Force V Bulls - 2011R10

[ChargerWA]

What's the feeling this week fellas? Can the Force finally break through for their home win?

I unfortunately feel they will cop the brunt of an angry bulls team, who will be full of venom after being made look poor to average two weeks in a row. I suspect the proud South Africans will turn up this week to play.

And if the Force are honest with themselves, they will admit they were lucky to win on the weekend, against a team who is seriously "lost" at the moment. They scraped through on a couple of pieces of individual brilliance.

What's the news on our injuries, by my calculations, Pocock, Hodgson and Inman will all be due back next week or the one after, all going well.

Unfortunatley it is another late game, 8:05 WST start. (why do they do that? long weekend would be a good one to bring the kids up to for the family round.)

 

[darkhorse]

With their injury crisis it's a bit much to hope for the Force to win, but I think they could take it to them.


If they were full strength I would be more optimistic. I think their solid defence and awesome backrow would nullify the bull's game plan. The bull's aren't a potent attacking threat this year and have to rely on Morne's boot more often than not. If pockock and hodgson are fit they would swing the penalty count in the force's favour.

 

[Hawko]

The Bulls defence has holes everywhere. I could have run through the gap Matfield left for Cooper for the first try. Question is, can the Force actually run through those gaps (JOC (James O'Connor) aside)? If so, they are in with a half-chance if the pack plays well.

 

[The Mayor of Perth]

The Bulls are a team on the wane, tired, who just want to go home. And, as pointed out in the Oz this morning, in 16 years they have NEVER won their last tour match. In your court Force.

Still another week for Poey and Hodgo, Smith won't play (Shep straight in there), Inman longer.

The late Saturday night games (for the whole season) is affecting Force crowds. I don't understand why there is the half-hour break between games 2 and 3. If game 1 can start at 5.35 (EST) and game 2 at 7.35 (which has always been the case), why can't game 3 start at 9.35?

 

[PaarlBok]

Luckily for the Brutes, the Farce aint the Reds, not even close and the Brutes are hitting desperate stage in the SA conferense and log table. They are experiensed enough to know what they need to do to set the record straight. One week is a long time in rugby and one away one can change their season around.

 

[PaarlBok]

Dunno what happened to Blou?, bliksem I have to fight his battles for him, leave me out here all alone.

 

[Ruggo]

The Force should win this as the Bulls have just come through a rough couple of weeks against the top teams in the comp. They have the side to run the Bulls off their feet again but the key will be if they can be disciplined enough to limit the Bull's chances. The Bulls also have a nasty trend of having one foot on the plane before the last game on tour.

In saying that the Force have not been great at closing out the tight ones. Hope they got a bit of confidence out of the win last week.

 

[barbarian]

Dunno what happened to Blou?, bliksem I have to fight his battles for him, leave me out here all alone.

Haha think he is in hiding Paarl. Struggling to cope after 4 years of dominance, now forced to suffer the indignity of a loss to the once-lowly Reds...

 

[ChargerWA]

In danger of getting ahead of myself here, by my calcs, if the Force won with a bonus point and the Rebels lost, the Force would jump to 3rd spot on the Australian table. Though highly unlikely, it would almost come as a bit of a shock considering how unsucessful the campaign has been so far this year.

 

[Brumbies Guy]

In danger of getting ahead of myself here, by my calcs, if the Force won with a bonus point and the Rebels lost, the Force would jump to 3rd spot on the Australian table. Though highly unlikely, it would almost come as a bit of a shock considering how unsucessful the campaign has been so far this year.

.. And if they don't the Brumbies (you would assume a Blues win this weekend) will go to outright 3rd; now there's an unsucessful campaign for you.

 

[PaarlBok]

Bulls: 15 Zane Kircher, 14 Bjorn Basson, 13 Jaco Pretorius, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield (capt), 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Dean Greyling.

Substitutes: 16 Gary Botha, 17 Rossouw de Klerk, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Danie Rossouw, 20 Derick Kuun, 21 Jaco van der Westhuyzen, 22 Stephan Dippenaar.

 

[DPK]

Haha think he is in hiding Paarl. Struggling to cope after 4 years of dominance, now forced to suffer the indignity of a loss to the once-lowly Reds...

2 years in a row!

 

[tranquility]

Dunno what happened to Blou?, bliksem I have to fight his battles for him, leave me out here all alone.

ha ha. keep fighting the good fight, it is appreciated from my corner.

 

[Blue]

Haha think he is in hiding Paarl. Struggling to cope after 4 years of dominance, now forced to suffer the indignity of a loss to the once-lowly Reds...

Not so fast.

Work has sadly taken over my life and there is no end in sight. I haven't even seen the last three Super 15 rounds which must be some kind of record for me.

I resigned myself to a mid table finish for the Bulls at the beginning of the year and I think that will more or less hold true.

Without quoting myself I cited age and an outdated game plan as well as skills limitations.

It pains me less to see us lose than it does to see an apparent inability to change anything.

The selection of Dippenaar at 13 for the Bulls to me 100% sums up where Bulls rugby finds itself. If that is the quality of outside back we have as backup then we are in dire straits. I reckon I can take this guy over 30m. Bum knee and all.

No indignity in losing to this Reds team. They are the second best team in the comp by some margin.

PS I am more concerned about the Stormer's inconsistent form and capitulation against the Reds. That does not bode well for SA rugby.

 

[Blue]

2 years in a row!

Last year I felt we still had a lot left in the tank and were beaten at the end of a long tour and knew we would go back to Pretoria and ride the thing home. This year I have a feeling that was about as well as we can play and there are many teams better than that.

Like I said, it all happens in cycles and we have had our tiem in the sun. Now we have to rebuild and its time to see if the management and coaches can find, manage, and coach a new crop of talent.

I am mentally prepared for a few years if pain.

 

[The Mayor of Perth]

It doesn't matter what the Force accomplish this week, Brumbies will go to third with 4 points for the bye [with the Blues to stitch up Rebels in North Harbour].

 

[Newb]

they're sticking to their guns anyways. haven't changed the team much this entire year besides the occasional resting. but to be honest i don't know who they would bring in or if there are any young up-and-comers in the system.

i might give flip more time though. but that's not a game plan changer.

 

[The Mayor of Perth]

Bulls: 15 Zane Kircher, 14 Bjorn Basson, 13 Jaco Pretorius, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield (capt), 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Dean Greyling.

Substitutes: 16 Gary Botha, 17 Rossouw de Klerk, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Danie Rossouw, 20 Derick Kuun, 21 Jaco van der Westhuyzen, 22 Stephan Dippenaar.

It would take much longer to get a team list out of them at the start of a tour. They really do want to go home!

 

[Blue]

It would take much longer to get a team list out of them at the start of a tour. They really do want to go home!

So announcing a team early in the week has a subliminal message?

You're talking shit.

 

[ChargerWA]

It doesn't matter what the Force accomplish this week, Brumbies will go to third with 4 points for the bye [with the Blues to stitch up Rebels in North Harbour].

I'm pretty sure it is currently:

Rebels 18
Brumbies 17
Force 16

If the force win with a bonus point, they will overtake the brumbies by virtue of having the same amount of wins and one draw. Either way, it's purely academic. The other big question in this equasion? How lightly are the Blues taking the Rebels? This could be an ambush of epic proportions if the Blues come in half asleep, the way they finished the Tahs game. The Rebels have the ability to turn it on when least expected.