Force v Hurricanes Super Rugby R3 2012

[GaffaCHinO]

So this Friday is the first chance for the Sea of Blue to cheer on the Force when they go up against the Hurricanes who are on their way back from a 2 game tour in SA.

The Force have had 2 disappointing losses on the road and will be looking to get their season on track.

Force Coach RG has a few players coming back from injury (Sheppard, Wykes, Brown) and look as though Seymour will get his first run on start with the form he showed in the latter part of the game against the reds.

What team do we want to see from the Force and how do we think the Hurricanes will go?

I think the Force will get up against a tiring team just looking to get home.

Force by 10.

 

[Ruggo]

This could be a tough night for the Force. The Canes are the suprise packet in the comp this year.

 

[Shiggins]

The canes are always hard to beat but if the force can reduce handing errors they will be in for a good chance. 37 degrees on Friday and 38 on sat so it's going to probably be a warm night.

I would like to see Seymour get a chance or at least some good game time. He looks ok last week but didn't really see his defense much. He did seam to get the ball wider more often. Love to see Sheps on the Wing and cummins in 13.
Wykes should get a start on last years form.


Http://www.youtube.com/shiggins316

 

[Waylon]

As Quade Cooper said pre Reds V Force......."I can't see how the Force will score a try. With what they did last year and so far this year, they have nothing"

The Force will leak plenty, struggle to score any and pray their goal kicker will be on target to keep them in the contest

The Force have been woeful in attack

A home crowd might inspire?

 

[Moono75]

As Quade Cooper said pre Reds V Force......."I can't see how the Force will score a try. With what they did last year and so far this year, they have nothing"

The Force will leak plenty, struggle to score any and pray their goal kicker will be on target to keep them in the contest

The Force have been woeful in attack

A home crowd might inspire?

A more dynamic halves pairing of Seymour and Stannard may just free up the backline. The team looked better against the Reds in what were bad conditions. Nalaga is going to come good, he's still working into the team. Mafi is looking for work and is a shifty runner. Cummins may be best moved into the centres with Dellit and give Shep a run on the other wing. I see improvement. Settle the team selections and let the combinations develop. I'll do my best to get the boys home at NIB on Friday. Go the Force.

 

[Moono75]

This could be a tough night for the Force. The Canes are the suprise packet in the comp this year.

Beauden Barrett looks a good prospect for the Canes. The Force don't want to give him too many penalty attempts.

 

[Hawko]

The Force are not going to get too many better chances to post a win this year. The Canes will come last in the NZ franchise, they've just had two hard games in SA, will have to overcome W-E jetlag and are still playing away. Some of the Force injury problems look to be resolving and Mafi has been a revelation. All they need is for the team to lift dramatically and for the backs to spend a bit of time training together on catch and pass drills.

 

[Shiggins]

As Quade Cooper said pre Reds V Force......."I can't see how the Force will score a try. With what they did last year and so far this year, they have nothing"

The Force will leak plenty, struggle to score any and pray their goal kicker will be on target to keep them in the contest

The Force have been woeful in attack

A home crowd might inspire?

u just described the reds and the force. We scored 2 try's as did the reds. Penalties in a kickable position were the difference on the night.

Our backline looked a lot shaper in the second half and a mile better then the game against the brumbies. And this was in wet conditions.

The force do very well considering the backline we have. Not 1 wallaby in the backline.


Http://www.youtube.com/shiggins316

 

[Moono75]

I hope RG doesn't bump Mafi out of fullback to give Shep a run. Mafi has been a great contributor so far this year and I'd like to see him settle into a position rather than being chopped around. Bring Shep off the bench or try him on the wing with Cummins into the centres. Will be interested to see the Force selections and if RG makes the call and starts Seymour.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Emirates Western Force coach Richard Graham has added significant experience and class to his line-up for the club’s first home match of 2012 with the inclusion of Wallabies capped pair Richard Brown and Cameron Shepherd as well as emerging star Sam Wykes.

Graham has made four changes to his 22 man squad for Friday’s clash against the Hurricanes at nib Stadium with exciting young halfback Justin Turner joining the returning Brown, Shepherd and Wykes.

Brown, who has been itching to get back onto the field after shoulder surgery in the off-season, will start in the six jersey with Matt Hodgson moving into No8 to replace Ben McCalman who has been ruled out of the game with a shoulder injury.

“Richard was really diligent with his rehabilitation and has been back training for some time. He was able to get some match practise last weekend with the Perth Gold side and we are confident he’ll be a strong contributor in the backrow,” Coach Richard Graham said.

Local West Australian prop Kieran Longbottom has made a straight swap with Pek Cowan to move into the starting loosehead spot while Rory Sidey has been recalled to the run-on XV and will play alongside Patrick Dellit in a big centre pairing.

Shepherd, the club’s all-time leading try scorer, will give the Emirates Western Force not only a quality attacking option but his long range kicking and ability to read the game will be an added bonus.

“I felt as though Cameron’s communication and organisation would be important for the side and certainly assist James Stannard in the playmaker role,” Graham said.

After a fortnight on the road the Emirates Western Force will step out in front of their home fans for the first time in 2012 and, after mixed results in WA over the last few seasons, are determined to make the ground a fortress.

There is also further motivation with inspirational second rower Nathan Sharpe set to play his 150th FxPro Super Rugby match, the first person in history to achieve the mark.

“Whilst Sharpie isn’t one to talk about or highlight those milestones, he has been very important for the organisation since day one of the Emirates Western Force and I think people will want to come and support him,” Graham said.

“The players are aware of the milestone. We talked about it in one of our team meetings just to recognise the fact. The players have a lot of respect for Sharpie and I’m sure are motivated to do well for him and Sharpie is certainly motivated to do well for us as a group.

