Force building momentum ahead of crucial Drua clash

The Western Force are building momentum at the perfect time of the season, with four wins from their last six matches keeping their Super Rugby Pacific finals hopes alive.

Speaking during a press conference yesterday, Force hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa said confidence within the squad continues to grow as the team pushes toward the final rounds of the regular season.

“The boys are really happy,” he said. “We’re just taking it one game at a time, but we can take a lot out of that win (against the Reds) and hopefully carry it through for the next two games.”

While the Force still need other results to go their way, Paenga-Amosa said the squad understands the importance of winning their remaining matches, preferably with bonus points, to keep their playoff hopes alive.

“We know the situation we’re in,” he said. “We need to win these next two games, and we need a couple of other things to go our way, but the boys are definitely focused. That win against the Reds really helped us build momentum.”

The Force now turn their attention to the unpredictable Fijian Drua, a side capable of producing dominant performances on any given weekend.

“They’re a very dangerous team,” Paenga-Amosa said.

“For us, it’s about sticking to our process and staying with the plan.

It sounds cliché, but against a team like the Drua, you need to stay disciplined and trust your systems.”

The Wallabies hooker also revealed it was a special experience having Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt at training last week.

“He was just off to the side letting the boys do their thing, but it was good to catch up with him,” he said. “I know the boys enjoyed having him around as well.”

Despite their strong recent form, Paenga-Amosa believes the Force’s turnaround has simply come from matches.

“We’ve been competitive in almost every game this season,” he said. “Once we got one win, it carried into the next. For us, it’s about continuing to stay in the fight".

The Force are now embracing the pressure of the playoff race while also enjoying the journey together as a squad.

“The boys are happy, and winning games is the fun part of rugby,” he said. “But we also understand when it’s time to switch back on and focus.”

As the finals calculation continue across the competition, Paenga-Amosa admitted he has been keeping an eye on the ladder scenarios.

“I can’t lie and say I haven’t looked at it,” he joked. “I’m trying to do the maths, but I wasn’t too good at maths in school. For us, it’s simple — just keep winning games with bonus points.”

The Force will also celebrate Kids Round this weekend, something Paenga-Amosa says he is especially excited about as a father himself.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” he said. “It’s always great seeing families and kids at the games with face paint and everything. I love that atmosphere.”