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Nick Taylor in Sunday Times mentioned that some 7 new signings coming to the Force being players from other Super sides, overseas & 1 Wallaby. Wonder if it could be DHP?
Western Force hell-bent on silencing doubters when taking on Super Rugby rivals in one-off tournament
Nick Taylor
The West Australian
Sunday, 7 June 2020 2:00AM
Western Force go into the new Australian Super competition as overwhelming underdogs but determined to silence critics who say they are just there to make up the numbers.
They will be up against it in the international and Super appearance stakes when they take on former foes Brumbies, Reds, Waratahs and Rebels.
But Force legend Matt Hodgson is confident a side with plenty to prove will take a few scalps in the tournament scheduled to start in early July.
“We won’t be shocking ourselves but we’ll shock a few others and put ourselves back on the map again,” the foundation member, former captain, record appearance holder and now Global Rapid Rugby’s Director of Rugby said.
“Players who have come from other clubs, players that stayed at the Force that didn’t get an opportunity, they’ve all got a point to prove.”
The Force won last year’s National Rugby Championship against Super Rugby-stacked sides and was unbeaten in the Global Rapid Rugby showcase series.
“Our players know how to win. That’s in their DNA after the last three years. It’s a challenge but they are up for it. It makes it fun too doesn’t it,” Hodgson said.
In their last starting line-ups before the Super competition was abandoned each of the four Australian sides had at least seven internationals in key roles.
The Rebels and Waratahs each had almost 700 Super appearances and the Reds and Brumbies 500 apiece.
The Force started their only GRR match with just five players with Super experience - prop Kieran Longbottom, back-rowers Chris Alcock and Brynard Stander, scrum-half Ian Prior and centre Marcel Brache.
Between them they had racked up just 226 Super appearances before the Force was controversially axed by Rugby Australia three years ago.
Six others squad members, hookers HeathTessmann and Andrew Ready, prop Chris Heiberg, second rowers Jeremy Thrush and Johan Bardoul and outside back Jonah Placid have another 250 appearances between them but 110 of those belong to Thrush.
They have just four current internationals, Brache (USA), AJ Alatimu, Henry Taefu and Henry Stowers (Samoa) and former All Black Thrush.
Rapid Rugby is just that - faster and more open than Super Rugby with more ball in play because of tweaks to the laws.
Hodgson said the Force will not change how they play and it will be up to others to adapt to their style.
“The biggest thing that coach Tim Sampson and the team have put together is that nothing will change just because we are in a different competition,” Hodgson said.
“We need to play the style that suits us, and that’s a fast attacking type of football, using our rugby IQ to play at high speed.
“This side is nimble and agile and can adapt to the change.”
Placid is recovering from knee surgery after an injury in the pre-season game against Eastwood and is expected to miss most of the new competition.
A couple of signings are imminent after the club had talks with at least seven players from Super clubs and from overseas, including former Force players and at least one Wallaby.
Force players will not be available for club rugby selection or training from now through to the initial stage of the new competition.
https://thewest.com.au/sport/western...ng-b881568934z
The key words I read in that are: " A couple of signings are imminent". Tim Sampson said about a week ago, that they will stay loyal to the players they already have, so I can not see them signing up half a new team.
I wonder if the couple could be ex-Force players returning from overseas, like maybe Kyle Godwin, who is also a Wallaby.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Have heard Taf is coming back, so that’s prbly the Wallaby. Wonder how TPN would manage GRR game pace.
We have already got three hookers haven't we and as much as I would like to see Taf back would it be the right move after what Tim said.
Also in Nick Taylor's earlier story there was a something about players leaving Super clubs would get their RA contract cancelled so I don't think DHP is an option just yet.
Not sure why they would bring TPN back in a playing role. Seems to go against their whole ethos these days.
I hope that all signings are of players who have a strong connection to WA already. I don’t want to see any more money grabbers with an ‘any port in a storm’ mindset. However many Wallaby caps they may have.
Proudly Western Australian; Proudly supporting Western Australian rugby
That might be exactly the strategy, sign up taf as a scrum coach/smoke n mirrors signing, so the super sides think they know what they're going to get and change things up by not playing him in favour of a much more agile front row. I think Hodgo is in charge of the no dickhead policy, so I can't imagine many will get through the interview phase to play a whole season of phoning it in. I actually think Tim won't play anybody in front of the current squad members unless they've earned the spot. That works on multiple fronts, you need people to challenge the incumbents to improve and it ensures that those who don't kit up each week stay hungry
C'mon the![]()
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