Wykes in awe of record-man Sharpe
Western Force lock Sam Wykes marvels when he thinks about the longevity of Force skipper Nathan Sharpe.
"He would have started when I was still in primary school," Wykes says with a laugh of Sharpe's 1998 Super Rugby debut.
Sharpe will become the most capped player in Super Rugby history on Saturday night when he lines up for the Force against the Stormers in Cape Town, surpassing George Gregan's mark of 136 matches.
The 33-year-old lock, who also has 93 Test caps to his name, is in the best form of his career and showing no signs of slowing down.
But while his impact on the field is easily observed, his work behind the scenes with emerging prop Wykes has been just as crucial as the Force attempt to mould a core group of players into a title-winning squad.
Wykes, who turns 23 next month, praised Sharpe's leadership, crediting the veteran Wallaby for helping lift his game to the next level.
"I would like to thank him a lot because he has helped me since I've been at the Force," Wykes said.
"He's been a good mentor and good leader at the Force.
"It's an outstanding achievement (for him to break the Super Rugby games record)."
"I take my hat off to anyone who's been in the game as long as he has. It's a tough environment being a professional rugby player."
Wykes played 10 games for the Force last season but was squeezed out of the starting line-up for the opening two games of the current campaign as coach Richard Graham experimented with playing backrower Ben McCalman at lock.
But a knee injury to David Pocock in round two, which saw McCalman return to the backrow, opened the door for Wykes, who has impressed since resuming his partnership with Sharpe in the second row.
Wykes said he was ready to take on more responsibility around the field and at set pieces in a bid to further improve his game.
"With Sharpie being out in the pre-season (after an operation), I got to call the line-outs and organise that sort of area," Wykes said.
"For me it was a good opportunity to move forward and with the more responsibility I've really stepped up my game.
"I feel I've done my apprenticeship and now it's time to step up and be more consistent."
The Force, buoyed by last week's 27-15 win over the Lions, face their sternest test of the season against the unbeaten Stormers.
Force five-eighth Willie Ripia has again been ruled out due to a niggling foot tendon injury, meaning James O'Connor will stay at 10.
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