The Western Force were simply unable to get moving against the Auckland Blues on Saturday night.
It was clear from the kickoff the Blues were going to dominate the Force in the backline, with their All Black players carrying most of the load.
The main issue for the Force was their poor kicking. They had no faith in their forwards and gave up all of their genuine attacking opportunities by kicking the ball away, allowing the Blues backline to march straight up the field.
A lack of production in their own half accounted for most of the poor kicking. They were unable to control the game and play simple, structured and defensive football, which is when they are at their best. They easily defend pick-and-goes and are able to dominate the strongest of forward packs.
There was some good news for the Force however, with Nathan Charles scoring a try off a simple pick-and-go at the goal-line, and Bernard Stander finishing off the match with his try.
The Force missed the presence of Wallaby winger Nick Cummins, who may have provided the explosiveness the backline needed. Flanker Angus Cottrell was also absent due to a leg injury, a player who may have been able to light a spark within the forwards to get them going.
Maybe it will take a few more Wallabies to help the Force reach their prime, but at the moment they will have to regroup and win the last two games of the season to make the finals, no easy feat.
They will have to beat the Reds, who looked fantastic against the Melbourne Rebels, and then defeat the Brumbies in Canberra.
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