NEWS: Nic White reckons the Western Force have been stitched up by the Super Rugby fixturing, but he’s backing his side to buck the odds and gatecrash the finals.
The Force is yet to reach the finals in a full Super Rugby competition, and that trend is being tipped to continue in 2025.
The Perth-based franchise sits second last in most betting markets, behind only Moana Pasifika.
Making matters more challenging for the Force is a hectic travel schedule which will see them crisscross Australia for most of the season, as well as facing their usual tough trips to NZ and Fiji.
There are two sensible sections in the Force’s draw.
The first is when they play the Waratahs in Sydney one week and then the Crusaders in Christchurch the next, giving them the option to stay over in the east.
Then later in the season, the Force will be able to set up camp in NZ to face the Chiefs and Blues in consecutive weeks.
Aside from that, the Force will be back and forth all season – a situation that hasn’t escaped the attention of White or his teammates.
“We’ve been kind of stitched up with the draw,” White told AAP.
“You feel like given we’re the furthest away that travel should come into consideration there.
“We’ve got to zig-zag across the country and across to New Zealand quite a bit this year. So we’re on the road a fair bit.
“I feel like there could have been a more efficient way of doing that.
“I thought it worked well last year, we had two or three home games in a row and then two or three away games.
“But this year it’s kind of one at home, one away, one at home, one away, which kind of upsets the training week.
“We fly economy. There are a couple of exit rows that will go to the locks. Outside of that, we’re all jammed in together.
“And as you know with time zones (it’s difficult).”
