Western Force captain Nathan Sharpe was happy with the work done over the bye week and feels the Force will now be ready to play well against the Reds with the new rule interpretations ingrained in their minds.
Some high scores have been racked up early this Super 14 season thanks to some different interpretations of the rules around the breakdown and in the tackle contest.
The bye has now given the Force the chance to fully get their heads around that and Sharpe is confident that translates into a strong performance this Sunday at Suncorp Stadium against the Reds.
"In hindsight the first part of a bye week is always tough after a loss when you spend a bit of time looking at where you can improve, but it's actually been really good for us in terms of jelling combinations and re-exploring our game plan," Sharpe said on the official Western Force website.
"The new interpretations of the rules have certainly led to a little bit different style of game than we were expecting this year and the bye's been good for us to get plenty of hard work in. Now it's all about getting the head right for the weekend."
The new interpretations have certainly had a big impact on the way the game has been played so far this Super 14 season, and now Sharpe hopes his team-mates make the right decisions about when to go into the breakdown and try to win the ball.
"It's just the speed of the ball that comes out of the breakdown and the tackle contest is quite different from last year," he said.
"They are areas we've worked on and basically it's about setting up our structures with the familiarity of the players within the team. Guys have got to make the decision whether or not they are going to go into that ruck and try to get the ball back."
After starting the season with three losses to the Brumbies, Hurricanes and Chiefs, Sharpe knows Sunday is a big game.
"It's massive," said Sharpe.
"In terms of the start we've had nobody wants to be three losses after four rounds so it's a very important game for us, but aside from where we are on the points table, it's about us getting results for the hard work we've put in."
The Reds have started the season well with two wins and a close loss to the Waratahs, and with Will Genia and Quade Cooper running the show and suited to the new interpretations, Sharpe knows his backs have to be switched on against them.
"The new interpretations suit the style of game they are playing at the moment. They've been doing a good job of playing attractive rugby, as have all the teams this year. They've done a good job being in every game they've played so far and last weekend was a great win for them," he said.
"They have been the key to their performance so far. Those guys have dictated the team around the paddock really well and certainly attack very well around the packs from Will and Quade has controlled the team very well too."
The line-out will again be crucial and Ryan Tyrrell will make his first Super 14 start at hooker for the Force, so Sharpe hopes things go better than they did against the Chiefs.
"It's the same as every week. We didn't get it right in the last game and certainly it made it tough for us to play with any sort of continuity," he said.
"We need to be good in our clearance, but also attacking zone so that we get the opportunity to launch."
David Hill will also come in to play his first game for the Force at fly-half and Sharpe is looking forward to seeing him leading the team around the park.
"He's really good even though it's hard to understand him with the thick accent, but he's going well," said Sharpe.
"He's been here since the day before the Chiefs game so the guys have had plenty of time to get to know him and you can see the professionalism in how he goes about his job.
"He's slotted straight into the team and understands how we want to go about playing the game. He is a big solid guy, is very good in defence and likes to take the ball to the line. He also has a very intelligent kicking game as well."
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