Western Force raise tempo

[The InnFORCEr]

Nick Taylor
January 21, 2015, 8:47 am


Western Force have turned up the heat as they prepare for Friday's pre-season trial against the Brumbies at UWA Sports Park.

Players upped the ante in soaring temperatures yesterday, with some training drills becoming feistier than normal.

It follows a gruelling period of training last week, with scrum-half Ian Prior admitting training had stepped up a notch.

"Everyone is excited," said Prior, who will face his former teammates on Friday.

"Training's been getting pretty heated over the last two weeks.

"We haven't had contact sessions, but they've ended up being contact. Everyone's pretty keen and raring to go."

With many players taking part in the 2014 National Rugby Championship, this year's build-up has been condensed, but sharper.

"Last year we did about 12 weeks before Christmas and an SAS camp. That was pretty tough," Prior said.

"Having the NRC has helped because we've been able to play a lot more rather than just train.

"We've had a good few weeks' prep and we had a good NRC where we did a lot of development work with a lot of players. It's all coming together."

The Force did not have a trial match against a Super side last pre-season and will be hoping Friday's match, which kicks off at 5pm, will prepare them for a faster start than last year when they lost their first two games.

"The Brumbies are a quality outfit with a large number of Wallabies. It will be a really good test for us," Prior said.

Prior played for the Brumbies in the 2013 Super grand final and signed with the Force ahead of last season. He will be hoping for a better outcome than when he played them in the final game of last year.

He was left with four cheekbone fractures, a broken nose and risked a collapsed face after being kneed in a tackle just five minutes into the game. He came close to losing the sight in his right eye and has two face plates held in place by 10 screws.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sp...e-raise-tempo/

[MI5_Dog]

since all the betting sites are blocked at work
does anyone know the odds for the force to a) make the finals and b) win the comp?

[jargan83]

Force odds courtesy of Sportsbet:

To make finals: $7.00
To win Australian Conference: $15.00
Minor Premiers: $51.00
To win Grand Final: $67.00
To win wooden spoon: $7.50
To miss finals: $1.07

The first players from the Force in the top try scorer market are Matt Hodgson and Kyle Godwin and they are paying $81.00.

[MI5_Dog]

$7 to make the finals isn't a bad bet.

[hertryk]

I would have thought Badger would have been in the betting for try scoring.. ??

[beige]

To make finals: $7.00
To win wooden spoon: $7.50

i.e. "Your guess is as good as ours."

[hertryk]

A quote from Reuben Thorne regarding the Crusaders win of the 2002 Super Rugby Competition:

“It’s hard to explain what makes a culture successful, but when you start winning, you don’t want to stop. Competition within the squad becomes intense, but healthy. You build a legacy, a resolve.”........

I hope this applies to our Team of 2015

Leadership, depth in key positions, superior squad management, a strong, selfless team culture and the ability to face adversity are Reuben Thorne’s key ingredients for Super Rugby success........

I believe we have all the above

[UNCLE BOOG]

After a week of worksafe HSR training, (and following the tragic death of that leaguey lad recently) ... I'll just say "don't over-do it in the heat" !!

[brokendown gunfighter]

keep up the fluids,I say

[GIGS20]

keep up the fluids,I say

Make the Brumbies be the ones who hurt I say!