Force boot out inaccuracy
Western Force need no reminding of the importance of raising the bar significantly in the kicking department next season.
They operated at 62 per cent accuracy last season, one of the lowest figures in Super Rugby, and are well aware that one missed kick can be the difference between success and failure.
In a bid to improve consistency and individual skills, the club has brought in former Springboks fly-half and kicking expert Braam van Straaten.
Van Straaten, who was used by the Wallabies during the 2011 World Cup campaign, does most of his coaching online from South Africa.
He receives footage of players through his website, analyses it and gives feedback in Skype-style chat.
He says he is able to tell by the way players kick whether they have the correct technical and bio-mechanical information to have a technique that is compact, powerful and does not put the player at the risk of injury.
Groundwork with the players is overseen by Dwayne Nestor, the club's junior elite and academy coach, and former WAFL player Ryan Webster.
Seven Force players are receiving specialist coaching - Jayden Hayward, Sias Ebersohn, Kyle Godwin, Zack Holmes and Ian Prior from the Super squad, and Luke Burton and Dillyn Leyds from the wider training group.
Hayward was last season's leading scorer with 69 points from 17 penalties and nine conversions after only taking up kicking duties in the latter part of the campaign.
It was his first season as a front-line kicker and he was also moved from centre to full-back.
He had a couple of notable successes last season - the kick that took his side to the dramatic last-minute 19-18 win over the Highlanders (he had earlier scored with three other penalties and a conversion) and booting his side to the shock 16-14 victory against the Crusaders.
But Hayward is aware consistency has to become the norm.
"Kicking is such an important aspect of today's game and can determine a match. It is one of the areas that we looked at as a team and have set out to improve," Hayward said.
"If you look at the kicking stats of some of the top teams, how many metres they made and how they set themselves, it makes interesting reading.
"We've got to turn teams around, find the space and keep them under pressure. We've got to find consistency, find grass and not kick down their throats."
The coaching is a significant boost from last season.
"We are taking it very seriously," Hayward said.
"Last year we would have a few nudges at the end of a training session (but) this year we have set sessions.
"This year we have a group challenging each other.
"It has been great having someone like Braam giving us feedback, telling us what is right and what is wrong, everything from simple things like how to hold the ball to body position.
"Braam has been a massive help breaking down the finer detail, something we didn't do as well last year.
"He breaks it all down but again it comes down to consistency, doing the same thing every time you kick."
