TESSMANN RE-SIGNING ADDS TO PHYSICAL FORCE

[The InnFORCEr]

EMIRATES WESTERN FORCE MEDIA RELEASE
Monday, 26 August 2013



The Emirates Western Force’s focus on building an increasingly physical forward pack for the 2014 Super Rugby season has received a further boost with the retention of hooker Heath Tessmann for another two seasons.

The Western Australian side will add further size and physicality to their forwards for 2014, with Tessmann joining the likes of new recruits Wilhelm Steenkamp (Bulls) and Chris Heiberg (Western Province), as well as Matt Hodgson, Hugh McMeniman, Ben McCalman, Tetera Faulkner and Sam Wykes, who have each recommitted to the Force this season.

Head Coach Michael Foley says Tessmann’s re-signing will add to a physical forward unit in 2014.

"We’re developing a forward pack that is not only skilled in the set piece but also has the ability to have an impact in the open – and Heath fits that bill,” he said.

“After joining the wider training squad during the pre-season, he earned the respect of the whole team through his strong work ethic.

“His determination to persevere over a number of seasons to achieve his first start is a tribute to his character. That quality, coupled with a number of excellent contributions, makes him a valuable member of the team into the future.”

Tessmann joined the team as a member of the Emirates Western Force’s Wider Training Group last season before being elevated into the senior squad as injury cover for Ben Whittaker (broken foot) and later Nathan Charles (knee reconstruction).

The 29-year-old rake, who started 10 matches in the Force’s ‘2’ jersey this season, finished in the top five in the 2013 Nathan Sharpe Medal tally and says he’s looking forward to further developing with the Emirates Western Force over the next two years.

“Since arriving at the Force my game has improved considerably and I’m excited about continuing that development within the program,” he said.

“A lot of the technical work I’ve been doing with Foles [Foley] has been very beneficial for my game specifically, and it’s been exciting to see us improving across a number of key areas as a team this season.

“It’s exciting to be a part of a team on the up. We definitely turned the corner this year and the recruitment for next season will only continue that development. With a number of guys like Benny McCalman, Hugh McMeniman and Wykesy also re-signing this year, we’ve got a core group of players that played together this season and will continue to develop together over the next few years.

“There’s a great vibe within the team at the moment, even during the off-season training block. While we’re as far out from the season as we could be and it would be easy for guys to be just going through the motions, everyone’s really motivated and the feeling within the squad is extremely positive. Guys who’ve been here for a number of years like Hodgo [Hodgson], Wykesy [Wykes] and Pek [Cowan] are all reaching personal bests in the gym, and there’s a number of younger guys who are pushing the older ones all the way.”

Profile
Name: Heath Tessmann
Born: 03/03/1984, Ayr (Queensland)
Position: Hooker
Height: 182cm
Weight: 105kg
Super Rugby caps: 23 (13 Force, 10 Rebels)
Super Rugby points: 0
Super Rugby debut: 2011 (Rebels) v Waratahs, Melbourne
Representative Rugby: 2013 Emirates Western Force, 2011-2012 Melbourne Rebels, 2009-2010 Queensland Academy, 2008 Australian Universities

[Tazzmania]

Excellent news, great to have him on baord.

Similar to Nathan Charles he seems to have great work ethic and and gives it his all on the field.

Two excellent hard working rakes for next season.

[The InnFORCEr]

Excellent news, great to have him on baord.

Similar to Nathan Charles he seems to have great work ethic and and gives it his all on the field.

Two excellent hard working rakes for next season.

Plus the experience of Taipan returning to hone their skills who "may" be the only specialist "hooker" coach in Australia next year

[SNOB]

Great news a great signing. With him and Cheese we will have a couple of very mobile hookers.
Now we just have to hope our hookers learn to hook before the season starts.

[brokendown gunfighter]

under the new scrum laws hooking has become more awkward

[Elf1]

under the new scrum laws hooking has become more awkward

Awkward thers a good term, it is now wait until th eopposite hooker lifts his foot and bam!! all pressure for the big push back.
Do not know who came up with these law changes but I for one do not like them.

[Alison]

You have to wonder whether the people who keep making these laws all the time have the faintest idea about scrums.

[SNOB]

The feeds have been so crocked for so long the current genaration of hookers have lost the ability to hook. I should imagine by the start of next season most will have reacquired the skill.

[Scozzie]

It's really what hookers have always had to do - hook for the ball. It's just that nowadays the refs have been letting them away with scrum feeds from the scrum half.

I think it will make the scrums more competitive, as long as the refs stop telling the scrum half when to put the ball in...!

....and glad to see Tessman has re-signed...!

[GAFFA]

It's really what hookers have always had to do - hook for the ball. It's just that nowadays the refs have been letting them away with scrum feeds from the scrum half.

I think it will make the scrums more competitive, as long as the refs stop telling the scrum half when to put the ball in...!

....and glad to see Tessman has re-signed...!

the body height these days is so much lower than in the past meaning it is near impossiable to hook the ball. thats the part that needs the be addressed.

[AndyS]

under the new scrum laws hooking has become more awkward

Nonsense. If anything makes the current situation awkward, it is one of the oldest scrum laws - feed the damn ball straight. If they don't or can't strike at the ball, that makes it no different to last year when they just didn't. So they either need to re-learn old skills or legislate that the scrum can be fed behind the first row and cease to be a contest for the ball. But I seriously doubt that 20 years ago, had it given them an advantage on the defensive scrum, teams wouldn't have dropped their height.

[brokendown gunfighter]

it's not nonsense,part of the reason it is more awkward is that the ref is now telling the halfback when to feed the ball,not on a signal from the hooker;very hard to get the timing right under those circumstances

[Invictus]

I think that the new scrum engagement came out of a submission to the IRB by three former Lions props. Presumably, they would have some idea of what they are talking about. It would be interesting to know just how administratively mangled the original proposal became.

Another thing to consider is that the scrums seem to be going ok at ITM Cup level (they aren't perfect but their not the absolute disaster Kearns would have you believe either). Games where the scrum becomes a mess seem to relate to the referee drawing out the engagement process.

[AndyS]

The ref isn't telling the scrummie to feed that instant, he is telling him he is good to feed. For all the good it did him, Genia was given the time last weekend to tap the ball and alert the players it was coming in. All the bleating is simply because we were given a good pantsing at the scrum, but that was down to a lack of skills, a lack of cohesion and a lack of developmental pathways to teach them the necessary. They should be sucking it up and learning their business, not bitching that they can't create a contest. The opposition didn't seem to have much problem...

[GIGS20]

I would wonder whether the issues with height of the scrum relate as much to our front row's inability to combat the All Black desire to get the scrum so low that the hooker can't strike.

There didn't seem to be too many issues on black ball!