Force stars wow Cheika

Nick Taylor
Waratahs coach Michael Cheika had every right to be disappointed by his side’s 18-11 loss to the Western Force at nib Stadium on Saturday night.

But as Wallabies coach, he could only have been impressed by Force players pushing for World Cup spots.

Captain Matt Hodgson gave Michael Hooper a lesson at the breakdown and Ben McCalman showed Wycliff Palu why he should be wearing the No.8 jumper. The Force’s all-Australian front row of Pek Cowan, Nathan Charles and Tetera Faulkner more than matched their opposition and winger Nick Cummins lifted his game.

Wallaby-in-waiting, centre Kyle Godwin, produced his best game of the year, particularly in defence and young second-rower Adam Coleman, who limped off in the second half with ankle damage, did his chance as a left-field bolter no harm.

Cheika had a meeting with Force and Waratahs World Cup hopefuls yesterday morning and though he did not invite Coleman or Dane Haylett-Petty, he has been monitoring the pair.

“There are (Force) players that always impress me, even in a season where it has been difficult for them, they have still been impressive,” Cheika said.

“There are definitely players that are putting their hand up for selection.

“We’ve been taking a good look at the way Adam Coleman is going. He’s a big man, he’s had some good footy.

“Haylett-Petty’s definitely got a real good skill set, he’s a line breaker, he’s prepared to attack.

“He was playing very well in France and we had a sniff around him at the Waratahs before he went to the Force.”

This weekend’s bye will give Coleman and centre Junior Rasolea, who was forced off early in the first half against the Waratahs with an ankle injury, time to recover before the following Saturday night’s clash with the Highlanders at nib Stadium.

The win over the Waratahs was the ambush that seemingly everyone except the visitors could see coming and they looked like a team thinking all it had to do was turn up to win.

Instead, the visitors were hit by a physical Force who outmuscled and frustrated them for 80 minutes.