With a first finals appearance on the horizon for the Western Force this Saturday at 5:45pm (AWST) against the ACT Brumbies in Canberra at GIO Stadium, Head Coach Tim Sampson is taking a composed approach to the occasion.
With an outpour of emotion since the Force clinched a place in the Semi Final with a dramatic win over the Queensland Reds in front of the Sea of Blue at HBF Park last Friday, the team has kept their feet firmly on the ground with Sampson speaking to the media alongside Brumbies coach and fellow former Canberra Vikings coach Dan McKellar.
“The guys are pretty calm. I don’t think the occasion has bothered them,” Sampson explained.
“I like to be a calm coach amongst the boys and that transfers onto them.”
With a number of players within the squad having enjoyed success on the world stage, their experience will be crucial this Saturday night.
“It’s invaluable with how we’ve been winning games. They are the guys on the field that lead and make the key decisions, which was evident last week. The players never get flustered, they stick to the game plan,” Sampson added.
Sampson also noted the significance of the club’s journey to get where they are today and how it can act to inspire the squad on Saturday.
“We touched on it throughout last week leading into the game about who we’re playing for and representing, which goes back to 2006 when the Western Force first entered Super Rugby. It’s important to acknowledge those who go before you,” he said.
You can catch Saturday night’s blockbuster Semi Final with the Brumbies on free-to-air LIVE with 9GEM or stream on Stan Sport.
