We draw strength from Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls, reveals veteran Force prop
Western Force star prop Tom Robertson says, his team is drawing inspiration from Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls as they look to mount a charge towards the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific finals.
The Force are currently sitting second-last on the ladder with a 3-7 record and a minus-121 points differential but are only one win out of the top eight ahead of their blockbuster clash with eighth-placed Swire Shipping Fijian Drua at HBF Park in Perth, tonight. Robertson said the Netflix series ‘The Last Dance’, documenting the Bulls’ against-the-odds sixth championship win, had been a touchstone for his side.
They were obviously one of the best sporting teams in the history of sport, in the ‘90s winning all those championships,” Robertson said.
“It definitely didn’t come easy for them and they had so many different guys that had different personalities and contributed different things to the team, and I think that’s really what we’re trying to get out of this season,” Robertson said.
“There was times in the finals series where they were down 2-1 and they had to come back and win every game to make the finals. So, that’s pretty much where we’re at right now.”
The 28-year-old said the Force would benefit from a decreased travel load in the home stretch, having been on the road for extended periods through the middle of the season due to a renovated HBF Park being out of action, but were under no illusions over their situation. “You do have to address it, you can’t just let it sit in the back,” he said.
“Whether that’s (winning) three out of four games or whatever it is, that’s not up to us.
“Every week now is pretty much like a grand final. We’ve got to go out there and treat it like it is potentially our last game, because it could be.”
The 31-cap Wallaby was part of Eddie Jones’ first camp with the national team on the Gold Coast last month, saying it was exciting to be heading in a new direction.
“Eddie had definitely a few things that were not in the normal routine that you get back here,” he said. “I think (the camp was) a great thing because you go over there, you learn things from different coaches and the players, what they’ve been doing, and bring it back here.
“It wasn’t easy, it wasn’t like we were going there for a holiday. But it does mentally refresh you really well, so it was really good.”
Having recovered from a calf issue that saw him miss the Force’s losses to the Reds and the Crusaders, Robertson is one of five changes to the starting 15 for tonight, alongside fellow Wallaby Folau Fainga’a, Angus Wagner, Ryan McCauley and Jeremy Williams.