Western Force 2013

[GaffaCHinO]

EMIRATES WESTERN FORCE ANNOUNCES KEY RE-SIGNING

EMIRATES WESTERN FORCE MEDIA ALERT
Monday, 4 February 2013

The Emirates Western Force will announce the re-signing of a key Wallaby for the 2014 and 2015 Super Rugby seasons this afternoon.

 

[Braveheart81]

The badger?

Who else could it be?

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Sharpes back? I can dream cant i?

 

[Braveheart81]

So it was Ben McCalman. I'm not sure if you could call him a key Wallaby anymore.

 

[wamberal]

So it was Ben McCalman. I'm not sure if you could call him a key Wallaby anymore.

He was until he was injured, and he looked really good in the SS late last season before getting injured again. If he comes back as good as he was, or hopefully better, he will be a huge asset this season.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

very happy to have benny on board for another 2 years very handy player to have in you team to cover lock and any one of the backrow. Hopefully he can stay injury free and build on his 2010-11 form.

 

[Forcefield]

So it was Ben McCalman. I'm not sure if you could call him a key Wallaby anymore.

Depends how they meant it. It could be that he is a key player for the Force who is a Wallaby. Or it could be, as you read it, that he is a key Wallaby player. Personally I think Ben McCalman > Dave Dennis. But being a Force fan of course I would.

 

[qwerty51]

No I agree with you. McCalman fully fit would be my Wallaby 6 if Palu was 8.

 

[TOCC]

I expect Palu will probably head overseas at the seasons end, he is 30 this year and he only signed a 12month contract last year citing the British Lions Series as a major reason for re-signing..
Retaining McCalaman in Australia is crucial for that reason, if he regains his 2010 form he will be in the match day 22.

 

[qwerty51]

Ma'afu off to Northampton next year

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_8469691,00.html

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Ma'afu off to Northampton next year

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_8469691,00.html

This has been on the cards for a long time. He twetted as much last year at the height of the RG saga.

Also explains how we were able to keep Manu for another year on an eps contract. Look for Olly Hoskins to come into the esp next year. And i hope they bring Cruza back aswell if another prop is needed for cover the extra player on the bench.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Tapatalk 2

 

[kiap]

Yeah, Manu will step easily into that spot.

 

[fatprop]

So it was Ben McCalman. I'm not sure if you could call him a key Wallaby anymore.

I would, I rate the guy very highly, a no nonsense effective forward is something the Wobs need.

Like Dennis he does the hard yards so other units can shine.

 

[Braveheart81]

I would, I rate the guy very highly, a no nonsense effective forward is something the Wobs need.

Like Dennis he does the hard yards so other units can shine.

I like McCalman and agree that he is one of the best 6s in the country.

Being injured for much of 2012 and having to play out of position (at 8 or 7 for the Wallabies in 2011) hasn't done him any favours.

I would think the onus is on him again to leapfrog Higgers and Dennis to get back into the Wallabies side.

 

[fatprop]

I actually think McCalman is an 8

 

[Braveheart81]

I actually think McCalman is an 8

I thought he really struggled to have the necessary impact from Number 8 against the best teams.

Unfortunately after Cliffy Palu (and Radike Samo for limited minutes), we are struggling to find that hard running battering ram from that back of the scrum that we so desire.

Certainly at Super Rugby level he is a good 8 and an excellent 6. Anyway, hopefully he gets back to his best this year and threatens for a Wallaby spot again.

 

[fatprop]

I thought he really struggled to have the necessary impact from Number 8 against the best teams.

Unfortunately after Cliffy Palu (and Radike Samo for limited minutes), we are struggling to find that hard running battering ram from that back of the scrum that we so desire.

Certainly at Super Rugby level he is a good 8 and an excellent 6. Anyway, hopefully he gets back to his best this year and threatens for a Wallaby spot again.

Again that is about backrow balance, he would suit playing with Higgers at 6, but not Dennis

McCalman is more the Tim Gavin style 8 than the Willie O type.

 

[Scott Allen]

Vote for your favourite Force try in 2012 at http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/you-choose-episode-4-force-tries-in-2012/

 

[thierry dusautoir]

Again that is about backrow balance, he would suit playing with Higgers at 6, but not Dennis

McCalman is more the Tim Gavin style 8 than the Willie O type.

Precisely.

One of the major problems with deans backrow selections (and probably selections in general) is tha the doesnt look to balance his team most of the time.

You can't use a (looser) player like higginbotham at 6 and force him to play agaisnt a tighter game and then get your biggest forward i.e Sitaleki Timani to play wide.

If he wanted to do that pick someone like mcalman or ben mowen to do the shitters at 6 so sitalekie can be a useless log out wide

 

[Scott Allen]

Precisely.

You can't use a (looser) player like higginbotham at 6 and force him to play agaisnt a tighter game and then get your biggest forward i.e Sitaleki Timani to play wide.

Absolutely not TD - that's far too sensible.