Waratahs vs Force - Super Rugby R2 Sunday 23 February 2014

[Lee Grant]

Carraro will be on the bench on Sunday, not Crawford.

Likewise Hoiles will be on the bench, not McCutcheon.


Cutch will captain the "Gen Blue" team against the Brumby Runners as the curtain raiser to the Tahs Super Rugby game at about 1pm—and Crawford will start in it also to get a full game under his belt.

Apparently this is part of a full-on competition match of the reserve sides. I heard mention of it yonks ago but it faded from my memory (if I remember right) I think.

So get to the game early: there will be some good players on both sides worth watching in the curtain-raiser.

PS: "Gen Blue" is supposed to stand for "[Next] Generation [Waratah] Blue".

[Don't blame me—I'm only the piano player.]

PS—I will post the Gen Blue team in the Waratahs' thread in a while.
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[rugbysmartarse]

faaark, I get a Saturday night free and the game is on Sunday ..............

my Missus wrote out the whole tahs season on our family planner. It's there on the fridge so we don't stuff up our other social engagements

 

[fatprop]

my Missus wrote out the whole tahs season on our family planner. It's there on the fridge so we don't stuff up our other social engagements

It has taken me 20 years to get my missus to actually diarise shit she has "planned" instead of vaguely telling me something is booked weeks prior.

The rest of the Tahs season is now in the corporate diary

 

[GaffaCHinO]

This is the force team as it was named not sure about the format but these players will all travel to Sydney.

1. Pek Cowan/Tetera Faulkner
2. Nathan Charles/Heath Tessmann
3. Ollie Hoskins/Kieran Longbottom
4. Sam Wykes
5. Hugh McMeniman/Wilhelm Steenkamp
6. Chris Alcock/Angus Cottrell
7. Matt Hodgson (c)
8. Ben McCalman/Brynard Stander
9. Alby Mathewson/Ian Prior
10. Sias Ebersohn/Zack Holmes
11. Nick Cummins
12. Kyle Godwin
13. Junior Rasolea
14. Marcel Brache/Patrick Dellit
15. Luke Morahan

http://www.westernforce.com.au/News...athewson-joins-100-club-in-season-opener.aspx

 

[Hawko]

This is the force team as it was named not sure about the format but these players will all travel to Sydney.

1. Pek Cowan/Tetera Faulkner
2. Nathan Charles/Heath Tessmann
3. Ollie Hoskins/Kieran Longbottom
4. Sam Wykes
5. Hugh McMeniman/Wilhelm Steenkamp
6. Chris Alcock/Angus Cottrell
7. Matt Hodgson (c)
8. Ben McCalman/Brynard Stander
9. Alby Mathewson/Ian Prior
10. Sias Ebersohn/Zack Holmes
11. Nick Cummins
12. Kyle Godwin
13. Junior Rasolea
14. Marcel Brache/Patrick Dellit
15. Luke Morahan

http://www.westernforce.com.au/News...athewson-joins-100-club-in-season-opener.aspx

Is Salesi Manu injured?? Ollie Hoskins will find it tough at 3 against Robinson even if he only comes off the bench. If its not an injury then its a real headscratcher!

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Is Salesi Manu injured?? Ollie Hoskins will find it tough at 3 against Robinson even if he only comes off the bench. If its not an injury then its a real headscratcher!

He isn't injured he will play in the force a game against the reds on Friday night.

It was a big surprise for me when I saw it but after thinking about it for a while it's not that big of a surprise he was destroying both the Samoa and pampas scrums during the trial it will be a tough ask for the young fella against robbo but I think he will be upto the task.

I know Lee hasn't rated him in the past and questioned his size being to tall for a prop but we saw what he was able to do during the aus under 20s game against NZ so it's great that another young Perth boy gets his shot.


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[brokendown]

after all it's only the tahs we are playing

 

[Lee Grant]

I know Lee hasn't rated him in the past and questioned his size being to tall for a prop but we saw what he was able to do during the aus under 20s game against NZ so it's great that another young Perth boy gets his shot.
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I think I remember saying in 2012 that Ollie Hoskins was too tall to be a prop, and later wrote that I meant that he was too tall for him to be a prop.

I knew as well as anybody that there were good props as tall as he was. Ollie had an unhappy time in the 2012 IRB JWC scrums.

I didn't say that in 2013, if I remember right.

In fact in my blog of the game v. NZ

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/review-under-20-jwc-australia-v-new-zealand/

I wrote:

The big improvers were 6. Curtis Browning, who was quiet against Ireland, and 3. Ollie Hoskins who had the best game I have ever seen from him, including scrummaging.​

I haven't seen him play since then so I hope that he can get some Super game time one of these days as I have followed him since he was playing in the Under 16s Nationals in Sydney and then Opens—and mentioned him as a player to watch.

