Eden Park litmus test stands in way of Force finals berth

Perth Now

02-05-2025

'Control the controllables' is a refrain often spouted from the mouth of coaches and players when asked about how they avoid outside noise and overcome pressure situations.
Sporting entities are comparable to Neo in The Matrix, in that they do not like the idea they are not in control of their lives.
If you control possession, you can control the other team; if you control your errors and urges, you give your opponents less to pick at, effectively mastering your own destiny.
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The 2025 iteration of Western Force have looked more cohesive and exerted more in control than they have at any other point of the Simon Cron era.
But it always felt, heading into the season, their finals hopes would be dictated by their trans-Tasman match-ups — and it has proven true to form, with two wins, two heavy losses and a draw to show from their five match-ups.
And approaching their final game against a Kiwi side this season, if the Force want to play finals, they must break their Eden Park duck.
Friday's clash with an under-performing Blues side in Auckland is a season-defining litmus test of both the Force's progress and their top six credentials. The Force have never won at Eden Park. Credit: Dave Rowland / Getty Images
The club has never won at Eden Park before, but that is not something the current squad can control; nor is their injury list, which has quietly increased over the past few weeks.
A win at the graveyard of many an Australian team before them would be a morale-booster for the Force, in the same way their back-against-the-wall win over the Brumbies in Canberra proved they could match it with the best.
But there is also the need to claim a big Kiwi scalp away from home. There was a sense, coming into the season, the Force would be able to match it with their Australian rivals.
The Kiwi teams though, have always been a different beast. They hit harder, dominate the contact zone and can scythe through a defence in the blink of an eye with a well-articulated passing patterns and their effervescent backs.
Lord of the Rings references feel lazy and maligned when applied to New Zealand rugby, but there is a certain Uruk-hai quality to them.
Their armor is thick and their shields broad, but more pressingly, they loom large over the Australian teams both physically and mentally, and punish opponents at the slightest sign of weakness.
The Force have shown they can compete this season, but are yet to strike a killer blow, a shot across the bow which will turn their rivals' curiosity to attention.
They kept within reach of the Chiefs and Crusaders, the top two teams in the league, only to be blown out after half-time. Hamish Stewart during the Force's blowout loss against the Chiefs. Credit: Michael Bradley / Getty Images
Every team battles injuries throughout the season, and it is how well teams deal with losses, both on the park and the table, which ultimately proves their making.
In a more blunt way: if you can't hang, there's the door.
And so, against a wounded, under-performing Blues fighting for their own lives, the Force need to come through it with four points, to enter the final three games of the season with their fate in their own hands.
No one makes it up the hill without pushing through adversity — if the Force want to truly control the controllables, Friday will be an acid test.