Unfortunately that vigour hasn’t really translated into a good log position.  The Force is one of those sides, like the Cheetahs, that will lose more games than they win, but, and it’s a big but, they will compete in all their games and win a few against the top sides in the competition when they get it right.  Last year they did it against the Crusaders, winning a game that nobody expected them to and winning it well. Their best finish to date was seventh in 2007.

Whereas, historically, the Lions have always been a team that disappoints, one never gets the impression that the Force players just give up.  They play hard every match, they play with heart and until the final whistle, and that I respect.

They have lost Coach John Mitchell to the self same Lions from Johannesburg and he has been replaced by former backs coach Richard Graham so they shouldn’t lose too much in terms of continuity.

There are a few exciting players in their squad, most notably the “Rabbit” James o Connor.  He’s got the pace, the boot and perhaps most importantly, the mind to dominate any game and it’s scary to think he’s only 20 years old.

Other key players are Captain Nathan Sharpe and the perpetually injured Cameron Shepherd, once he gets through his whole DUI issue.  Sharpe is a hard man, an old school rugby soldier who’s willing to bash it with the best of them.  Loose forwards David Pocock, Matt Hodgson, Richard Brown and Ben McCalman are all Wallabies and all world class and add impetus in the tight loose.

A major issue for them last year was their lack of depth.  Key injuries at the beginning of the season crippled the team; marquee signing and springbok flyhalf Andre Pretorius suffering a serious hamstring strain in pre-season was just one example of how things can sneak up on you if you’re not paying attention… In truth they should have known better, seeing as how Mr. Pretorius has spent more time in a physio room during his career than most physios will in theirs… Andre is gone but it remains to be seen whether or not they’ve solved this problem in 2011, only time will tell.

I expect the Force will finish in the bottom five overall and fourth out of the five Australian teams, ahead of the Melbourne Rebels but behind the Reds, Brumbies and the Waratahs, but not necessarily in that order.   I think they’ll scrap it out with the Highlanders, Lions, Cheetahs and Rebels and maybe the Chiefs, because nobody can ever predict what they’re going to do…