How the Western Force plan to build on breakthrough win in grudge match against Melbourne Rebels

Western Force winger Marcel Brache says his team won’t get carried away with last week’s breakthrough triumph over the Waratahs, but he’s hoping to belt out another winning tune after taking on the Melbourne Rebels.

The Force posted their first Super Rugby win since 2017 when they came from 13-0 down to beat the Waratahs 20-16.

After the team song, Force players belted out Adele’s classic hit ‘Someone Like You’.

The move is set to become a tradition, with each win to be accompanied by a different song.

Brache said the motivation had come from watching Chorley FC – a semi-professional soccer club based in Lancashire – do the same thing.

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“I saw a video and it looked amazing,” Brache said.

“It was an amazing connection for their team. And I thought after our team song it would be something for us to do, sing a song each week.

“That worked, and if we win on Friday night we’ll choose another song and belt it out.”

The Rebels and Force have a complicated history, with both franchises pitted in a fight for survival when Rugby Australia announced it would axe a club at the end of 2017.

The Force ended up getting the chop, with coach Dave Wessels and a host of star players defecting to the Rebels.

To add salt to the wound, the Rebels inflicted two heartbreaking defeats on the Force when the Perth-based franchise were reintroduced into Super Rugby ranks last year.

The first contest went to extra time, with Isi Naisarani scoring a try to secure the 25-20 win for the Rebels.

The rematch was just as enthralling, with Cabous Eloff scoring in the final minute to lift the Rebels to a 34-30 win.

Former All Blacks midfielder Sonny Bill Williams has confirmed his retirement from both rugby union and rugby league as he prepares to resurrect his boxing career.https://t.co/WWqrPMnwKq

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Brache knows Friday night’s match will be pumped up in the media, but he said the current team at the Force are intent on starting a fresh chapter.

And he said the players quickly moved on from last week’s win.

“As soon as we landed back in Perth, we were set about taking on our next target, which is the Rebels this Friday,” Brache said.

“And what a challenge that is. They’ve been so good and so efficient and clinical in their first couple of games. So if we’re not on our game, they’re going to capitalise on that for sure.”

The Rebels are looking for their first win of the season after suffering narrow losses to the Reds (23-21) and Brumbies (27-24).