Force vs B&I Lions - Wed. 5 Jun

[I like to watch]

Foley's priority is obviously to improve on last year.
They have won the same number of games,with the same BP as last year.
They are currently third last(compared to second last in 2012) but are not clear of the last 2 teams.
Avoiding the wooden spoon, and finishing higher on the table with more wins is his priority.He has 2 games in hand,and will be desperate for a point of any description for bragging rights.
Had the Lions also toured last year and FLOGGED them,we may well have seen a different attitude.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I think we might be taking this a little seriously, lads. Comparisons to amateur teams and eras are probably a little irrelevant because none of those teams had the pressures that a bloke coaching a pro team for a living has.

Let's face it, we were never any chance to beat these blokes. As I said earlier, if the Force first XV can't beat other provincial teams then what hope would it have against the cream of the home unions? The first choice backline would have been hopelessly outclassed against the likes of Halfpenny, BOD and North (the pack should go alright though). The team we put out there tomorrow night Will. Not. Matter.

 

[brokendown]

most of us are going to watch the LIONS--we all want a competitive game ,but to suggest the Force is a team full of reserves is just rubbish

 

[lewisr]

Let's face it, we were never any chance to beat these blokes. As I said earlier, if the Force first XV can't beat other provincial teams then what hope would it have against the cream of the home unions?

They beat the Crusaders (at home), beat the reds (at suncorp) and tied with the reds (at home). I wouldn't be writing them off..... they seem to rise to the occasion and could cause an upset.

 

[gel]

So, the tah fans here are telling the force fans what their team should prioritise?

Wow, what arrogance. Pathetic.

Go force!!!

 

[qwerty51]

Yes the Tahs fans here are saying the Force should play a full strength side against us. And you're still criticising us..

 

[lewisr]

So, the tah fans here are telling the force fans what their team should prioritise?

Wow, what arrogance. Pathetic.

Don't know if this is meant to be a joke but there are reds fans doing it too... and other super rugby fans... I usually agree with your comments, gel, but not this one.

This is a public forum where people are meant to voice their opinions. Sometimes we seem to forget that...

 

[gel]

You know how much the Force will get out of pleasing me, or the tahs fans, or the rebels fans?

Zip.

Nothing.

Nil.

You know how much they will get out of pleasing their fans? Continued allegiance and a strengthening of their fan base.

Have you guys gone to NIB to watch a game? It's friggen electric what their crowd can generate when their team gets a roll on (yes, I was there last year when we got spanked, and while I was pretty disappointed it was fantastic to experience that Force crowd getting into what was happening on the field).

Having a real crack at a recently arrived lions outfit that have played one game together and travelled halfway around the planet in less than a week is something some of the Force fans here say they want.

The usual suspects turn up in this thread and tell them they are wrong. The same way they turn up in every thread and tell people they're wrong. All the friggen time.

It's fine for people to have an opinion, but the continued, repeated onslaught that Qwerty and co have displayed here is beyond ridiculous.

 

[qwerty51]

You're missing the point. If the Force played a full strength here, they can't play one against the Tahs right? This match, no matter what side the Force put out was always going to be one sided. The Tahs game is very winnable, especially since the Tahs are missing 12 front line players! I think the Force crowd will get more excitement beating the Tahs than watching a one sided contest. You put your best team forward to win the Super Rugby game.

 

[jay-c]

i honestly believe that a full strength force team who have developed combinations week in week out over several years in the toughest rugby competition in the world could had beaten the lions (keep in mind this is not the team we will see for the tests) in their first competitive game together (hk was a glorified training run).
all northern hemisphere teams struggle with the pace of southern hemisphere rugby and the force play a particularly disruptive game to the traditional 'ball playing' teams of the comp> think crusaders/reds
people cannot compare amateur teams of the past with a battle hardened full strength s15 team, they can however compare lions teams of the past.
there can be no doubt about it: foley is throwing this game to give himself the best chance of beating his old team, people can argue how important finishing 13th or 14th overall is as much as they want and debate the merit in winning a game that will have no impact on either teams chances of winning a trophy till the cows come home but in my opinion foley is doing the force, their supporters and australian rugby fans in general a great disservice in the pursuit of a personal goal. he is the coach and he makes the final decisions- no excuses

 

[Forcefield]

I think you are wrong Qwerty. Plenty of teams worse than the Force have pushed the Lions close. I reckon if the Force put out their A team it would be closer than you think. I don't think the Lions would play well if the pressure of an organised team was applied to them. The Force have a habit of being other teams down to our level. I'm not saying we'd win, but I reckon we'd be in it until the final 20 minutes.

 

[jay-c]

the s15 is the toughest, fastest, hardest rugby comp in the world
the force players play it week in week out
combinations and the ability to play as a team in both attack and defense cannot be underestimated> consider for a moment the recent barbarian games many of which would have been without a doubt on paper far superior teams to this lions teams and yet they fall more often than not having only won 6 of their 17 last tests since 2008 to teams with settled combinations. (dont bother counting the hk game as no southern hemisphere test level players played.

 

[qwerty51]

You're playing Test players, not just any Test players, the cream of the lot. They've played harder, faster, tougher rugby than any non-Test Force players have.

 

[gel]

You're missing the point

No, I got it the very first time you wrote it. And the second time and the third.

That's MY point.

 

[ChargerWA]

Do those who are suggesting we couldn't beat the lions also suggest when we play the top S15 teams we should just run out the Cottesloe U9's and keep our powder dry for when we play a team we can "beat"?

Run out your best team and chance your arm. If we had knocked off the Lions I could bet 4 days later the boys would be so pumped about what they could achieve they would take it to the Tahs also. It could have been a turning point in our franchise history. What Foley has done is gutless. He has taken the easy option and is going to try and beat up a depleted Tahs outfit. I have no respect for that.

Foley out.

 

[Dam0]

You're playing Test players, not just any Test players, the cream of the lot. They've played harder, faster, tougher rugby than any non-Test Force players have.

And when Hawkes Bay beat them in 1993, they did so from the second division of the NPC. Not only did they not have any test players, they didn't even have any players that would have made a Super Rugby team (had that competition existed at the time). Any team that is playing for the first time together is vulnerable against a well-drilled and fired up unit that is hell bent on causing havoc.

The Force have beaten the Crusaders and Reds this year, should have beaten the Chiefs and Hurricanes and are no mugs, particularly if the game gets scrappy and a bit of a free for all at the breakdown. The referee is known to be a bit of a home-town ref and one that tends to be a bit laissez faire when it comes to the breakdown. With a big crowd to inspire them, I would have given the Force every chance of doing very well, which would do mountains more the club than a meaningless game to decide how badly they finish last in the Australian Super conference. If the Force win this game people will be talking about the result for years - Munster fans still rabbit on about 1978 - whilst if they beat the Waratahs on Sunday, people might remember the result on Monday - but then again they might not.

 

[qwerty51]

1993 is not 2013.

 

[Dam0]

1993 is not 2013.

What's your point?

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Turns our Godwin has a injury thats why he wasnt selected


http://m.watoday.com.au/rugby-union...eet-that-lacks-real-force-20130604-2nodx.html

Shoukd be right by sun.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Tapatalk 2

 

[barbarian]

No, I got it the very first time you wrote it. And the second time and the third.

That's MY point.

The fact is that debate occurs on these boards. Arguments go back and forth, and people are entitled to restate their opinions in light of new posts and arguments.

I suggest you calm down a bit and join in the debate rather than having a needless dig at other posters.
.