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Thread: Wallabies coach Dave Rennie keeps an eye on Force players as Tim Sampson admits trave

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    Wallabies coach Dave Rennie keeps an eye on Force players as Tim Sampson admits trave

    Just saw this.
    Interesting

    Wallabies coach Dave Rennie keeps an eye on Force players as Tim Sampson admits travel is taking a toll

    Nick Taylor
    The West Australian
    Sat, 22 August 2020 12:00PM


    Four Western Force players are on Wallaby coach Dave Rennie’s radar for his extended squad ahead of the Bledisloe Cup series.

    Two of those on the ‘players of interest’ list are Super Rugby newcomers, second-rower Fergus Lee-Warner and winger Byron Ralston.

    No.8 Brynard Stander, who stayed loyal to the Force when it was controversially axed by Rugby Australia, and centre Kyle Godwin, who returned from Ireland but is expected to join the Waratahs next year, are also under consideration.

    Force coach Tim Sampson has not been formally contacted by RA but enquiries have been made about players’ availability.

    “Fergus and Brynard, they deserve it. They are playing very well,” Sampson said.

    “Kyle provides spark in attack. He should well and truly be in the mix.

    “Compare Byron to other names that are being floated around from other teams...he should not be ignored.”

    Meanwhile Sampson admits the strain of travel and six weeks of hub life is taking its toll after the 57-5 thrashing by Queensland Reds on Friday night.

    But he refused to offer it as an excuse for the poor performance.

    The Force have already clocked up 5000km and set up home in four hubs.

    They fly to Canberra this week from their current home in Kingscliff, northern NSW to play the Brumbies and then hit the road to Newcastle for the final game against the Rebels.

    “It’s tough. It’s challenging. Being on the road so long, away from home for so long is starting to take its toll,” he said.

    “We’re not in our home nest, we don’t get to play at home, we don’t train at our facility, we’re not around our loved ones.

    “That’s not using it as an excuse but I think it’s human.”

    Sampson said the side was hurt by the amount of first half defence it endured against the Reds.

    “We defended too much. That sucked the gas out of us,” he said.

    After going into the break 15 points down the Force looked like clawing their way back when hooker Andrew Ready scored.

    But a yellow card to tighthead prop Kieran Longbottom and a succession of penalties ended any hope as the Reds scored three tries while the Force were reduced to 14 men.

    “From there it went downhill, not much possession and when you’re a man down it takes its toll,” Sampson said.

    “We just couldn’t get any flow, we were totally outclassed. That performance was not us. We can’t perform like that against the Brumbies.”

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    The guys deserve some recognition.


    Hopefully they keep pressing hard for the remaining weeks.

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    Legend Contributor Alison's Avatar
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    I feel the need for us to arrange for a large sea of blue contingent to be at the airport to welcome them home when this gruelling season is finally over.

    I shall make this my focus over the next couple of weeks!!

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    Proudly Western Australian; Proudly supporting Western Australian rugby

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    How hard would it be to make Western Force Face masks? Val I think we need your expertise here!

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    Immortal Contributor shasta's Avatar
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    Wallabies coach Dave Rennie keeps an eye on Force players

    Reminds me of.................


    "I told them we already got one"
    Name:  Already Got One..jpg
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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYcopzJ-T9w ..............sorry SPaRTAN.

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    "The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David


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    Another player Rennie is looking at. Good stuff guys.

    Tough soul searching for Western Force after record Super Rugby loss to the Queensland Reds
    Nick Taylor
    The West Australian
    Mon, 24 August 2020 2:13PM

    Western Force playmaker Jack McGregor says the side has been through some tough soul searching after their record 57-5 Super Rugby loss to the Queensland Reds.

    McGregor said pride was on the line ahead of Friday night’s clash in Canberra against the Brumbies and the final game against the Rebels a week later.

    “We sat down as a team and went through the game and had some honest conversations with each other,” McGregor said.

    “We came out of it feeling more positive. We haven’t got the results but we’ve got a lot to play for, maybe not in terms of trophy, but in terms of pride.

    “We want to play for each other and the fans. We’ve got two more games and we want to put out something they can be proud of.”

    Things will not get any easier for the winless Force against the top-of-the table Brumbies who are coming off a comprehensive 38-11 victory over the Waratahs.

    “We’ve put ourselves in positions to win games, that’s the disappointment. Every game we’ve gone in we’ve had a belief to win,” McGregor said.

    “That’s not going to change just because we are up against the Brumbies. We are not going to roll over and die.”

    McGregor has been playing full-back under coach Tim Sampson but moved to his favoured fly-half spot, where he played for Australian Schoolboys and under-20s, against the Reds.

    “It was exciting to get a run at 10, I really enjoyed it,” he said.

    “I grew up at 10 but being at 15 has changed the way I’ve seen the game. It gave me a different point of view, a better perspective.”

    Meanwhile Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has been casting an eye on young Force hooker Feleti Kaitu’u.

    The Australian under-20 representative joins teammates second-rower Fergus Lee-Warner, winger Byron Ralston, No.8 Brynard Stander and centre Kyle Godwin on Rennie’s radar ahead of the Bledisloe Cup campaign.

    Rugby Australia is pushing ahead with plans to bring a Bledisloe Test to Optus Stadium in October.

    Wallabies management have been assessing facilities for training and accommodation hubs for the teams who would remain in isolation while in Perth.

    RA has been in talks with the WA Government for some time about staging the Bledisloe on October 10 but would not have to pay anything like the $5 million it cost to bring last year’s trans-Tasman clash to WA.

    The deal may also hinge on the broadcasters agreement.

    The game was due to have been played on August 8 at Marvel Stadium.

    Optus Stadium is top of RA’s wish list after the financial windfall last year from the record 61,241 crowd that watched the Wallabies 47-26 win.

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