Western Force coach Simon Cron has apologised after the struggling Super Rugby team crashed to a fourth straight defeat, describing their 22-14 loss to Moana Pasifika as “horrendous”.
The Perth-based side had high hopes ahead of the season after narrowly missing the finals last year, with Cron saying that matching the achievement was the “bare minimum” he expected.
But his plans are in tatters, with the latest setback a demoralising 22-14 home defeat to Moana on Friday evening to leave them propping up the 12-team ladder with a solitary point from four games.
“We’ve got to apologise to our supporters and fans,” said Cron, in his second season in charge after three years at the helm of Japanese side Toyota Verblitz.
“That was some of the worst rugby I’ve ever seen. We were horrendous. It would be our worst game this year…..very hard to see the good out of it.
“There was nothing pretty about it.”
The victory was Moana’s first over Force and their second of the season, improving on their tally from last year when they won just one game from 14.
Tana Umaga’s side started better and took a 12-7 lead into the break.
Tonga international Kyren Taumoefolau extended the lead shortly afterwards before the hosts tried to mount a comeback.
However, they struggled with discipline and execution, allowing the visitors to claim the win.
Cron said his team lacked composure at crucial moments, despite having experienced players on the park, including Wallabies scrum-half Nic White and Argentina prop Santiago Medrano.
“As coaches, we have to sit down and work out how we can help the team to be better,” he said.
“We’ll start winning when we’re good enough, and (against Moana) we weren’t good enough.”
