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The Emirates Western Force opened their pre-season trial match phase with an encouraging 40-24 win against the Australian Barbarians in stifling conditions in Sydney on Saturday.
With temperatures climbing above 40 degrees and high humidity, added precautions were taken to keep the players hydrated, including extended breaks between the three 20 minute thirds and iced towels, however it didn’t do anything to cool off an exciting attacking display from the West Aussies who ran in six tries.
New recruits David Smith and Alfie Mafi started on the wings and caught the attention of a vocal crowd at TG Milner Field with scoring efforts. The club’s all-Wallabies backrow of Matt Hodgson, who captained the side, Ben McCalman and Richard Brown also contributed tries.
“That was probably the hottest conditions you’d be asked to play rugby in, normally I’d say a game like that would be postponed or even cancelled,” Coach Richard Graham said.
“I was reasonably happy with some of our early effort in that game given the Wallaby players in our squad was only reintroduced into the rugby part of our programme three days ago. I always knew we were going to be a little bit underdone from a rugby perspective however I know the physical gains they have made will hold us in good stead.”
The Emirates Western Force were off to a flyer with three tries in the opening 15 minutes to take a 19-0 lead with McCalman, Brown and Smith getting on the scoresheet. Smith linking up with fellow outside back, young star James O’Connor, who selfishly offloaded to the Kiwi flyer who notched his first five-pointer for the Emirates Western Force.
Three more tries in the second-stanza extended the lead, the best of them a blitzing run from Mafi down the left flank to touchdown in the corner.
While the score line heavily favoured the Emirates Western Force at the final change the Barbarians continued to deliver a competitive environment and were rewarded when they found the try line three times down the stretch.
“Everything about pre-season is building a foundation for the season and when you get to these games you want them to be as tough as it possibly can because you’re about to go into the toughest provincial competition in world rugby,” Graham said.
“We probably just lost a little bit of shape as the game went on but that is the challenge, it’s not always going to be best case scenario and as a group you need to work your way out if it.
“There is no point coming into these games and getting an easy win by 30 or 40 points and walking away thinking everything is rosy, clearly today we have some areas we need to work on and we’ll go back to the training field over the next few days before we meet the Waratahs and hope to see some progression when that game comes around.”
The Emirates Western Force plays the Waratahs in Nowra on Thursday evening (10 Feb).
Trial Match
Emirates Western Force 40 (Tries: Richard Brown, David Smith, Ben McCalman, Matt Hodgson, Alfie Mafi, Mitch Inman; Conversions: James O'Connor 4, Willie Ripia 1) defeated Australian Barbarians 24 at TG Milner Field on Saturday, 5 Feb 2011 (kick-off 5.30pm)
In today’s other match, Emirates Western Force ‘A’ was too strong for the Brumby Runners with a 43-5 win. Nick Cummins and Pat Dellit scored two tries apiece while young lock Phoenix Battye crossed in his first outing for the club. The West Aussies ran in a total of seven tries with a team that included some of the up and coming talent at the club, some new faces to the Emirates Western Force and a number of players from the Shute Shield competition looking to impress coaching staff.
“The efforts of the boys can’t be questioned. I challenged them to run the ball, take quick taps and not just kick for touch, all the things to try and keep the speed of the game high,” Graham said.
“Given that we had three invitational players in that backline I thought it was an excellent effort.
“A lot of young kids in that group made their debut for the Emirates Western Force which is also a significant achievement and something you want to recognise,” said Graham.
Trial Match
Emirates Western Force 'A' 43 (Tries: Nick Cummins 2, Pat Dellit 2, Phoenix Battye, Kurt Mulcahey, Travis Robinson; Conversions: Kyle Godwin 4) defeated Brumby Runners 5 at TG Milner Field on Saturday, 5 Feb 2011 (kick-off 4.00pm)
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