Footy was good, saw some quokkas, now to this week's column.<\/p>\n
Watch the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific and Super W seasons on the home of rugby, Stan Sport.<\/strong><\/em> All matches streaming ad free, live and on demand<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n FORCE FIELD UP AND RUNNING<\/strong><\/p>\n The Rugby Heaven<\/em> crew spent the week in Perth ahead of Saturday's match and what a week it was.<\/p>\n Sea of Blue members poured into the Claremont Hotel to meet Force coach Simon Cron, stars Izack Rodda, Tim Anstee, Zach Kibirige and Michaela Leonard and club legend Matt Hodgson.<\/p>\n English import Kibirige is loving the golden west and is keen to stay on beyond this year while Rodda's rehab is progressing well.<\/p>\n One of the biggest cheers of the night went up for Hodgson who relived his famous try AND subsequent conversion in his last game with the Force.<\/p>\n The story goes 'Hodgo' asked for a bucket of sand to take the shot from, only to be laughed at, then tossed a tee.<\/p>\n He's now the club's general manager and coach of their Super W side.<\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong> Major concern after 'sloppy, clunky' Manly win<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong> NRL stars separated in tunnel after fiery face-off<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong> AFL legend's plea to wayward Carlton star<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n COACH CRON<\/strong><\/p>\n We were lucky enough to spend some time with Cron while in Perth and there's no question he's the man to drive the club and game forward in WA.<\/p>\n The approachable and high energy coach has his team unbeaten at home this year and is engaging all levels of the code in Perth.<\/p>\n He spent Friday night presenting to local referees and has popped up often across club-land.<\/p>\n After years in the game he obviously has a great eye on the ID front, with each of his signings buying in and delivering some key moments this season.<\/p>\n On that note, Cron has huge raps on an uncapped forward at the Force believing he's a future Wallaby.<\/p>\n "The kid has a head like a bison and can really move," he told me.<\/p>\n We'll circle back to who 'Bison Boy' is when he makes his debut.<\/p>\n https:\/\/twitter.com\/StanSportRugby\/status\/1649242982707785729?s=20<\/a><\/p>\n BIG BAD BRUCE<\/strong><\/p>\n Cottesloe Rugby Club hosted the inaugural Police vs Army game last Friday with Morgan Turinui running water for the lawmen and Justin Harrison supporting the Army boys.<\/p>\n Both sides delivered some sparkling moments in the setting sun, but the biggest play came from a man who didn't make a tackle, touch the ball or get a hand laid on him.<\/p>\n Organiser Bruce Hughes has been running around in the annual game forever and took the field at Cottesloe as a spritely 80-year-old. EIGHTY!!!<\/p>\n For the record, the Police won, upsetting Harrison's week-long birthday festival in the process.<\/p>\n https:\/\/twitter.com\/StanSportRugby\/status\/1650296021983920129?s=20<\/a><\/p>\n CONTENDERS ON COLLISION COURSE<\/strong><\/p>\n The Super W semi finals have been set with the Waratahs up against the Drua and the Reds taking on the Brumbies.<\/p>\n Both games will be played this weekend in Sydney before the final moves north to Townsville.<\/p>\n Should the Waratahs and Reds progress to the big dance it promises to be a firy match up.<\/p>\n The Tahs were left fuming following their most recent clash after a late, late collision laid out a defence-less Katrina Barker.<\/p>\n Wallaroos coach Jay Tregonning will select his squad on the other side of the final with their first game of 2023 set against Fiji in Sydney on May 20.<\/p>\n ALL WHITE ON THE NIGHT<\/strong><\/p>\n As reported by Iain Payten in the Sydney Morning Herald<\/a>, the Wallabies will wear a white strip against Portugal at this year's Rugby World Cup in France.<\/p>\n The decision – part of a contentious new World Rugby policy to accommodate fans with colour blindness – has been met with a mixed response but it's worth noting the white jerseys were packed for the RWC way back in 2015 should any clashes have occurred.<\/p>\n Steering clear of the debate around whether the Wallabies should ever be in white, colleague Drew Mitchell has a great vision for what the jersey should look like going forward.<\/p>\n "Gold, with gold indigenous print, all the time."<\/p>\n Makes a lotta sense to me.<\/p>\n REBELS GET THEIR GUY<\/strong><\/p>\n Breakout Rebels No.8 Vaiolani Ekuasi celebrated his re-signing with the club in style on Friday.<\/p>\n The giant Kiwi backrower took an intercept on his own 22 and then powered away, outpacing three chasing Crusaders to score at the other end.<\/p>\n Ekuasi's extension falls in line with coach Kevin Foote who's inked a new deal as well.<\/p>\n Second half efforts will be the focus over the back end of the season, with the Rebels leading the Crusaders, Blues and Force at halftime before going down.<\/p>\n See you on Stan Sport on Monday night for Between Two Posts<\/em> with Morgs and Hoilesy.<\/p>\n For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by<\/strong><\/em> clicking here<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n \ufeff<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n
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