Force show Graham enough to work on

[travelling_gerry]

NICK TAYLOR NOWRA, The West Australian
February 11, 2011, 6:21 am

The Western Force went down 38-22 in their second pre-season hit-out against the Waratahs last night.

And while there are deficiencies that still need work coach Richard Graham was happy with aspects of their game.

"I'm really pleased with a number of things that came out of the game," he said. "The shape of the game showed we are going to ask questions of sides.

"This (Waratahs) was a side that has spoken a lot about their physical preparation during pre-season. I thought we matched that.

"The true test of Super rugby is how you cope under pressure. We lost our shape, we found it, we lost it again we found it. We went away from our catch-pass decision making. We had numerous opportunities to score tries, but we didn't capitalise on it.

"We got a little bit loose towards the end of the second half. We started to become forwards and backs as opposed to a team.

"That's going to have to be a bit of a focus for us."

Through choice and because of injury, the Force started with a few rookies, Jono Jenkins in the pack and Phoenix Battye and newcomer Rory Sidey.

The Waratahs paraded a strong side with a beefed-up pack that included damaging No.8 Wycliff Palu, who is returning from a knee reconstruction.

When Graham injected Mitch Inman, David Smith and Brett Sheehan they brought a more enterprising and direct attack to the game. With 20 minutes left he rolled out the rest of his squad.

The Force scored four tries through Nick Cummins, Cameron Shepherd, Battye and guest player Kieran Stringer from Cottesloe.

Tatafu Polota-Nau, Tom Carter, Palu, Drew Mitchell (two) and Greg Peterson scored five pointers for the Waratahs with Daniel Halangahu converting four.

In the earlier game, the Australian Barbarians, a scratch side thrown together before the game with nine Force players, went down 26-5 to the Junior Waratahs.

It saw a return for Mark Bartholomeusz who has recovered from an ankle injury that was expected to have kept him out until the start of the Super season.

�A converted try after the siren has ensured the Hurricanes escaped with a 21-all draw against the Brumbies in their final pre-season trial last night.

After sustained pressure on the Brumbies line for the final five minutes, Hurricanes winger Julian Savea crossed for the try with fly-half Aaron Cruden converting to draw the sides level at Viking Park, Canberra.

But a draw for the Brumbies was a big improvement following a 38-5 drubbing to the Queensland Reds in Darwin six days earlier.

Wallaby veteran Matt Giteau led the Brumbies for the first time, directing the back line for the 46 minutes he was on the field.


http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...gh-to-work-on/

[travelling_gerry]

Steve Jancetic From: AAP February 10, 2011 8:26PM

WONDERKID: James O'Connor, pictured playing for the Wallabies, impressed at five-eighth in a trial match for the Western Force against NSW Waratahs. Source: Herald Sun

WALLABIES wonderkid James O'Connor appears set to start the Super Rugby season at five-eighth for the Western Force after another solid display at No.10 in his side's 38-22 trial loss to NSW.

In the final hitout for both sides ahead of next week's opening round, the Waratahs recovered from a sluggish opening to post an impressive six tries to four victory at Shoalhaven Rugby Park in Nowra, on the NSW south coast.

Test winger Drew Mitchell scored a second-half double for the Waratahs, with fullback Kurtley Beale also showing glimpses of his best with a brilliant pass for Mitchell's first.

But with Waratahs playmaker Berrick Barnes a late withdrawal with a minor quadriceps injury, it may have been the Force who gained more from the match, with O'Connor - who played at five-eighth in last week's trial against the Barbarians - spending another 60 minutes at first receiver with Cameron Shepherd returning at full-back.


O'Connor spent the majority of the 2010 season at No.15 for the Force, but it appears new coach Richard Graham is intent on bringing him closer to the play with the 20-year-old showing an early willingness to run the ball from deep in his own territory.

But after the match, Graham refused to confirm O'Connor would wear the No.10 in the season-opener against the Reds, but admitted the youngster had again proved his ability to handle the extra responsibility.

"He's a good footballer isn't he? I don't think it matters where he plays, he's going to ask a lot of questions,'' Graham said.

"He'll take a lot out of that tonight and certainly give him an indication of where he needs to improve if he is to play in the front line fulltime.''

It paid dividends as impressive winger Nick Cummins and Shepherd scored early tries to open up a 12-7 lead at quarter-time before the Waratahs found some rhythm as replacement five-eighth Daniel Halangahu settled into the play.

Centre Tom Carter and Wycliff Palu both scored before half-time to give NSW a handy 21-12 advantage before Mitchell's double saw them open up a dominant 33-12 lead.

Winger Lachie Turner limped off after 30 minutes with what appeared to be a left knee injury, but in encouraging news centre Rob Horne made an earlier than expected return from an elbow injury to play 20 minutes for the Junior Waratahs in the curtain-raiser.

Waratahs coach Chris Hickey said he was happy with where his side was at ahead of the first up match with new boys Melbourne Rebels.

"We've got some players 60-70 minutes of match fitness and that's really important and we looked at some options and some combinations that we'll go away and consider,'' Hickey said.

"Our performance was where we'd like to be but next week against the Rebels we're going to have to take it up a couple of notches.''

http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/rug...-1226004032711