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Thread: Force centre grabs his chance

  1. #1
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    Force centre grabs his chance

    http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...bs-his-chance/

    Ben Jacobs knew he was taking a huge gamble when he accepted an offer to join the Western Force five months ago.

    There were no promises. He would only be a member of the wider training group with no guarantees of a spot in the Super Rugby squad or even the extended squad of fringe players.

    But the well-travelled centre wanted to give Super Rugby another shot and the punt paid off last Saturday when he made his debut in the 11-11 draw against the Queensland Reds.

    It was his first taste of the southern hemisphere competition since leaving the Waratahs in 2008 to join English Premiership club Saracens and then Wasps. He has been with Japanese club Kyuden Voltex for the past two seasons.

    "I never really thought I'd be playing Super Rugby again and I wasn't expecting to get an opportunity like this," he said from New Zealand where the Force are preparing to play the Chiefs tomorrow.

    "I had finished my contract in Japan, the European season was halfway through and the Super squads were full when Chris Webb (then Force high performance manager) called to see if I was keen to come down.

    "I've been away a long time and always wanted to come back to play."

    Jacobs is only on a short-term contract to cover the Force back-line injury woes but for now is very happy.

    "Rugby is an interesting sport. One week you are on the outer, the next you are starting, and I've been around long enough to experience both," he said.

    "I'm very open to the future. I'm enjoying my time here and just taking it game by game."

    Before leaving the Tahs he had tentative talks about joining the Force.

    "I never thought I'd be here but rugby is a strange game," he said.

    "I'm relishing the opportunity, although there were some stages against the Reds when I was looking for my lungs on the floor."

    Chiefs coach Dave Rennie has named a new-look side for the game in Pukekohe. Scrum-half Tawera Kerr-Barlow returns from a broken jaw, Gareth Anscombe will start at fly-half and Save Tokula and Bundee Aki will start in the midfield.

    Robbie Robinson makes his first start of the season at full-back and Patrick Osborne is on the left wing.

    Ben Afeaki returns at tighthead prop, Toby Smith is on the other side of the front row and Hika Elliot starts at hooker.

    Chiefs starting side: *Toby Smith, Hika Elliot, Ben Afeaki, Craig Clarke, Brodie Retallick, Liam Messam, Sam Cane, Matt Vant Leven, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Gareth Anscombe, Patrick Osborne, Bundee Aki, Save Tokula, Lelia Masaga, Robbie Robinson. *Reserves *: Mahonri Schwinger, Ben Tameifuna, Michael Fitzgerald, Tanerau Latimer, Augustine Pulu, Aaron Cruden, Asaeli Tikoirotuma.

    "There were some stages against the Reds when I was looking for my lungs on the floor."" *Ben Jacobs *

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  2. #2
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    great quote!

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