the attack to them. I will have to sign up via my mobile...........then armageddon

[chibi]

I think we can belt NSW if we can get a good plan going. I have a fair bit of confidence in our defensive structures and ball-recycling. Unless we have a brainsnap in those departments, we should be able to control a large portion of the game; and if we get the creativity going...

[Rex Messup]

The Tahs have had Fittler at training..........they should get plenty of rum and coke into them on Saturday night

[Hoolly Doolly]

Any news on how sias is?

[GIGS20]

I think we've had the game plan to win every game so far this season (maybe not the kings) it has been very noticeable that the instant the boys step aside from their structure, be it through panic, lack of fitness or plain arrogant laziness (the kings game) we get belted all around the park.

The tahs haven't shown any semblance of a game plan yet, but put some decent glimpses together against the Blues. Either Cheika is having trouble getting the arrogant tosspots to listen to him, or he's coaching in a 'relaxed' style (ie do what you want, you're all winners in my heart)

This game will be all about attitude, we have the capability to beat a hot n cold mob of rich boys like the tahs, as long as we turn up on the day. We lost last week (when we should have won) that will sort out the complacency problem, the tahs won (when they should have lost) they'll be told they're on the way to a well deserved championship by the Sydney media and probably believe it.

Force by 7

[blueandblack]

Any news on how sias is?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-03-2...942?section=wa

"The Force are still sweating on the fitness of injured fly half Sias Ebersohn (hip) and prop Pek Cowan (rib)"


edit:

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...-on-tahs-talk/

"However, Ben Whittaker returns to help Heath Tessman in that role while Sian Ebersohn (hip) and Pek Cowan (ribs) trained strongly on Tuesday after copping knocks on Saturday night."

[SinBin]

"It looks like we have been a bit lucky again albeit Nathan's injury is disappointing. The rest of the guys seemed to have pulled up pretty well," he said.

Foley's playing it cool re the media hype for his return to the NSW. With Sias playing, we have our best chance of earning respect (with a win) and Foley getting the recognition he deserves plus making the eastern states media to STFU.

[valzc]

I'm hoping the key factor at training this week is - DON'T KICK THE BLOODY BALL! Would like to see more of those hard attacking lines that Richard, Kyle and Mafi were doing from deep. Seems to really break the defence line. I would say the Tahs will be pretty confident again in their own field and may just get too cocky, and any quick passing ball seems to dumbfound tem.

[PeterM]

Force to win easy and to see the smile on Michael Foley's face would make my easter weekend

[Muddly]

If Sias dose not pull up in time, would that mean SKN to 10? I would also like to see Junior back on the bench at a min, with the badger hopfully back.