“Turning our performances into winning form at home is something that we’ve needed to address and we’ve certainly targeted that this year. The sides that are most successful are the ones that do well at home and this Friday night is a really important game for us,” Graham said.

2012 FxPro Super Rugby – Week 3
Emirates Western Force v Hurricanes
Friday, 9 March 2012 at nib Stadium
Kick-off 7.05pm AWST

1.Kieran Longbottom
2.Nathan Charles
3.Salesi Ma'afu
4.Toby Lynn
5.Nathan Sharpe
6.Richard Brown
7.David Pocock (Captain)
8.Matt Hodgson
9.Brett Sheehan
10.James Stannard
11.Napolioni Nalaga
12.Rory Sidey
13.Patrick Dellit
14.Nick Cummins
15.Cameron Shepherd
Reserves
16.Ben Whittaker
17.Pek Cowan
18.Sam Wykes
19.Angus Cottrell
20.Justin Turner
21.Ben Seymour
22.Alfie Mafi
http://www.westernforce.com.au/NewsEvents/NewsArticles/tabid/905/ArticleID/5630/Default.aspx

 

[Ash]

Stanley dropped? Think Sidey is limited at 12 - he's a 13. It's a bit like when Herbert was forced to play some 12.

Mafi damn unlucky, I think.

Good to see Wykes back. If McCalman comes back soon too, then that is a much stronger bench than what they put out vs the Reds. Getting very close to a full strength Force team, once McCalman returns.

 

[tigerland12]

Some poor selections there.

 

[sonny crockett]

Whats doing with Willie Tupou over there?

 

[Moono75]

RG obviously not listening to my coaching. Mafi very unluckly to be dropped to the bench, though I doubt Shep will run out the game.

 

[Lee Grant]

Hurricanes:
1. Ben May,2. Dane Coles,3. Jeffery Toomaga-Allen,4. Jeremy Thrush,5. Jason Eaton,6. Faifili Levave,7. Jack Lam,8. Victor Vito,9. TJ Perenara,10. Beauden Barrett,11. Julian Savea,12. Tim Bateman,13. Conrad Smith (c),14. Cory Jane,15. Andre Taylor

Replacements :16. Motu Matu’u,17. Michael Bent,18. James Broadhurst,19. Brad Shields,20. Chris Eaton,21. Daniel Kirkpatrick,22. Charlie Ngatai

 

[qwerty51]

The Force have conceded their tries through the backline, they better fix that up because that's a very dangerous Canes backline.

 

[Hawko]

Graham does not seem to watch the matches that the Force play. Mafi has been on fire, the two centres have been next to hopeless in both games and Nalaga has hardly seen the ball. Solution? Sack Mafi, rotate the centres who have been so poor and leave the rest of the backline as-is.

He does not have a lot of class players in the backline to choose from. To get the best he has on the field he needs to select: 15. Mafi, 14. Shepherd, 13. Cummins, 12. Dellit, 11. Nalaga, 10. Stannard. Swap Mafi and Shepherd if you wish but I think Mafi's done more than enough to hold 15. The rest can make up one spot on the bench, choose your poison.

Graham does not know how to coach to win, just how to not lose too badly. This game is set up for the Force to win. The Hurricanes are the worst team in the NZ conference, they are on their third road-trip game, they will have W-E jet lag after two hard games in SA - they will be ripe for the picking.

The best thing the Force board could do is offer Phil Blake the job immediately and hope he accepts.

 

[ChargerWA]

He does not have a lot of class players in the backline to choose from. To get the best he has on the field he needs to select: 15. Mafi, 14. Shepherd, 13. Cummins, 12. Dellit, 11. Nalaga, 10. Stannard. Swap Mafi and Shepherd if you wish but I think Mafi's done more than enough to hold 15. The rest can make up one spot on the bench, choose your poison.

Agree completely with that backline.

Just when you think the Canes have been ravaged by losing Weepu and Nonu, you see the list and remember that they still have Vito, Conrad Smith and Corey Jane.

And poor old Hodgson, he must feel like a piece in the kids game where you have to drop the right shaped block into the hole, but he finds himself in game where the round block is already in place so they alternate between jamming him on the hexagon and square.

 

[Nipper]

Graham does not seem to watch the matches that the Force play. Mafi has been on fire, the two centres have been next to hopeless in both games and Nalaga has hardly seen the ball. Solution? Sack Mafi, rotate the centres who have been so poor and leave the rest of the backline as-is.

He does not have a lot of class players in the backline to choose from. To get the best he has on the field he needs to select: 15. Mafi, 14. Shepherd, 13. Cummins, 12. Dellit, 11. Nalaga, 10. Stannard. Swap Mafi and Shepherd if you wish but I think Mafi's done more than enough to hold 15. The rest can make up one spot on the bench, choose your poison.

Graham does not know how to coach to win, just how to not lose too badly. This game is set up for the Force to win. The Hurricanes are the worst team in the NZ conference, they are on their third road-trip game, they will have W-E jet lag after two hard games in SA - they will be ripe for the picking.

The best thing the Force board could do is offer Phil Blake the job immediately and hope he accepts.

Couldn't agree more, Hawko. I would just put Sheehan to pasture, and use Turner & Stannard at 9 and bring in Seymour in the 2nd half. Looked much better in the 2nd half of the Reds match with the Stannard-Seymour pairing. Seymour's still a little green to throw him a start, though.

 

[SuperGrover]

And poor old Hodgson, he must feel like a piece in the kids game where you have to drop the right shaped block into the hole, but he finds himself in game where the round block is already in place so they alternate between jamming him on the hexagon and square.

I really don't understand this one. Surely Brown is an easy enough straight swap for McCalman. Richard Graham has created two positional changes out of one. Some trick.