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Wayne Smith From: The Australian April 25, 2011 12:00AM
THE good news is Western Force should be strengthened by the return of David Pocock this week. The bad news is it will need him because it faces the Crusaders and Richie McCaw in Perth on Saturday night.
McCaw was a late withdrawal from Saturday's match with the Highlanders in Nelson with a recurrence of a foot injury, although coach Todd Blackadder admitted before the game the All Blacks captain could have played had it been absolutely necessary.
As it turned out, it probably was necessary.
With All Blacks number eight Kieran Read given the weekend off, Dan Carter still injured and Sonny Bill Williams, Sean Maitland, Corey Flynn and Ben Franks all rotated down to the bench, the Crusaders suddenly found themselves short of firepower.
And they were overwhelmed 26-18 by the almost universally underestimated Highlanders.
Force coach Richard Graham, though delighted that his side hung tough in the final 20 minutes for the second week in succession to defeat the Bulls at nib Stadium on Saturday night, was anything but delighted that a fired-up Crusaders would now be heading his way after their stunning defeat. "It doesn't get any easier, does it?" Graham said.
The expected return of Pocock, who has been out of action since badly injuring a knee against the Sharks, and fellow flanker Matt Hodgson will at least provide the Force with a counter to McCaw who is primed for a big game after turning down an invitation to the royal wedding in London to play for the Crusaders.
Centre Mitch Inman, who also has been sidelined with a dislocated elbow since the Sharks match, is another who will undergo a test tomorrow but looks set to be passed fit for the big game.
After scoring only one win from its first seven matches, the Force now has won two in a row, backing up its outstanding defensive display against the Brumbies in Canberra a week earlier to keep the Bulls tryless in the second half.
Despite making a rare visit to the sin bin for a marginally dangerous tackle on Bulls fullback Zane Kirchner, James O'Connor turned in yet another dominant display for the Force, contributing 18 points to his side's 26-21 victory with six goals from seven attempts.
Certainly it did not escape Graham's attention that the 20-year-old Wallabies star finished the match with a broad smile on his face, just days before he is due to decide whether to accept an offer to move to the Rebels, Reds or Brumbies or to remain in Perth with the Force.
The two wins could scarcely have been better timed as the Force desperately attempts to persuade O'Connor that he can achieve his rugby goals without leaving Perth.
The other good news for the Force is that hooker Ben Whittaker is not as badly injured as first feared.
"We thought we were looking at a two- to three-month injury when he came off early but scans have shown that he will probably be out for only a week with a sore AC joint," Graham said.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1226044195459
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Originally Posted by Burgs
on Saturday night
