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Western Force 2014

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GaffaCHinO

GaffaCHinO

Peter Sullivan (51)
FYI this is Ryan Louwrens

Ryan.jpg
 
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Andrew Slack (58)
22. Willhelm Steenkamp 2016 Marquee Player Spot

That is a really good signing. Versatile lock who can play 4 and 5. Tough but no slouch.

Shit I did not know you lot nabbed him. Exactly the type of player the Force needs in the pack.

Hell who is left in Pretoria. :(
 
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Andrew Slack (58)
Other than Brown I would call that a pretty good gone list.

Sam Christie (EPS)
James Hilterbrand (EPS)
Ben Jacobs
Sam Norton-Knight
Toby Lynn
Salesi Ma'afu
Lachlan McCaffrey
Will Tupou
Brett Sheehan
Ben Whittaker
Richard Brown
 
The_Brown_Hornet

The_Brown_Hornet

John Eales (66)
If anything the pack looks even better next year and with a couple of handy backline recruits I'm quietly hopeful. The attacking patterns have to improve though. We were far too static, far too predictable and far too conservative this season.
 
southsider

southsider

Arch Winning (36)
thing I don't like about the conference system is to a degree it can dictate where on the table you will come. While I think the force can cause ALOT of teams trouble next year at the end of the day they will still only be the 4th or 5th best team in the aussie conference and will suffer from having to play the tahs, reds and brumbies more than once.

Although I guess NZ usually has the same problem too :/
 
The_Brown_Hornet

The_Brown_Hornet

John Eales (66)
I also like the fact that young WA blokes are making their way into the squad. I've been telling everybody 'til I was blue in the face that this would eventually happen. Just keep gradually building it up and it'll develop a momentum of its own.
 
Brumbieman

Brumbieman

Dick Tooth (41)
southsider said:
thing I don't like about the conference system is to a degree it can dictate where on the table you will come. While I think the force can cause ALOT of teams trouble next year at the end of the day they will still only be the 4th or 5th best team in the aussie conference and will suffer from having to play the tahs, reds and brumbies more than once.

Although I guess NZ usually has the same problem too :/
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No, if you are good enough to finish higher on the table you will beat those teams.
 
GaffaCHinO

GaffaCHinO

Peter Sullivan (51)
Bowside said:
Looks like the steroids worked.
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Drug ban behind Force scrum-half

Western Force have given scrum-half Ryan Louwrens a second chance at a professional rugby career after being banned for two years for using anabolic steroids as a teenager in South Africa.

Scrum-half Louwrens, 22, who plays for Cottesloe, and UWA inside back Luke Burton, 19, who represented Australia in this year's Junior World Cup, have come through the Force academy to sign one-year extended squad contracts.

Johannesburg-born Louwrens, a former Churchlands High School student, joined the academy in 2008, but returned to South Africa a year later to finish his schooling. He represented Valke in the Craven Week schoolboys tournament and the under-19 Currie Cup before being hit with the sanction. He rejoined the academy in 2011 and represented the Force A side for the past two seasons.

A survey revealed that one in six rugby players at some of South Africa's top schools had tested positive for various steroids and Louwrens, who was introduced to the drug by another player, said there was huge pressure to succeed.

"I was 18 and uninformed, young and stupid," he said.

"I wouldn't say I was unaware. I was basically uninformed about the substance. It was pretty stupid and I had two years where I couldn't play rugby at any level.

"For two years I was stressed out hoping and praying to get the opportunity again. I never thought it would come around. Now it has happened, it's unreal.

"I have learnt from my mistakes and I've moved on. I'm so grateful for the Force for this opportunity."

Burton, a former Hale schoolboy, turned down interest from Melbourne Rebels.

He played for WA under-15, 16, 17 and schoolboy sides before making the junior Wallabies, playing all five matches in this year's tournament in France, scoring two tries.

"I'm really excited, it's an awesome feeling and I'm grateful for the opportunity," Burton said.

"Being born and bred in WA, it has always been a goal and aspiration to play for the Force."

Six local players have been recruited for 2014, with Louwrens and Burton joining prop Kieran Longbottom and backs Kyle Godwin, Dane Haylett-Petty and Zack Holmes.

Foley was pleased to have a record number of local players in his squad.

"We are a WA team and it's important we acknowledge quality local talent," Foley said.

"Luke and Ryan have earned their opportunity through consistent performances in the local competition."

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...ce-scrum-half/
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Andrew Slack (58)
GaffaCHinO said:
He didnt

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Tapatalk 2
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The little bit I read I see he coached the Uni of Cape Town to a Varsity Cup win. UCT is traditionally not the strongest rugby Uni. Their biggest rival is Stellenbosch, where Foote comes from. Stellenbosch is seen by many as the real "home" of rugby in SA which I find hard to admit as someone coming from the North but it is probably true.

So to coach UCT to a cup win is a reasonably big achievement in SA and would suggest he knows a thing or two.
 
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