Force moving forward: Stiles

[travelling_gerry]

NICK TAYLOR, The West Australian
January 20, 2012, 7:55 am



The West Australian © Enlarge photo
The Western Force pack must play with confidence and arrogance to lay the foundations for a winning side this season, says forwards coach Nick Stiles.

But they must also play with consistency and shed the mistakes that let games slip away last year.

The Force picked up a few key pre-season forward signings, including Wallaby prop Salesi Ma'afu and second-rower Toby Lynn from the Waikato Chiefs.

They were joined for the first time this week by the other Force Wallabies returning after the World Cup campaign - Nathan Sharpe, Ben McCalman, Matt Hodgson, David Pocock and Pek Cowan - at a training camp in Margaret River.

Another Wallaby, Richard Brown, who missed out after a double shoulder reconstruction, is also back in full training.

It is the first time Stiles has had his full contingent together with just six weeks to the season opener, which is against the Brumbies in Canberra.

"Throwing them (the Wallabies) into the mix has really provided good competition within the squad and we're now in a position where we can really progress," Stiles said.

"Any good side has a very dominant forward pack and that is the challenge for us. We need to take our game to the next level and have an arrogance about ourselves.

"Last year we made some good inroads, the young players developed, and now with recruitment and the experience gained we can expect a dominant scrum."

One of the new recruits is not yet a household name but Stiles is confident Tetera Faulkner, 22, who came from NSW club Southern Districts, has a big future ahead of him.

The Australian schoolboy, under-19 and under-20 represent-ative is already proving to be one of the club's best scrummagers.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...orward-stiles/

[shasta]

All a bit same old, same old, but I did think the tight five made a step up last season. I've looked forward confidently to a finals appearance these past few years. This time I think I'll let a good year creep up on me ;-)
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[Rex Messup]

Stiles was the worst scrummager to play in the frontrow for Australia in the history of Oz rugby

Quite frankly, he wouldn't know

[Rex Messup]

.......and I see you are texting from a mobile device. Well done Shasta old boy.

[shasta]

Been clocking up plenty of miles these past few weeks. Beats lugging a laptop thru airports anytime, Rex. Bastard of a keyboard for an old fart with stubby fingers though. I've just about worn out the "backspace" key. ;-)
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[James]

Stiles was the worst scrummager to play in the frontrow for Australia in the history of Oz rugby

Quite frankly, he wouldn't know

You don't spend a lot of time thinking do you Rex?

I must have missed the point when Rod Macqueen and Graham Henry starred for their national teams. And the point where Martin Johnson used his experience as one of the world's best second rowers/leaders to lead England to World Cup glory.

Ewen McKenzie is a Rugby World Cup winner as a prop and yet the Reds had the weakest front row in the competition last season.

[shasta]

It's just a matter of not letting logic get in the way of a good rant ;-)
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[TOCC]

You don't spend a lot of time thinking do you Rex?

I must have missed the point when Rod Macqueen and Graham Henry starred for their national teams. And the point where Martin Johnson used his experience as one of the world's best second rowers/leaders to lead England to World Cup glory.

Ewen McKenzie is a Rugby World Cup winner as a prop and yet the Reds had the weakest front row in the competition last season.

Haha, James they didn't have the strongest but they were not the weakest by any means.. In fact they had one of the highest number of set piece tries coming from scrums..
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[James]

Haha, James they didn't have the strongest but they were not the weakest by any means.. In fact they had one of the highest number of set piece tries coming from scrums..
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Perhaps not the weakest but close to it. In scrummaging at least. They were great around the field though.

Is tries scored the best indicator though? For example the try Scott Higginbotham scored against the Force from the scrum where the ball was kicked through was not a reflection of the strength of your scrum. A high number of set piece tries from scrums is probably a better indicator of the strength of your backline.