Super Rugby Review: Western Force

With the Super Rugby quarter-finalists now decided we take a look at those teams who missed out. Next up, the Force who finished 12th.

Four more wins than last year in an impressive campaign from the side from Perth, with their final standing four places better off than 2016.

Unlike the Rebels, they seemed to benefit on the field due to the uncertainty surrounding their future in the competition, as they were a team inspired particularly towards the end of the season. The final round 40-11 victory over the Waratahs was a special moment for them.

Before that hammering of the Sydney outfit, the Force had carded wins over the Reds, Kings, Jaguares, Reds again and the Rebels. But they would finish eight points adrift of the Brumbies in the Australian Conference. Another few rounds and who knows what might have happened.

Where they fell down was tries scored as 36 was the second fewest in Super Rugby. 12th in the table does seem a fair reflection of their year.

Read more: http://www.planetrugby.com/news/supe...stern-force-2/

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Originally Posted by beige

Where they fell down was tries scored as 36 was the second fewest in Super Rugby. 12th in the table does seem a fair reflection of their year.

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I noticed this the other day too when looking at stats. My first reaction was "why do we think we improved so much but sit 2nd to last in tries scored." Surely our eyes were deceiving us this year. Then I looked at the last few years: 25 in 2016; 28 in 2015; 37 in 2014; 26 in 2013. We have been accustomed to such ineptitude in try scoring that 36 looked like a lot. I can't find a stat for penalty kicks but I imagine our attempts are way down this year. As this team matures and builds their chemistry in the backline (and quits knocking it on 5m out:mad:); we will surely see many more tries in 2018/19.

The crux of the season was RHP yellow card against Brumbies when we were in front with I think...5mins to go?

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Originally Posted by sittingbison

The crux of the season was RHP yellow card against Brumbies when we were in front with I think...5mins to go?

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Considering points difference at the end of the season we still would have needed to pick up a point elsewhere - possibly 2 given the likelihood of the Brumbies picking up a losing bonus point in the game in question.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/video/ru...-review!633704