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Beale vs Giteau. Sharpe vs Vickerman. Tuqiri vs Mitchell. Waugh vs Pocock. The Super 14 civil war scheduled to break out between the fourth-placed Western Force and fifth-placed NSW Waratahs tonight has too many individual battles – many with Wallaby implications – for Ewen McKenzie to name.
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Instead the Waratahs coach said a swing in the collective balance – his experienced forwards against the Force’s imposing backline – was where he saw the outcome of the Subiaco showdown being decided.
“There are battles everywhere, almost too many to list. The backrow battle will be important, but so will the front row,” McKenzie said.
“Go through the halfbacks as well, the nines and tens. Everyone is going to have to play their part, and I don’t think it is going to be a game where one person wins it.
“The collective effort is going to be very important.
“There will be an argument that we will have the edge in experience up front, but they might have the edge in experience in the backs.
“We have not got massive experience in terms of caps, but I feel pretty confident there is enough in key positions to help us get through.”
The Force’s first meeting with an Australian foe nine weeks into the season has revved them up after an up and down return from overseas, with lock and skipper Nathan Sharpe saying it would be a pivotal clash for both sides.
“These local clashes have always got a lot riding on them but in terms of this game, for both teams, it’s very important we get a result,” Sharpe said.
“It’s one of those games that could turn the season for either team.
“A good performance from the team is going to set us up well for a semi-finals run, or a shot at the semi-finals.
“The Waratahs have been very good, defensively they’re a very good side, and last week they showed that they can turn that aggression into attack.”
And McKenzie said with teenage debutant Rob Horne personifying his inexperienced backs, he would be steeling his team for a big defensive effort – as well as trying to keep the ball away from Giteau and co.
“They move the ball around more than most teams, so I am sure that Rob Horne is going to have to do a bit of tackling. But you have to do that in every game,” McKenzie said.
“They are the team that make the least amount of tackles in the competition, which tends to mean they run ball more than anyone else.
“If they have got the ball they are going to run around with it, and not let the other team have it.
“So the trick might be to get the ball and hang on to it a bit, and make them do a little bit of tackling.”
And as well as tackling the Force, winger Lachlan Turner said the Waratahs were relishing some additional freedom afforded them in recent weeks.
“I have been so worried about making mistakes, that I have not gone out there and done the things that I do,” Turner said.
“The coaches have said to everyone, the pressure is off everyone, we don’t mind if you make some mistakes, we want the best out of you.
“They have given us a bit of that freedom, so hopefully that will … release us in some ways.”
Western Force: Cameron Shepherd, Nick Cummins, Ryan Cross, Scott Staniforth, Drew Mitchell, Matt Giteau, Chris O’Young, Richard Brown, David Pocock, Scott Fava, Nathan Sharpe (capt), Tom Hockings, Troy Takiari, Tai McIsaac, Pek Cowan. Res: Luke Holmes, AJ Whalley, Sam Wykes, Matt Hodgson, James Stannard, Lachlan MacKay, Haig Sare.
NSW Waratahs: Sam Norton-Knight, Lachie Turner, Rob Horne, Tom Carter, Lote Tuqiri, Kurtley Beale, Luke Burgess, Wycliff Palu, Phil Waugh (capt), Dean Mumm, Dan Vickerman, Will Caldwell, Matt Dunning, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson. Res: Adam Freier, Al Baxter, David Lyons, Beau Robinson, Brett Sheehan, Matt Carraro, Alfi Mafi.
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