I have always rated Salesi Manu, Have watched him since his school days too and he played briefly for my club, The Rats after he left Manly.

He played in about half the games in 2012, and well, but got only one gig in 2013, if I recall correctly.

The Force have two good young props there as part of the next generation of front-rowers.
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[Forcefield]

When Hoskins came off against New Zealand at the U20s, he received rapturous applause from the French crowd. And they know a thing or two about scrummaging. I am very excited about his debut at 3, although we should temper our expectations with consideration of his age. I know there aint a lot of love for Michael Foley over there, but his starting Godwin as a 12 was a very good move. I hope he's got it right with Ollie.

I really liked the way Manu played in 2012 and was surprised he didn't get so much game time in 2013. Makes me wonder if it was an injury/fitness thing or a personality clash with coach thing.

We seem to be able to produce some good props over here in WA. No shortage for the future. Makes me a bit disappointed that Francois Van Wyk was brought in from RSA.

 

[Hawko]

He isn't injured he will play in the force a game against the reds on Friday night.

It was a big surprise for me when I saw it but after thinking about it for a while it's not that big of a surprise he was destroying both the Samoa and pampas scrums during the trial it will be a tough ask for the young fella against robbo but I think he will be upto the task.

If Manu doesn't get game time this year he'll be off, and I'd be very pleased to give him an EPS spot at the Tahs, though I suspect he would go overseas. From a Wallaby point of view I am pretty unhappy, Manu has the potential to be very good in another three years with the right coaching. Perhaps the Reds will grab him, though they don't have much respect for scrummagers up there. Maybe Stiles will want to recommend him.

 

[Moono75]

I was surprised to see Hoskins in the squad ahead of Manu. I thought Manu playing 6 games for North Harbour in the ITM would have continued his development and opened the door to a starting spot. I hope the we don't got overboard on playing WA talent just to try and draw the crowds back to the Force. I don't care where you come from, if you pull on the Force jersey and bleed blue for the club thats good enough for me.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Tahs shoukld win by 50 with their playing list

BUT the smokeys from the west ???????????

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Reported in the west today that the Force and Waratahs will be spoken to by SANZA this week after they both failed to supply complete team sheets.



New rules that have started this year say that all teams must submit their complete team list by 2pm (no sure what time zone) on the Thursday before the game.

As a force fan this makes me very happy after lasts year efforts.

 

[Braveheart81]

Reported in the west today that the Force and Waratahs will be spoken to by SANZA this week after they both failed to supply complete team sheets.



New rules that have started this year say that all teams must submit their complete team list by 2pm (no sure what time zone) on the Thursday before the game.

As a force fan this makes me very happy after lasts year efforts.

That seems strange. The Tahs had certainly made it pubic who the bench players were before 2pm yesterday after having two pairs of players bracketed since announcing the side on Tuesday.

Match preview is up on the front page. http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/preview-waratahs-v-western-force/

Hopefully I was more fair and balanced than Fox News.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Reported in the west today that the Force and Waratahs will be spoken to by SANZA this week after they both failed to supply complete team sheets.



New rules that have started this year say that all teams must submit their complete team list by 2pm (no sure what time zone) on the Thursday before the game.

As a force fan this makes me very happy after lasts year efforts.

maybe SANZA will deduct game points from both teams for this most serious, disgraceful, dispicable and unforgivable crime against all humanity.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

maybe SANZA will deduct game points from both teams for this most serious, disgraceful, dispicable and unforgivable crime against all humanity.

While it's not a massive thing it does shit me to tears after last year.


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[Forcefield]

Tahs shoukld win by 50 with their playing list

BUT the smokeys from the west ???????????

I reckon Tahs by 12. It will be a sloppy game in terms of execution and the Force will be an absolute nuisance at the breakdown. But the superior pre-season match conditioning for the Tahs will see them put the game beyond doubt in the final 20 after a second half fight back from the Force.

 

[Shiggins]

I just can't see us winning this one. Unless we have improved double from last year.

 

[ChargerWA]

The Force now have a rep for being a pest at the breakdown in these games. I wouldn't be surprised to see the ref give us a hard time and limit our nuisance factor.

 

[Moono75]

Ive seen nothing in the games so far this round to say the Force cant be competitive this year. Reds and Brumbies scratchy. The Force dont owe the Tahs anything. Hurry up Sunday.....sunny in Perth...beers will be frosty.