Western Force Coach Simon Cron Points to Ill-Discipline as Key Factor in Defensive Struggles
Western Force coach Simon Cron has identified ill-discipline as a primary reason behind the team's defensive lapses, rather than flaws in their defensive structures. This comes as the Force prepare for a critical early-season trip to New Zealand, following a challenging start to the Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
Conceding High Scores in Recent Matches
The Force's 42-32 loss to the Blues at HIF Health Insurance Oval in Joondalup marked the second consecutive week they have allowed opponents to score more than 40 points. After two matches, the team sits at the bottom of the standings with a points differential of -42, having conceded 98 points in total. This poor defensive record sets the stage for a demanding schedule ahead, with three away games in a row against Moana Pasifika, the Highlanders, and the Hurricanes.
Unlike their round one performance against the Brumbies, which was described as a horror show, the Force showed resilience against the Blues. They did not give up easily and displayed some promising attacking phases. However, errors on both sides of the ball ultimately proved costly. Notably, if the opening 20 minutes of the second half are excluded, the Force actually outscored the Blues 29-21. Yet, three converted tries from the restart to the 60-minute mark effectively decided the match.
Cron's Analysis of Discipline Issues
Cron emphasized that poor discipline led to penalties, which in turn allowed the Blues to build pressure deep in Force territory. The Force conceded four more penalties than their opponents, and hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa was sin-binned, exacerbating their defensive challenges. Cron highlighted specific instances where lapses in discipline proved detrimental.
"We kicked off in the second half, we've got a good tackle on them and then we put a hand in the ruck, and they kick it 50m down the field," Cron explained. "We gave away another penalty and now they're on our line. You cannot afford, in terms of your discipline, to do that. You just can't give them free ball; not the Blues, not any team in Super Rugby."
He acknowledged that errors are inevitable in rugby, but stressed that the frequency of such mistakes was unacceptable in their latest match. "There's going to be the odd error in your game, and we get that, but for us today, there were too many times we gave them some free ball. You can't afford to do that, because you just end up defending, as you saw in that second half, for long blocks inside your 22," Cron added. "You can hold people out for so long, but if you let them down there 15 times, they'll come away with points."
Captain Jeremy Williams on Accountability and Slow Starts
Captain Jeremy Williams echoed Cron's concerns, emphasizing the need for accountability after the team's 0-2 start to the season. He pointed to slow starts in both halves as a significant issue, particularly in the match against the Blues.
"That first 20 minutes was quite tough, we had the wind and we seemed to be in our 22 a lot on the back of discipline. As the first half played out, it was a bit tit-for-tat there and we ended up going into half-time with the lead," Williams said. "Coming out in the second half, we give a penalty away, they score off the back of that. I dropped the ball down an edge, and three or four phases later they're scoring against us. They're fixable things."
Williams stressed that identifying and addressing these mistakes is crucial for improvement. "There has to be some accountability to fix those things and identified and we just can't let those little moments slip in a game," he asserted.
Focus on Accountability Ahead of Upcoming Matches
Both Cron and Williams agree that accountability must be a central focus as the Force prepare for their upcoming clash with Moana Pasifika on Friday. Cron outlined the team's approach to addressing discipline issues in training.
"For us, it's just really pointing them out — what's acceptable, what's not?" Cron stated. "The boys are actually really good at holding each other accountable around rolling away, or hands in the ruck or little things like that."
As the Force head to New Zealand for a series of away games, improving discipline will be critical to turning their season around. The team's ability to minimize errors and maintain defensive pressure will be tested against tough opponents, making this a pivotal period in their Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
