Force v Bulls. Perthfontein.

[PaarlBok]

Brute team for saturdays clash
The Vodacom Bulls team (with Super caps) is:

Zane Kirchner (31), Gerhard van den Heever (9), Jaco Pretorius (22), Wynand Olivier (62), Francois Hougaard (8), Mornè Steyn (63), Fourie du Preez (90), Pierre Spies (46), Dewald Potgieter (22), Deon Stegmann (30), Victor Matfield (100), Danie Rossouw (93), Werner Kruger (33), Gary Botha (64), Gurthrö Steenkamp.

Replacements: Bandise Maku (12), Bees Roux (21), Flip van der Merwe (11), Derick Kuün (47), Jacques-Louis Potgieter (22), Jaco van der Westhuyzen (48), Pedrie Wannenburg (103).

Notables:


It will be the first time ever that the Bulls have two centurions (Victor Matfield and Pedrie Wannenburg) in the match 22.
Matfield will lead the Bulls for the 52nd time in Super Rugby, equaling Cornè Krige (Stormers) record in this regard.
All of the Bulls backline have scored tries in 2010.
Mornè Steyn was the first player to score 100 points in the 2010 competition. He has scored 106 points so far and 600 in Super Rugby.
Werner Kruger scored the last of his 3 Super 14 tries against the Western Force last year.
12 players were also involved in the Bulls last visit to Perth, which the Force won 15-14.

 

[Langthorne]

That looks a decent Bulls team - the Force should just shade them given the unfamiliar low altitude stadium.

 

[Blue]

That looks a decent Bulls team - the Force should just shade them given the unfamiliar low altitude stadium.

If the Force win the stadium and lack of altitude will have nothing to do with it.

Travel will and the Force might be more enthusiastic.

 

[waratahjesus]

i think after last weeks big effort without reward the force may struggle to back it up. would be awesome for everyone if they could put a dent in the bulls and knock em a bit towards the pack but i just cant see the bulls losing to anyone at the moment even away from home.

 

[spectator]

Love to see the Force win this, but it will be a massive ask.

 

[Ash]

I can't see how the Force could win it. Bulls would need to turn up thinking they've already won.

 

[Grandmaster Flash]

Apparently Sheehan, Wykes and Tyrell are out of the Bulls game (Tyrell out for season, needs neck surgery) and Staniforth is in doubt.

 

[RugbyReg]

shees

 

[Godfrey]

I actually think the Western Force are going to sneak up on the Bulls and win this one. I think the score will be 15-20 points to 3 or 6 at halftime to the force, with the game tensing up with a final victory of 33 to 28.

 

[Newb]

Apparently Sheehan, Wykes and Tyrell are out of the Bulls game (Tyrell out for season, needs neck surgery) and Staniforth is in doubt.

they need some kind of voo doo doctor to come in and take the curse off the place. this is getting out of hand.

 

[Hawko]

Other teams have been hit by injury, but never like this. Its worse than the Reds having to use second grade props a couple of years ago.

 

[Lance Free]

Horror injury run continues with Tyrrell (season) and Wykes out. Sheehan and Staniforth subject to fitness tests.

Haig Sare is back on the bench with youngster Ted Postal. Postal is another Nudgee College product (First XV last few years). Peter Frampton dropped.

Emirates Western Force v BULLS

Saturday, 27 March, 2010

ME Bank Stadium, Perth

Kick-off: 7.10pm AWST 10.10 AEST 9.10 BrisVegas

Nic Henderson
Ben Whittaker
Tim Fairbrother
Tom Hockings
Nathan Sharpe (c)
Ben McCalman
Matt Hodgson
Richard Stanford
Brett Sheehan
David Hill
Mitch Inman
James O’Connor
Ryan Cross
Scott Staniforth
Mark Bartholomeusz

Reserves

Pek Cowan
Kieran Longbottom
Luke Jones
Ted Postal
Chris O’Young
Sam Harris
Haig Sare

Unavailable: David Pocock (finger), Richard Brown (shoulder), Cameron Shepherd (thigh), Andre Pretorius (hamstring), Matt Dunning (concussion), Ryan Tyrrell (neck), Sam Wykes (thigh), Dane Haylett-Petty (ankle), Joelin Rapana (hand), Jono Jenkins (ankle)

 

[Viking]

Pocock is a bloody tough man on the rugby feild. But seriously why does he have to be out of the comp for so long with a bloody FINGER injury. The force need some strength n some spark asap. Surely after a week or two u can strap the bloody thing and play just as good.

