The mighty Force return home to the sunny side of the nation after a two week sojourn on the east coast, which raised as many questions about the team as it did answers.
An outstanding first up hit out against the Tahs lifted the hearts of Force fans everywhere and helped annul fears that 2014 was an oasis in the otherwise barren dessert of Super Rugby for the Sea of Blue. The Force displayed the characteristics every fan hopes for when their team crosses the white line for the contest. 23 men with resolve, dedicated to achieving a singular purpose. And through that effort, at the end of 80 minutes, the joyous realisation that great things can be achieved by teams with less talent but greater purpose, they can slay the dragon.
Unfortunately the lesson delivered by the Force in Week 1 was just as readily forgotten in Week 2 against an under-strength Reds team, seen to be in turmoil, on its last legs and ripe for the picking on a sodden Lang Park. In the space of a week, that precious gift of purpose, resolve and dedication was snatched from the Force like a thief in the night by the Reds, who went on to quench their supporters pain after a disastrous opening stanza to their 2015 campaign.
Enter week 3 and Force fans nervously countdown to Fridays big game against the All Black laden Wellingtonians at Force Field. After facing a cyclonic Reds the previous week the Canes present as a hurricane on the horizon packing plenty of firepower. Perenara, Barrett, Savea, Nonu, Smith, Jane and Woodward, all worthy names for the destructive storm about to descend on the western capital....only matched for intensity by some of the Canes more enthusiastic supporters inhabiting the Shed at the northern end of NIB Stadium.
The Sea of Blue will be sweating like a gypsy with a mortgage for the return of the Honey Badger, who is available for selection and would bring some much needed blonde bogan bravado and attacking nous to the backline. The Force await the results of scans to key players Chris Alcock and the the tall timber from Tassie Adam Coleman to determine their availability, prop Francois van Wyk seemingly lost for the foreseeable future. Lock Wilhelm Steenkamp could be set for a recall if Coleman is felled; bringing his experience to a lineout that was poached more often than an egg at Sunday breakfast. The scrum, so often a weapon for the Force will be hoping for the return of Perth’s own Fred Flintstone Pek Cowan, ready to deliver the Yabba Dabba Doo in the front row and solidify a unit that whipped up more turf at Suncorp than butter at the Devondale Dairy.
Like all Force fans we can’t wait for the official launch of Super Rugby here in Perth on a balmy Friday evening and keenly await a spirited Force outfit ready to step up in front of the loyal Sea of Blue and send the Hurricanes disappointed back home across the ‘ditch’.
