Graham Now Full Time with the Force

New Emirates Western Force coach Richard Graham will dedicate all of his time into shaping the Super rugby side for next season after finalising his duties as Skills Coach at the Wallabies.

Graham’s appointment into the top job at the Emirates Western Force was brought forward by one season following the release of John Mitchell from the final year of his contract at the club.

As a key member of the Wallabies coaching set-up there was some suggestion he wouldn't continue in his role with the national squad for the upcoming tour of Europe and next month's Bledisloe Cup Test in Hong Kong but decided he needed to focus his attention on one specific coaching role

"It's important that you're committed to one or the other 100 per cent," Graham said following his final match with the Wallabies.

"Certainly from my point of view going away would have meant an eye over my shoulder looking towards the Emirates Western Force and that's unfair to both parties.”

Graham said he was keen to start developing his programme for the club which he believes has the best young crop of players anywhere in the country.

"We've got a very good young group of players, I think possibly the best young group of players in Australia," said Graham.

"We've got a good foundation, what we need to do is recruit well over the next month or two.

"Obviously a strength of the Emirates Western Force is the forward pack we’ve got so I'd probably like to incorporate them into the game a little bit more and be more multi-dimensional than we've been.

"In terms of goals, I think everyone enters a season wanting to win but at this stage I think it's important that we develop as a side our identity, that we play well, and if we do that then hopefully we can achieve what we set out to do as a side."

RugbyWA