Smackdown Media

Beale will feel full Force of defence

Jamie Pandaram, c/o Rugby Heaven
Thursday, March 1, 2007

Western Force coach John Mitchell has described teenager Kurtley Beale as a "young Carlos Spencer", a compliment that may be laced with an underlying warning: expect to be hit hard.

Mitchell knows better than most that the freakish brilliance of a Spencer or a Beale can be subdued by ferocious defence: he was in charge of the All Blacks in 2003 when, during the World Cup semi-final loss to the Wallabies, "King Carlos" was dethroned by wave after wave of Wallabies knocking him and his teammates backwards. Spencer, whom the New Zealand attack was based around that year, failed to spark his back line in the 22-10 defeat and gave up his crown to wear a choker's tag bestowed upon him by an unforgiving Kiwi public.

Tomorrow night at Aussie Stadium, when the Waratahs play their first Super 14 home game of the season, Beale will be the early target of Force tacklers looking to shake, rattle and roll confidence out of the 18-year-old sensation.

Reds coach Eddie Jones, who orchestrated the All Blacks' demise in the 2003 semi-final as the Wallabies coach, said the key to the victory was intimidating Spencer. "We tried to be physical with him, ran people at him and made sure that when he got the ball he was tackled and could feel it."

Beale's five-eighth opponent, Matt Giteau, held his cards close to his chest when asked what Beale could expect. "I don't want to give too much away, you'll just have to wait and see," Giteau replied. "I'm looking forward to the challenge. For me it's not going to be too much of a personal thing, I'm out there to make sure my team goes well. Obviously along the way you'd like to outplay your opposite number.

"He is a great attacking player, he is unpredictable - it makes it harder for us. He's still very young and playing well at the top level [but] he is just one of 15 players we need to worry about."

At the peak of his powers, Spencer possessed a vast array of magician's trick passes and kicks that allowed him to escape defensive chains like Houdini. Beale, who has already produced a marvellous chip-and-chase try in his debut season, promises to develop into a similar attacking threat.

He has also shown no signs of freezing on the big stage. That stage grows bigger tomorrow in front of home fans, against another Australian team, and under the gaze of Wallabies selectors, including coach John Connolly, who said: "The players probably know these derbies are important. These games do stick in your mind."

Further stoking the flames of ill-feeling between the Force and Waratahs, Giteau took aim at NSW Rugby Union chief executive Fraser Neill - who dismissed the youngest Australian club as serious Super 14 contender in yesterday's Herald and labelled the round-four game as "135 years of tradition versus one-and-a-half".

"Fraser Neill is a CEO, so he doesn't have to go out there and play, the players' opinions are what matter," Giteau said. "The support we're getting [in Western Australia] is phenomenal."

The Force, who narrowly failed to notch their first home win when they lost 25-24 last week to the Lions at Subiaco, will field a new breakaway combination this week. David Pusey has recovered from a back injury and will start at blindside, while Richard Brown will play openside at the expense of Matt Hodgson, who was dropped from the 22.

The Waratahs will announce their team this morning.

Giteau the unstoppable force

By Wayne Smith
March 01, 2007

WARATAHS coach Ewen McKenzie identified Matt Giteau as the reason Western Force looms as such a threat in tomorrow night's match in Sydney.

He also said Giteau was the reason the Brumbies appear to have lost their edge.

McKenzie was anything but surprised that Force coach John Mitchell had retained Giteau at five-eighth for his team's outing to Aussie Stadium, even though he had first-choice five-eighth James Hilgendorf as an attractive option.

"Not really surprised at all," McKenzie said. "He (Giteau) is a genuine threat all the time. He obviously has become a very valuable player for them, just as he was for the Brumbies when he was with them.

"Almost since his departure, the Brumbies haven't been as threatening. There seems to be a correlation there."

Force seems to be targeting the inexperienced Waratahs inside backs, with halfback Matt Henjak, Giteau and inside centre Junior Pelesasa a match-hardened trio to throw against Kurtley Beale and whoever partners him at 12, either Ben Jacobs or Daniel Halangahu.

Mitchell nonetheless heaped praise on 18-year-old Beale yesterday, saying he reminded him of "the great Mark Ella or a young Carlos Spencer".

The return of David Pusey to Force's starting line-up is also a clear signal Mitchell intends to take on the lineout. The powerful 196cm back rower, who has been out with a back injury, will resume duties at blindside flanker in place of Luke Doherty, while Matt Hodgson has surrendered his openside flanker position to Richard Brown.

Fears that Waratahs' Test blindside flanker Rocky Elsom could require an arthroscopy, or worse, a shoulder reconstruction, were lifted on Tuesday when he was cleared by an MRI scan.

The Australian

Shepherd ready for Tahs reunion

By Liam FitzGibbon
February 28, 2007

WESTERN Force wing Cameron Shepherd expects plenty of fireworks against his former Waratahs teammates in Friday's Super 14 local derby in Sydney.

Not that there's any bad blood - Shepherd just knows first-hand the early treatment dished out to visiting teams at Aussie Stadium.

"After playing with the Waratahs I know how passionate they take playing at home,'' Shepherd said.

"The first 20 minutes is going to be a big fight. Especially being an Australian derby as well, everyone's looking forward to it and I think it's going to be a pretty fiery encounter.''

Shepherd left the Waratahs at the end of 2005 to further his opportunities with the Perth franchise in its inaugural year. The move appears to have paid off.

Shepherd has been in outstanding form both in attack and with the boot for Force this season and has put himself on the World Cup radar - despite being kept out of his preferred position of full back by new Force recruit Drew Mitchell.

It appeared Shepherd's fortune had changed today, when he was named in the No.15 jersey with Mitchell on the wing.

But Force released an amended squad 30 minutes later, switching Shepherd and Mitchell back, a Force spokesman saying the positional error was nothing more than a "typo''.

He may have to wait to get a chance to cement the full-back spot with Force, but Shepherd has his eye firmly on the Australia No.15 jumper with Chris Latham seriously injuring his knee.

"I think it would be a massive shame if (Latham) didn't get an opportunity to play at the World Cup,'' Shepherd said.

"I think it would be very sad ... but that being said, if he doesn't play I'll definitely be the first person to put my hand up and ask for the job.''

Force coach John Mitchell made few changes from the side that suffered a heart-breaking 25-24 home loss to the Lions on Saturday.

Tough forward David Pusey returns after recovering from a back injury and will star at blindside flanker, with Luke Doherty returning to the bench.

Openside flanker Richard Brown moves back into the starting 15 and Matt Hodgson drops out of the 22.

In only its second season, Force is the leading Australian Super 14 team on the ladder with two wins from four games.

It has also won fans for for their expansive play, a far cry from the pick-and-drive tactics employed be rival teams in recent years.

"I think the All Blacks have shown in the last couple of seasons how important it is to be able to pull width and to have forwards that can use the ball out in front,'' Shepherd said.

"Unfortunately, I think a lot of the teams keep sticking to that pick-and-drive system and I just think it is well outdated.

"I think the way we try to play is just get the forwards involved a lot more, use the ball and spread it around instead of a lot of the teams at the moment, just trying to bash it up the middle.

"I guess that maybe adds to more exciting rugby, but we're pretty happy with the way we're going.''

AAP