This is now my seventh Super 15 season preview, in this feature I will be giving my views on the Force, a team which needs to do much better than last year…
This Season
Apart from the ever so poor Lions side, the Force along with the Highlanders had a Super 14 season to forget in 2010. With new changes though in the coaching role as Richard Graham takes over, the Western Force will be hoping for better things as Graham already knows his way around the side, after being part of the team last year.
In the new format, the Force will probably find the season very tough going they need to play all there Australian rivals home and away, and with the Brumbies and Waratahs being the big guns in the conference, along with the rising Reds side the Force could well find themselves locked in a battle, with league newcomers the Rebels of who finishes bottom in the Australian conference. Even with decent players in the loose forwards, and James O’Connor as part of the backs I cannot see the Force turning over any new leafs with Graham at the helm.
Key Players
The Force will have to focus on a few individuals rather than a compacted team this season, no offence to the side from Perth but they will have to rely on captain Nathan Sharpe, as the experienced Wallabies international will be ever so crucial at the line out. The Force’s strongest position is definitely at loose forward, many top quality players secure a steady unit in the back row, as Matt Hodgson, Richard Brown, but mostly David Pocock and young sensation Ben McCalman could single handily win some crucial matches for the Western Force. Pocock at the breakdown will be a key part to the side’s game this season, while this is also a big year for McCalman as his ball carrying skills, will surely be notified by Australian national coach Robbie Deans.
In the backs new signings in Willie Ripia and David Smith could both play crucial roles, but the player to watch will undoubtedly be young James O’Connor, the 20 year old could be tried out in many different positions this season, as Richard Graham may look to play O’Connor at centre or even at fly-half.
Overall Thoughts
It could be yet another season of struggle for the Force, with last year’s 13th place finish still fresh in the memory, the side from Australia will have it all to do in the new format. If they can pick up a couple of crucial victories on home soil, especially against the Melbourne Rebels, and they beat the other weaker teams such as the Lions and the Highlanders, there is no reason why the Force can’t do a little bit better than last year’s abysmal 13th place.
