Reigning Nathan Sharpe Medallist Tom Robertson has backed Western Force’s bolstered forward pack to build on a promising pre-season after they thrashed an under-strength Brumbies 42-12 in their final hit-out before the league begins.
Robertson was one of five Wallabies brought into the Force 15 for their final Super Rugby Pacific pre-season hit-out as they downed a weakened Brumbies side at Scotch College on Friday.
Restored to his natural loosehead prop position after winning the Force’s highest individual honour playing at tighthead last season, Robertson grabbed the game’s opening try inside the opening five minutes.
Ben Donaldson’s superb solo effort and Harry Johnson-Holmes’ close-range push were sandwiched either side of a pair of Carlo Tizzano converted tries as the hosts led 35-0 at half-time against a visitors sans most of their starters.
While the Brumbies stemmed the bleeding in the second-half and cut the margin via a penalty try and Liam Bowron’s five-pointer, Henry Robertson added another late converted try for the Force.
Robertson said even though the absence of the Brumbies’ Wallabies stars meant they could not get over-excited, they were happy with their performance ahead of the two sides’ rematch in the season opener at HBF Park in a fortnight.
“Our maul was really good today, our set-piece, we’ve been working on that a lot in the pre-season, so it was good to see that coming fruition,” he said.
“But at the end of the day, it’s only a trial match, and we’re going to have the same team in round one, but they’re gonna have a lot more Wallabies playing for them.”
Robertson said a combination of new forwards coach Craig Dunlea and added depth in the forward pack had made for a promising pre-season.
Johnson-Holmes missed all of last season with a torn ACL, while Argentinian international lock Franco Molina signed on a one-year deal alongside veteran prop Sef Fa’agase and Test-capped second-rower Darcy Swain will join the fray early in the season.
“Craig Dunlea has been really good for us, set-piece wise and scrum. We’ve got some big bodies that have come over,” Robertson said.
“I came off at halftime, and then we had Sef Fa’agase, Leonel Oviedo and ‘Big Misi’ (Misinale Epenisa) at tighthead came on. We’re building a building a strong foundation.”
Robertson said the return of tighthead Johnson-Holmes, who suffered his knee injury on season’s eve last year, was a huge boost for both him and the team
“HJ has had a really good pre-season after a couple of tough years with injury. Loosehead is my natural home, and that combination is working well together,” he said.
“It’s going to build. We’re only one or two games in now, but as the season progresses, it’ll just keep going and going.”
https://thewest.com.au/sport/western-force/super-rugby-pacific-western-force-prop-tom-robertson-full-of-confidence-after-pre-season-brumbies-victory-c-21475454
