Big Super finale but Force changes loom
Western Force will continue their post-season player cleanout as they rebuild for the 2014 Super Rugby competition.
Eleven players have been told they are not wanted or have decided to move on, and coach Michael Foley says there will be more changes.
Foley has signed a number of new players, including ACT Brumbies halves Zack Holmes and Ian Prior, and Queensland Reds flyer Luke Morahan, and this week will have talks with wayward Wallaby James O'Connor.
The club is waiting for another Wallaby, winger Nick Cummins, to make a decision on his future.
Cummins, one of the Force's stars in Saturday night's 21-15 upset of the Brumbies at nib Stadium, is out of contract.
It is understood he asked for a considerable pay rise which the Force said they could not afford. He might look at moving to Japan.
Foley said he was negotiating with a number of current players, including Cummins, and hoped to have results within a month.
"We are still a little way off finalising our squad," Foley said. "We have five spots (still open). There is still some time to have discussion."
Super clubs have 35 players, five of whom are extended squad players.
The Australian Rugby Union is expected to announce a third-tier "reserve" competition next season that would allow clubs to recruit a whole new raft of players.
The Force's win over the Brumbies meant that three of their four victories this season were over competition finalists.
They also beat the Reds and Crusaders, but still finished 13th.
Foley said the victory was not flukey.
"We dominated most of the game. It probably says if everybody's on the same page ... what we are actually capable of and we will get better," he said.
"I had belief that we would fight to the last minute but we were so hoping that they could walk away with a win in the last game.
"It was a real credit to the players. It was the least they deserved.
"Coming out of last season, there was such a bleak feel but the players pulled together strongly from the start and learnt to play for each other above all else.
"This was not a season when we were going to win a lot of a games. There were times we were going to go close and not get the result.
"To get this result means the players have gone through some difficult times and learnt a lot about each other and what they are capable of.
"I'm happy with the progress but even happier that the players know how much they can achieve."
·Wallaby forward Hugh McMeniman was cleared of serious injury after being taken to hospital with a neck injury in the 65th minute of Saturday's game.
Fellow second-rower Sam Wykes injured an ankle in the second half and will have scans today. DID YOU KNOW? 3 The number of wins the Force had this season over eventual competition finalists.