 

[PaarlBok]

Unavailable: David Pocock (finger), Richard Brown (shoulder), Cameron Shepherd (thigh), Andre Pretorius (hamstring), Matt Dunning (concussion), Ryan Tyrrell (neck), Sam Wykes (thigh), Dane Haylett-Petty (ankle), Joelin Rapana (hand), Jono Jenkins (ankle)

Which ones will be ready next week against the Stormers?

 

[Lance Free]

Unavailable: David Pocock (finger), Richard Brown (shoulder), Cameron Shepherd (thigh), Andre Pretorius (hamstring), Matt Dunning (concussion), Ryan Tyrrell (neck), Sam Wykes (thigh), Dane Haylett-Petty (ankle), Joelin Rapana (hand), Jono Jenkins (ankle)

Which ones will be ready next week against the Stormers?

Paarl - of the First XV players maybe Dunning, Wykes and/or Haylett-Petty.

They said about 3 weeks for Pocock and Brown, Shepherd longer as his injury isn't responsing that well to treatment. Pretorius, Tyrrell and Jenkins injuries are season ending.

 

[PaarlBok]

Unavailable: David Pocock (finger), Richard Brown (shoulder), Cameron Shepherd (thigh), Andre Pretorius (hamstring), Matt Dunning (concussion), Ryan Tyrrell (neck), Sam Wykes (thigh), Dane Haylett-Petty (ankle), Joelin Rapana (hand), Jono Jenkins (ankle)

Which ones will be ready next week against the Stormers?

Paarl - of the First XV players maybe Dunning, Wykes and/or Haylett-Petty.

They said about 3 weeks for Pocock and Brown, Shepherd longer as his injury isn't responsing that well to treatment. Pretorius, Tyrrell and Jenkins injuries are season ending.

Dankie Lance. The Stormers should know the names (warmup matches) better but a lot of new stock these days.

 

[Reddy!]

I can't stand professional sports players who are always injured. Ideally if you were running a professional sporting team you would sack players with injuries longer than 6 weeks. Sport is a tough business and unfortunately Australia's talent pool isn't that big.

 

[PaarlBok]

I can't stand professional sports players who are always injured. Ideally if you were running a professional sporting team you would sack players with injuries longer than 6 weeks. Sport is a tough business and unfortunately Australia's talent pool isn't that big.

Boet you sound like a person that havent played much rugby. Its a contact sport and breaking a collarbone takes 6 weeks just to mend. 6 weeks without practise , so make it two weeks just to get conditioned. Playing with injuries is like asking for kak and may leave career effects in the head.

Always a very good option to play with 15 fit and strong players compare to playing with stars , half fit, or with minor injuries.

That talent pool thing can be correct, get yourself a Vodacom Cup running the same time would be my geuss.

 

[Godfrey]

I can't stand professional sports players who are always injured. Ideally if you were running a professional sporting team you would sack players with injuries longer than 6 weeks. Sport is a tough business and unfortunately Australia's talent pool isn't that big.

Boet you sound like a person that havent played much rugby. Its a contact sport and breaking a collarbone takes 6 weeks just to mend. 6 weeks without practise , so make it two weeks just to get conditioned. Playing with injuries is like asking for kak and may leave career effects in the head.

Always a very good option to play with 15 fit and strong players compare to playing with stars , half fit, or with minor injuries.

That talent pool thing can be correct, get yourself a Vodacom Cup running the same time would be my geuss.

Agreed, bit of a silly thing to say. So the solution to having people out for 7 weeks is to have them out forever? I don't think it's anyone's decision to get injured. The most well conditioned and prepared athlete can get severely injured just running along a pitch, let alone into a 120kg forward who wants to rip his head off. I personally applaud coaches who allow players to fully recover rather than force them into a situation where the injury could be made worse or permanent.

 

[Brumby Jack]

Bulls up 7-0 after camping inthe Force 22 for 9 minutes