Despite heavyweight clashes across the Super 15, the lowly Western Force stole the limelight by beating the Crusaders 16-14 at home in Perth.
Not only did the Force win, but they won heroically, spending the last 25 minutes of the game defending wave after attacking wave from the Crusaders, who have won a record seven titles.
Defence is like an iceberg, most of its substance is unseen. Defence is built upon planning, practise, trust, intelligence, courage and calmness under pressure.
Coach Michael Foley said the win was “a real testament” to the players.
In the Super 15, any lowly team can win, usually with some luck. But this was a hard-earned, well-deserved victory, in front of 15,000 fans.
Interestingly, the demeanour of the players revealed a new dimension in the Force. Everyone seemed to be on the same wavelength. The slightest nod, conveyed a thousand words.
Force’s team unity
Somehow this team of nobodies from Western Australia had found unity of purpose.
Foley commented on that after the game, saying there “was a real unity in terms of what the players did on the field—and it didn’t matter who we put out there”.
The Force entered Super rugby in 2006 and have always performed poorly.
Foley took over this year, after leaving the Waratahs. During his one year with the Waratahs, they recorded their longest losing streak.
The team was booed by fans, the Waratah board demanded an explanation from Foley, then he resigned, to move to the Force.
The Waratah players supported Foley throughout the difficult year.
Earlier this year, Sydney reporter Spiro Zavos wrote: “I asked an insider [with the Waratahs] about this and he said that Foley might not have been the problem at the Waratahs.”
He added that the problem may have been “the culture of negativity and politicking among the administrators”.
Rugby wanderer Sam Norton-Knight turned out for his first Super 15 game since 2009. He slipped into the Force back-line like a hand into a glove, directing the side from flyhalf and looking like an international prospect.
In fact, he scored the only Force try, after beating four Crusader tacklers.
Norton-Knight has been playing in Wales and Japan for the Cardiff Blues and the Panasonic Wild Knights. From 2006 to 2009 he played for the Waratahs.
Brumbies marathon
Meanwhile, way down by the South Pole in Dunedin, another unwanted Waratah, Ben Mowen, led his Brumbies to a 30-19 victory over the Highlanders, re-gaining top spot on the ladder.
True to his pragmatic, South African rugby heritage, Brumbies coach Jake White saw pitfalls in the victory. While savouring the rare Dunedin triumph, White received a text saying: “This competition isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.”
“Now it’s time to focus on the Reds,” White said, pushing their table-topping performance to the background by turning attention to Saturday’s Australian derby in Brisbane.
He said the Reds were a “champion team” and a “team of champions”. His side needed to prepare for “an immense challenge”.
The Queensland Reds are coached by Ewen McKenzie, another unwanted, former-Waratah coach, who is doing well.
The Reds beat the competition—leading and current-champion Chiefs 30-21 in Hamilton.
Reds’ Cooper back in the good books
The game was a home-coming for Australian bad boy, Reds flyhalf Quade Cooper, who was born in the logging town of Tokoroa.
During the week, Cooper was a surprise omission from the published Wallaby train-on squad.
As usual, Cooper was fundamentally important to the Reds. He has tempered his high-risk flair, adding more reliability, pleasing rugby devotees.
Off the field, Cooper is more measured, as well. He said his non-selection with the Wallabies was not an indication of a rift between him and Wallaby coach Robbie Deans.
The Chiefs fans, who are knowledgeable and patriotic, welcomed the more-respectful approach by Cooper and virtually mobbed the returning prodigal son.
Remember, Cooper was public enemy No. 1 during the Rugby World Cup held in New Zealand in 2011. Cooper’s smugness impressed young, social media fans, but it was a red rag to the bullish New Zealand public.
But a change in attitude worked wonders in Hamilton on Saturday.
It’s all in the attitude
Attitude is the theme of this column. Foley left the Waratahs, for a change of attitude. He changed the attitude of the Force, enabling them to match the champion Crusaders blow for blow and win.
Jake White changed the attitude of the bumbling Brumbies, now they top the table. Unwanted Waratah Ben Mowen thrives under the White-attitude and is an outstanding captain.
Finally and most significantly, the masterly attitude that Reds coach McKenzie has taken with Cooper, whose off-field behaviour would try the patience of a saint (not to mention his on-field excesses).
But Cooper’s flamboyant excesses helped win a Super title for the Reds. Now, a more-respectful Cooper could lead the Reds all the way to another title.
As for the real Waratahs? They had a bye. On Saturday they are at home in Sydney to the Chiefs, who will probably win, knocking them out of the 2013 Super 15.
Peter Lalanaabaravi is a rugby writer with over 30 years experience.
