Force v Waratahs Friday April 13th

[Moono75]

I can't believe people equate hard at the breakdown as being boring, cynical, negative play. Its part of the game, has always been part of the game, I love it. If you just want a running spectacle maybe you should have watched the Stawell Gift over the Easter weekend or you can become a fulltime 7's rugby or league follower.

Contesting the breakdown is one of the reasons the All Blacks have held the Bledisloe for so long. Gotta harden up Australian rugby.

On the team front some talk Nalaga maybe not over the rolled ankle?

 

[What2040]

Tahs (on paper) should win BUT IMO Force by 5

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I can't believe people equate hard at the breakdown as being boring, cynical, negative play. Its part of the game, has always been part of the game, I love it. If you just want a running spectacle maybe you should have watched the Stawell Gift over the Easter weekend or you can become a fulltime 7's rugby or league follower.

Contesting the breakdown is one of the reasons the All Blacks have held the Bledisloe for so long. Gotta harden up Australian rugby.

On the team front some talk Nalaga maybe not over the rolled ankle?

Why not have both?

I love hard, gritty forward play with the ball being given some air. It's the contrast that makes our game so great.

 

[Moono75]

Force Team for Tahs clash

1. Pek Cowan
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. Ben Seymour
11. Alfie Mafi
12. Winston Stanley
13. Nick Cummins
14. Rory Sidey
15. David Harvey

Reserves
16. Elvis Taione
17. Kieran Longbottom
18. Phoenix Battye
19. Ben McCalman
20. Josh Holmes
21. Cameron Shepherd
22. Patrick Dellit

Sidey on the wing. RG thinking outside the square on that one!

 

[rugbysmartarse]

I can't believe people equate hard at the breakdown as being boring, cynical, negative play. Its part of the game, has always been part of the game, I love it. If you just want a running spectacle maybe you should have watched the Stawell Gift over the Easter weekend or you can become a fulltime 7's rugby or league follower.

hard gritty forward play isn't boring, kicking the ball away to try to force errors is boring.

 

[ChargerWA]

If this thread was a horse, the vet would be pulling out the 12Ga right about now....

 

[wamberal]

Sidey would be the second slowest winger ever in a Super Rugby team.


Turinui, of course, takes the booby prize. Great selection, Link, especially when you had Lachie Turner waiting on the sideline for his first game, and the opposite winger was Habana.

 

[tranquility]

When is Nalaga back? He would be very handy is helping the lads score some meat pies.

 

[Shiggins]

Go on about it, I replied to you talking bout it. Isn't that discussion?

boooo
Haha


Http://www.youtube.com/shiggins316

 

[todd4]

He'll be right to go in two weeks after the bye. His ankle injury has healed but according to RG he has not done enough running work as yet.

 

[Shiggins]

When is Nalaga back? He would be very handy is helping the lads score some meat pies.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-12/force-winger-nalaga-held-back/3946116/?site=perth&section=news

Western Force winger Napolioni Nalaga will have to wait at least two more weeks before making his Super Rugby return, with the Fijian ruled out of Friday night's clash with the Waratahs in Perth.
Force coach Richard Graham has made just one change to the side that lost 20-12 to the Chiefs last week, replacing injured winger Samu Wara (hamstring) with Rory Sidey.
Nalaga has missed the past four games with an ankle injury, but Graham was confident the 26-year-old would be ready to go after the Force's bye next week.
"He's actually run pretty strongly this week, to be fair. But given he's been out for four weeks, I was just concerned he hasn't done the work running," Graham said on Thursday.
"Given that we've got another eight games to go post this week, I want to make sure that he's fit and healthy for those.
"I've got a good understanding of how his rehab is going and how hard he's working but, at this point in time, I've got a bigger picture in mind."
Full-back Cameron Shepherd will make his return from an adductor strain via the bench in a game the Force are desperate to win to keep pace with their Australian rivals.
The Force (12 points) sit last in the Australian conference, but are just seven points adrift of the ladder-leading Brumbies, who have already had their bye.
The Waratahs, who had their bye last week, are equal second with the Queensland Reds on 17 points.


Http://www.youtube.com/shiggins316

 

[qwerty51]

Poor guy swapping Clermont for the Force

 

[spectator]

I can see the Tah's roasting the Force in this game, hope I'm wrong.

 

[Moono75]

You guys are forgetting our secret weapon! Were going to unleash some Cam Shepherd on you in the second half......he's coming for your Tahs! I hear he's already at the ground, dressed and ready to go, wrapped in cotton wool and not to be disturbed until 2 minutes before kickoff at which time he will be wheeled out and unpacked for action.

 

[Brumbies Guy]

Sidey would be the second slowest winger ever in a Super Rugby team.


Turinui, of course, takes the booby prize. Great selection, Link, especially when you had Lachie Turner waiting on the sideline for his first game, and the opposite winger was Habana.

Mortlock hands down these days

 

[Forcefield]

Would anyone else like to see Bernard Foley play 10? Berrick Barnes to 12. Adam Ashley Cooper to 15. Or at least not wasted on the wing.

 

[MrMouse]

Mortlock hands down these days

Given that Snorky isn't either a) playing or b) a winger, your statement is factually accurate and inaccurate all at once...

Let's say that, hypothetically, he could drag his carcass on to the pitch, and got subbed in as a winger late in the game. I definitely agree that in that scenario he would become the slowest winger ever in Super Rugby.

Unless you count Matt Dunning/Tai McIsaac seagulling. Actually, maybe even then.

 

[Brumbies Guy]

Given that Snorky isn't either a) playing or b) a winger, your statement is factually accurate and inaccurate all at once...

Ignoring he started as a winger, he played on the wing his whole last season with the Brumbies, and some of his rare game time with the Rebels has been on the wing. When he's back fit I can't see him ever displacing Inmann, and Mitchell would be my next pick, so I'd dare say we'll see him on the wing again this year at some stage.

.. And he's slooooow. I don't think the statment was inaccurate at all. The original post didn't mention anything about currently playing.

 

[waratahjesus]

Would anyone else like to see Bernard Foley play 10? Berrick Barnes to 12. Adam Ashley Cooper to 15. Or at least not wasted on the wing.

For the last three or four seasons, every time Tommy Carter hasn't been on the field the Tahs have had less chance of winning.

If we had another winger, it would be nice (on current form) to drop Horne to the bench, bring AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to 13 and allow him to swap with Foley at points in the game to give us that extra playmaker. We used to do this with Beale and Mitchell somewhat and I prefer it better than having two playmakers.

I believe the double playmaker role works better in test matches were defenses are faster coming up and ut creates space whikesuper rugby is much more about advantage line in close as defenses don't move up as fast but rather set and wait a bit more.

 

[Langthorne]

I have no time for complaints about the style of play the Force choose to adopt. They are playing to win in whatever manner they see fit. I have enjoyed watching them this season. Against the Reds, for instance, Sheehan and Cummins absolutely carved up. I'm also enjoying Harvey and Seymour.

The Waratahs should be beating the Force, no matter what the Force do. The problem is that the Waratahs sometimes seem to enter these matches without the requisite intensity. It seems like they are not giving their opposition sufficient respect.

Play like they did against the Rebels, Highlanders, Sharks or Chiefs and the Waratahs will win. Play like they did against the Reds and well, the Force, and they won't. In any case, it is not the job of the Force to roll over for us.