Sharpe backs Force signings to make a big impression

Western Force's pre-season recruitment, which has seen them bulk up the front row with size and experience, will suit next year's style of Super 14 rugby.

That is the view of Western Force captain Nathan Sharpe, who said his team should pose a major threat at set-pieces.

"Hopefully that size is going to give us some really good superiority at scrum time and line-out time," he said.

"It's something over the years we've lacked, a little bit of depth in that area. Over the past four years we've adapted to a certain playing style but now we've got a completely new team and you've got to play to your strength.

"I think you'll see a different style of rugby this year."

Sharpe, who joked that the recruitment of some sizeable front-rowers had seen the food bill at the club go through the roof, said the law changes would make the game more of a set-piece contest.

"Things will change a little bit but the way we've recruited suits that really well," he said.

The skipper also echoed the call by Force head coach John Mitchell for the team to show more consistency.

"Look at the performance over the years, we played like world beaters one week and then dipped the next. We have to be consistent week in, week out," he said.

Sharpe believes the dispensation given to the new Melbourne Super 14 franchise that will allow them to recruit 10 overseas players for the 2011 season is good for Australian rugby.

"It's easy to sit back and be pretty negative about that because that didn't happen when the Force came into inception," he said.

"The reality is that the depth in Australian rugby is just not big enough at the moment to sustain five teams.

"You want that team to be competitive right from the outset. If that wasn't the case then most people would deem it a bad decision."

"The way they (the ARU) have gone about it is going to ensure that it is successful and that's a great thing for Australian rugby down the track."

Sharpe is completely recovered from shoulder surgery that kept him out of the Wallabies' northern hemisphere tour and expects to play in the second of two trials in South Africa later this month.