Force bank on veterans Beale and Bridge to dictate againt Hurricanes / Photo: Geoff Caddick - AFP
Force bank on veterans Beale and Bridge to dictate againt Hurricanes
Western Force are banking on veterans Kurtley Beale and George Bridge to help turn around their Super Rugby season, with the pair charged with running a daunting game on Friday against the Wellington Hurricanes.
The 90-Test Wallaby Beale has been mostly used at fullback during his glittering career, but will start at centre while All Black Bridge will shift back to the midfield next to him from the wing.
Beale came off the bench last week and lit a fuse in their 39-31 defeat to the Otago Highlanders and is one of five changes to the starting side.
"KB's got a great voice and knows how to manage a game," said coach Simon Cron.
"He can handle the front line. He's been in big moments all his life."
Cron said both Beale and Bridge were both good game managers and their expertise was needed against a Hurricanes that piled 59 points past the NSW Waratahs in Sydney last weekend.
"The game has changed. It's no longer one person who's in charge of running the game management," he said.
"It's too fast, there's too much happening. It has to be a team thing. It has to be the midfielders involved in making decisions."
The Force sit second last in the 11-team table with just one win from four games, while the Hurricanes are third after two wins from three.
But there is no room in the Force squad for their new star signing Zac Lomax, who defected from rugby league this week.
The powerful winger, who played three times for Australia at Test level, has set his sights on the Rugby World Cup on home soil next year.
But Cron said he would need time to adjust to the 15-man game.
"I don't think we can push it. It has to be a day-by-day, week by week thing," he said of Lomax.
"We've got to get it right. Get him comfortable with the game. It will be a case of how quickly we can coach and what he picks up."
I.Young--CT
