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AAP
AAP
Justin Chadwick

Frustrated Force keen to avoid mid-game wobbles

Western Force coach Simon Cron says all is not lost despite his team's lowly Super standing. (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)

Western Force coach Simon Cron has urged his players to adopt a laser-like focus in order to avoid the lapses that cost them dearly against the Rebels and Brumbies.

The winless Force (0-3) enter Friday night's match against Moana Pasifika at the bottom of the ladder, but Cron has seen enough positives over the past fortnight to know hope isn't lost.

The Force led the Rebels 34-19 two weeks ago, only to cough up 29 unanswered points in a 48-34 loss.

Then last week the Force shot out to a 14-0 lead against the highly fancied Brumbies in Canberra, before conceding 22 consecutive points either side of half-time on the way to a 22-19 defeat.

Cron was disappointed to watch those games slip away, but he can sense a determination within the player group to right the wrongs.

"If we stick to our job and we do our roles, we've got both those games completely under control," Cron said.

"If you look at the starts, geez there's been some great rugby.

"Now it's about getting people on the park and helping those guys, so that in the last 20 they nail it."

"There is frustration around some of the things that happened on the field.

"But you've just got to keep laser focused on how to move forward.

"As soon as you start moaning or complaining or thinking it wasn't fair, you take your eye off the ball.

"For us, we've created a lot of opportunities, but we need to do it for 80 minutes."

Cron felt his team won most of the big moments against the Brumbies - a significant step forward for the team against a high calibre opponent.

Now he wants the team's bench to be able to finish the job.

Scrumhalf Issak Fines-Leieiwasa has been handed a start this Friday night ahead of veteran Wallaby Nic White - a rotation Cron insists was always in the pipeline.

Vice-captain Michael Wells has been ruled out due to a knee injury with scans to determine how long he will spend on the sideline.

Wallabies enforcer Izack Rodda will be sidelined for at least several more weeks with his quad injury, but outside centre Sam Spink (calf) could return next week.

The Force have added ex-Hurricanes flanker Reed Prinsep to the bench.

Prinsep, who joins on an injury-cover contract, comes with experience after notching 73 Super Rugby games for the Hurricanes.

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