Intensity has been the buzzword around the Western Force this week as coach Dave Wessels attempts to wake his team from their slumber against the Jaguares in Argentina.
The Force put in their worst display of the Super Rugby season in last week's 37-12 loss to the Sharks in Durban.
Wessels said the travel schedule and lack of training opportunities combined to hurt the Force, who were made to pay for a series of lapses and errant passes during the game.
The rookie coach said he learned valuable lessons from the experience, and is doing his best to ensure there will be no repeat in Buenos Aires on Saturday.
"It was the first time this season that we just felt flat," Wessels said.
"I don't think that makes us a bad team or anything like that. I just thought it was probably the way we managed the travel and things wasn't optimal.
"It was probably my responsibility to build in a little bit more intensity in the way we managed the schedule of the players.
"We might not be able to train as much as we'd like to when we travel, but we've got find other ways to build that intensity throughout meetings and our discussions of different things.
"So we've spent more time as a group reviewing than we normally would.
"We've done things like walkthroughs in the hotel at opportune moments to make sure everyone is clear that the focus of what we're doing here is the rugby."
Wessels said there has been more player-led discussions than usual this week as the group attempt to snare a crucial win on the road.
But the Force will have to do it without veteran flanker Matt Hodgson (ankle) and hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau (rested).
In the past three years, the Force have only triumphed once overseas - a 40-22 win over the Sunwolves in Japan last year.
The Force are in desperate need of a victory to stay in the hunt to top the Australian conference. Wessels' side face an uphill battle against a Jaguares outfit who have won four from five at home this season.
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