Force vs Waratahs - Super Rugby R17 2013

[Braveheart81]

Whilst this game has no bearing on the finals, it will be an interesting game based on the two sides selected with the Tahs missing half their team and the Force playing against the Lions midweek.

Hard to know what team the Tahs might select but something like this is possible.

1. Tilse
2. Ulugia
3. Ryan
4. Atkins
5. Skelton
6. Holloway
7. McCutcheon
8. L Timani
9. McKibbin
10. Foley
11. Betham
12. Carter
13. Kingston
14. Mitchell
15. Crawford

16. Holmes
17. A Prop
18. A Lock
19. AJ Gilbert?
20. Hart
21. Hodge?
22. Volavola?

Volavola could potentially play fullback as well.

 

[I like to watch]

It says something, that with all the missing tahs, you list Volavola @ 22.
(Which I agree with)
I wonder what he has done wrong?
My perception was that he was going OK for a rookie.
Similar thing for Kingston,I thought he was travelling pretty good,and he also dropped off the match day roster.

 

[Rob42]

For both VV and Kingston, who would you have dropped? The back 3 has been strong for the Tahs, there's been some rotation on the wings but it would be hard to deny any those their place. Drop AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to the bench for Kingston? I guess AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) could use a break, but you couldn't say Kingston would be an upgrade. Both of these guys have been victims of our shocking lack of backline injuries this year.

 

[Braveheart81]

It says something, that with all the missing tahs, you list Volavola @ 22.
(Which I agree with)
I wonder what he has done wrong?
My perception was that he was going OK for a rookie.
Similar thing for Kingston,I thought he was travelling pretty good,and he also dropped off the match day roster.

I don't think Volavola has done much wrong. His opportunities just started decreasing when firstly the team started playing better and secondly Barnes came back from injury and took his spot on the bench.

Same goes for Kingston. He didn't really do anything to deserve to lose his spot. He was more just rotated out so someone else could get a go and they grasped it with both hands. At the start of the season when he was getting lots of game time, Betham wasn't healthy and Crawford hadn't had a look in.

It's more a case of other players stepping up than these guys falling away.

 

[bloodred]

Whilst this game has no bearing on the finals, it will be an interesting game based on the two sides selected with the Tahs missing half their team and the Force playing against the Lions midweek.

Hard to know what team the Tahs might select but something like this is possible.

1. Tilse
2. Ulugia
3. Ryan
4. Atkins
5. Skelton
6. Holloway
7. McCutcheon
8. L Timani
9. McKibbin
10. Foley
11. Betham
12. Carter
13. Kingston
14. Mitchell
15. Crawford

16. Holmes
17. A Prop
18. A Lock
19. AJ Gilbert?
20. Hart
21. Hodge?
22. Volavola?

Volavola could potentially play fullback as well.

Where is Matt Lucas? Has he fallen out of favour?

 

[Inside Shoulder]

It says something, that with all the missing tahs, you list Volavola @ 22.
(Which I agree with)
I wonder what he has done wrong?
My perception was that he was going OK for a rookie.
Similar thing for Kingston,I thought he was travelling pretty good,and he also dropped off the match day roster.

VV is too erratic.

 

[Braveheart81]

Where is Matt Lucas? Has he fallen out of favour?

Woops, Matt Lucas will be there.

Replace Hart on the bench with him.

 

[jay-c]

when do foley and lucas go to the 7s:>?
i thought they missed this game?

 

[Braveheart81]

when do foley and lucas go to the 7s:>?
i thought they missed this game?

They miss the Lions game.

I think that is it.

 

[Hawko]

Whilst this game has no bearing on the finals, it will be an interesting game based on the two sides selected with the Tahs missing half their team and the Force playing against the Lions midweek.

Hard to know what team the Tahs might select but something like this is possible.

1. Tilse 2. Ulugia 3. Ryan
4. Atkins 5. Skelton
6. Holloway 7. McCutcheon 8. L Timani
9. McKibbin 10. Foley
11. Betham 12. Carter 13. Kingston 14. Mitchell
15. Crawford

16. Holmes 17. A Prop 18. A Lock 19. AJ Gilbert?
20. Hart 21. Hodge? 22. Volavola?

Volavola could potentially play fullback as well.

