W9: Force v Highlanders, HBF Park Saturday 22 April

[Equalizer]

The Force team returns to HBF Park for the round nine clash with the Highlanders. Only the 3rd home game for the season (I feel I should talk about this). Great weather in Perth over the weekend so should be a cracker of a game. Hope the Referees have a blinder in this one.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Highlanders: Sam Gilbert, Connor Garden-Bachop, Fetuli Paea, Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Jonah Lowe, Mitch Hunt, James Arscott; Marino Mikaele Tu’u, Billy Harmon (capt), Shannon Frizell, Will Tucker, Pari Pari Parkinson, Jermaine Ainsley, Andrew Makalio, Ethan de Groot. Reserves: Leni Apisai, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Saula Ma’u, Fabian Holland, Sean Withy, Nathan Hastie, Freddie Burns, Josh Timu

ASmith on leave following the death of his father & Fakatava out with an unspecified illness so Arscott gets his first start at 9. Reserve 9 Hastie grew up in Perth, moving to NZ in his teens. Yet to play NPC so presumably highly regarded in age grade.

 

[Hawko]

That Force team on paper is a whole lot stronger than last week's lot.

 

[The Red Baron]

This should be an interesting game. Force side definitely looks better than last week. Both teams would be desperate for the win as well.

Hopefully this game is as entertaining as when they met earlier in the year.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

A win tonight, with or without a BP, would put Force into eighth place on the table on PD from Drua: they're currently -85 c.f. -100. Even a BP probably doesn't get them above Clan, currently -44, though.

 

[Equalizer]

A win tonight, with or without a BP, would put Force into eighth place on the table on PD from Drua: they're currently -85 c.f. -100. Even a BP probably doesn't get them above Clan, currently -44, though.

That's where bonus points are so vital. The Force will be ruing the poor rushed conversion attempt by Kuenzle at the end of the game against the Highlanders in round 4. We missed the losing bonus point on an easy kick he shanked.

 

[KOB1987]

A win tonight, with or without a BP, would put Force into eighth place on the table on PD from Drua: they're currently -85 c.f. -100. Even a BP probably doesn't get them above Clan, currently -44, though.

I’m a Tahs supporter. Algorithms to calculate for and against for 8th spot with 6 rounds to go is a fruitless exercise.

 

[The Red Baron]

Callan stretchered off. That's not good for the Force or for Callan. Hope he's ok.

 

[The Red Baron]

That was a really good try. Hegarty did well to maintain support when the break was made. Highlanders should have absolutely shut that down, really poor defence.

 

[The Red Baron]

Bloody hell, now Pulu is down.

 

[The Red Baron]

Parkinson has just been carded, Nic Berry seems to constantly have his arm out in advantage.

Now De Groot is off! Force have to score here.

 

[Adam84]

Force off to a good start

 

[The Red Baron]

Force butchered a try there though after De Groot was carded. They have to score here.

 

[zer0]

Why would you continue fluffing around with time expensive scrums when you're not immediately beating up a six-forward opposition? Even if they score soon, the Highlanders are about to return to their full compliment and will be pretty chuffed to have been allowed to indulge in so many scrums.

 

[lpd]

Surely with 15 on 13 close to the line take a quick tap and soon they’ll run out of defenders

 

[The Red Baron]

Nice try from the Force. It took them far too long to score it though. Highlanders absorbed the pressure really well but had to break eventually.

 

[The Red Baron]

3rd card for the Highlanders and a penalty try. Side entry apparently.

 

[qwerty51]

I think as Australian fans we should recognise this is an absolutely disgraceful performance by Berry.

We need neutral refs asap although I don’t know how this is possible in an Aus/NZ comp.

 

[Pokinacha]

Berry has lost control for sure.

 

[Upthenuts]

whistle mad!