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After leaving the Queensland Reds' season as a write-off, Western Force coach John Mitchell said it was much too soon to do the same thing to his side's Super 14 final ambitions.
- Tim Clarke
- April 4, 2009 - 8:30AM
An anticipated derby arm-wrestle turned into a horribly familiar tale for the Reds, who were the victims of the Force's best win in 2007, and now hold second place on that list following the 39-7 scoreline at a half-empty Subiaco.
Five tries to one illustrated clearly the difference in the cutting edge between the side from east and west, with Quade Cooper and Berrick Barnes failing to turn any of their possession into points - while Matt Giteau and James O'Connor were ruthless.
And that ruthless streak emanated through to John Mitchell's post-match assessment, saying his team had finally learned how to turn good foundations into a solid structure.
"If you want to prosper in this game, one thing you have got to have is good strategy - the other is that you have to be very physical and we certainly were that tonight," Mitchell said.
"We have built a lot of blocks in attack and not got conversion. Tonight we got the conversion.
"We are living in a false world on the log - we have to keep looking after own backyard and let those other teams have byes.
"It is a really unrealistic log at the moment because of the bye situation, so don’t count us out yet."
The Reds were on the canvas by half time, 17-0 down and throwing passes in hope rather than expectation.
The same could be said of the punch that Scott Higginbotham threw that missed Josh Valentine's chin and cost the prop 10 minutes in the bin, during which time Tamaiti Horua's third try ended the contest.
Reds coach Phil Mooney said that act summed up the pressure his side was under.
"They put us under a lot of pressure and we panicked. We had a lot of possession but under that pressure we were pretty sloppy," Mooney said.
"Everyone could see what the problem was.
"Whether it is a case of some of the young guys starting to believe that is the way they have got to play because that is what people are saying.
"We need to temper it and be more direct and mix it up.
"To be honest, based where we were on the table prior to this game and based on how we have been trying to build in the last couple of years … it is probably a little but premature to be talking about them."
O'Connor in particular revelled in the space and time outside Giteau, scoring his team's first try and showing again why every Australian team wants him - and why the Force desperately want to keep him.
But Mitchell said despite the success with playing apprentice alongside master, he was still weighing up whether to continue with the pairing.
"There are two ways you can go, continue to stick with it, which brings solidarity and familiarisation around each other. Or you look at your next opposition," Mitchell said.
"The width tonight between 10 and 12 really stressed the Reds defence, that was one of the reasons you have two playmakers to straighten the attack."
The Force still lie ninth, although just five points behind the Chiefs in fourth, who still have a bye with skipper Nathan Sharpe saying stringing wins together - starting next week against the Hurricanes was crucial.
"Essentially we have got to win every week, and that is what we aim to do, if you can do that for three or four weeks you can re-strategise," Sharpe said.
"We still need a little bit of luck to go our way with teams beating other teams, but it is going to be an interesting race to the finals that is for sure."
http://www.watoday.com.au/sport/dont...d.html?page=-1
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"Remember lads, rugby is a team game; all 14 of you make sure you pass the ball to Giteau." 