A Prop and A Lock will be very interesting. The Force scrum will be pretty good, though every time Tilse has had to step up in situations like this he has never let us down. I expect their locks to really target Skelton and Atkins in the lineout. You'd think that one of these two might need to be swapped out before 80. With the amount of inexperience in the second row I would expect a lot of variation with Timani and Hollaway having to jump as well. Thank goodness Lopeti's hands are better than his brothers, though that's not saying much.

Until I remembered that Godwin was the Force 12, I thought I would switch Carter and Volavola at 12 to give us better creativity. But if you can bottle up Godwin you can stop the Force's backline attack stone dead and Carter is just the man to do that!

With all the injuries and Lions squad no-shows I expected the team to look a lot worse than it does. If we can hold them in the tight five then I think we are a chance to waltz over and around them in the backs with Foley, Mitchell, Betham and Crawford all in great form. We MUST retain the Cheika gameplan and play it well. If we do that it will be another poke in the eye for Michael Foley. I haven't forgotten last year, it will live long in my memory and the Force this year have been a slightly more successful version of the 2012 Tahs ie. bloody awful.

 

[Braveheart81]

Waratahs team

1. Jeremy Tilse (Sydney University, vice captain)
2. John Ulugia (Eastern Suburbs)
3. Paddy Ryan (Sydney University)
4. Will Skelton (Sydney University)
5. Ollie Atkins (Sydney University)*
6. Lopeti Timani (Southern Districts)
7. Pat McCutcheon (Sydney University, captain)
8. Jed Holloway (Southern Districts)
9. Brendan McKibbin (Eastern Suburbs)
10. Bernard Foley (Sydney University, vice captain)
11. Cam Crawford (Northern Suburbs)
12. Tom Carter (Sydney University)
13. Tom Kingston (Sydney University)
14. Peter Betham (Sydney University)
15. Drew Mitchell (Randwick)

Replacements from:Sam Talakai (Sydney University)**
Luke Holmes (Warringah)
Damien Fitzpatrick (Eastwood)
Richard Aho (Randwick)**
Adam Coleman (Parramatta)**
AJ Gilbert (Northern Suburbs)**
Matt Lucas (Manly)
Grayson Hart (Southern Districts)
Terrence Hepetema (Randwick)**
Ben Volavola (Southern Districts)

 

[rugbysmartarse]

Braveheart. nice work, you got the numbers wrong but the names right.

 

[No4918]

Force will struggle to beat Tahs B team.

 

[Grandmaster Flash]

Good to see Fitzpatrick's name back on the sheet. Has been playing any Shute Shield?

 

[Lee Grant]

It's a good thing that the Tahs can try out most of their likely team to play the Lions.

I can see why Foley picked the team for the Lions the way he did - keeping as many players as fresh as possible for the Tahs match, knowing that the Tahs would have a lot of players out.

Should be an interesting game. The main Tahs team always has a struggle getting a win in Perth; so I think the Force will win this one.

 

[Bessa]

I can see why Foley picked the team for the Lions the way he did - keeping as many players as fresh as possible for the Tahs match, knowing that the Tahs would have a lot of players out.

I don't agree....
Surely the opportunity to play the Lions should be held higher than a match that would have no bearing on the Super Rugby ladder.
I would have thought it would be best to give your top line players the chance to play against the Lions at least once in their lives. I know I would prefer to play against the Lions than not play against ever.
Just seems to me that Michael Fooley is more concerned in beating the Tah's for some personal vendetta than to do the right thing by his players.
What do you guys think?

 

[Braveheart81]

I don't agree..
Surely the opportunity to play the Lions should be held higher than a match that would have no bearing on the Super Rugby ladder.
I would have thought it would be best to give your top line players the chance to play against the Lions at least once in their lives. I know I would prefer to play against the Lions than not play against ever.
Just seems to me that Michael Fooley is more concerned in beating the Tah's for some personal vendetta than to do the right thing by his players.
What do you guys think?

There is masses of discussion regarding this in the Force vs B&I Lions thread. I suggest you continue this discussion there.

 

[qwerty51]

Adam Coleman! I urged the Tahs to look at him, finally getting things right.

Lopeti at 6 is odd.

 

[Lee Grant]

You're the man qwerty.

I remember Holloway playing 8 at school - and Lopeti has trouble picking up the ball at the base of the scrum sometimes.
.

 

[Forcefield]

Quite a few lazy forwards in your line-up. I reckon if our guys turn up we'll have a comfy win.