Here is the link for today at 3pm
📺 https://bit.ly/3IXbG0c
📰 https://bit.ly/34voBYr
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Here is the link for today at 3pm
📺 https://bit.ly/3IXbG0c
📰 https://bit.ly/34voBYr
I know it's only a trial but very entertaining style of rugby from the Force
Yes they are looking good!
21 -21 at half time
Nice finish
FOR 42 - 33 RED
Young Noddy's kicking into the wind pretty impressive. Fines looks like he spent lots of time in the Ponies' gym. Hope his speed hasn't suffered but what he did looked OK - Pryor ditto. Lacey looked good as did Pasitoa. Handling sloppy as expected.
Happy with that!
Good hitout.
It looks like the Force took the game a fair bit more seriously than the Reds, we saw a lot of everybody who might be a starter, where the Reds gave opportunity to a lot more young guys. We looked sharp in the first 20 and the last 15, but seemed to lose our way a bit in the middle of the game, this was without a bunch of substitutions at that point.
I don't think the decision of who plays 9 has become any easier they both played as expected, but jeez Fines-Leleiwasa looked sharp. I was happy to see Brad Lacey looking comfortable on the wing, he's looked out of sorts for a couple of seasons, so that was nice.
In general, the pack looked to play pretty much as expected but the backs looked generally well drilled and they were a handful for a lot of the game. Stander played some great minutes but no Thrush or Kahui it didn't look like a real problem and I reckon that might just be workload management.
TBH we've shown a lot more rust in other trials so maybe we will be able to hit the ground running a bit this year. We did only just beat a patched up Reds B with most of their big stars watching from the sidelines. As usual, trial form is no form at all.
Good fight back from 12 points down :yeah:
Aah just so good to have rugby back!
Was impressed with our boys but so hard to tell how good they are when so many top players are missing from the opposition and of course not having our strongest squad. Nobody out there that looked out of place though.
Was impressed with Mr Lygnah off spring.
No. He's eligible. As far as I know, it's only Senior caps for the A (International) and B (2nd International- e.g. Australia A, Wolfhound, Junior All Blacks) or 7s.
Fast finishing Force secures win against the QLD Reds
Sat, 05/02/2022, 09:04 pm
The final surge has seen the Western Force end their pre-season trial against the Queensland Reds with a nine-point win in Ballymore.
With less than 20 minutes to go on the clock, the Force trailed the Reds 33-21 before a series of excellent passes saw Reece Tapine fly over the line to begin the winning comeback.
Tapine’s try was quickly followed with WA homegrown talent Jackson Pugh putting the ball down on the back of a powerful driving maul to level the scores. Jack McGregor’s precise conversion put the Force in the lead by two points with less than three minutes to go.
However, the game was far from over as the team continued the unrelenting attack. After a series of phases, winger Brad Lacey scored himself a try from a brilliantly timed cut-out pass from Issak Fines-Leleiwasa in overtime. McGregor sealed the deal with a successful conversion to finish the game.
Despite the Force’s final attacking flurry, the game started as a tight encounter between both sides.
The Force started with the lead as Toni Pulu opened the scoring, followed by a conversion from Ian Prior.
The Reds quickly replied, with Tuaina Tualima closing in on the lead before Wallaby Filipo Dangunu levelled the scores with a conversion.
Not satisfied with just one try, Pulu once again pushed the Force into the lead, scoring out wide in the corner in the 15th minute. A great charge-down from inside centre Bayley Kuenzle gifted fullback Jake Strachan with a try to extend the lead. With two conversions from Prior, the Force was ahead by 14 points.
The Reds pushed back, putting down two of their own converted tries to level the scoreboard at 21-21 at halftime.
After a highly contested start to the second half, the Reds claimed the lead, with Josh Nasser claiming two tries to put them 12 points ahead with 20 minutes to go.
The Force determined to make an impact with the pre-season trial, stepping up their game pushing their way through the Reds defence to bring the win.
In addition to Wallabies and Force stalwarts, the game also showcased numerous Force Fortescue Academy players such as Luke Callan, George Poolman and Sifa Amone, proving depth within the team and a successful pathway for aspiring young WA rugby players.
With plenty of good set set-piece plays, a dominant display of strength from the forwards and skilful execution from the backs, the match proved the 2022 Super Rugby Campaign will be an exciting one.
Western Force 42
Tries: Pulu 2, Strachan, Tapine, Ready, Lacey
Conversions: Prior 3, McGregor 3
Queensland Reds 33
Tries: Nasser 2, Tualima, Thomas, Flook
Conversions: Daugunu 3, Paisami
Reds fall short in tight tussle with Force at Ballymore
Sat, 05/02/2022, 09:00 pm
The Queensland Reds have lost their first pre-season trial of 2022, falling 42-33 to a gutsy Western Force outfit who finished strong with 21-unanswered points at Ballymore.
The Reds started slow, going down 21-7 after 20 minutes. However, the Queenslanders didn’t take long to find their groove, with a Josh Nasser double, and tries to Tuaina Taii Tualima, Kalani Thomas and Josh Flook seeing the side take a 33-21 into the final 10-minutes of the game.
Eight players uncapped at Super Rugby level played their first game in Queensland colours, with Spencer Jeans, Tom Lynagh, George Blake, Floyd Aubrey, Kye Oates, Connor Vest, Keynan Tauakipulu and Taj Annan featuring for the Reds
GPS backrower Tualima scored the Reds' first try with a powerful run from the back of the scrum to make it 7-7 early.
After scoring a similar try in his run-on debut against the Highlanders last year, scrumhalf Thomas handed the Reds their second try with deceiving dummy-and-go close to the line.
Following a pinpoint Jeans 50-22 box kick, Flook pounced on a sloppy pass, controlled the loose ball with his foot and regathered to even the scores at 21-all on the stroke of half-time.
Bond University number nine Jeans was involved again in the Reds fourth try, with a nice one-two to Harry Wilson, who gave a lovely pass to Nasser to score under the sticks.
Nasser, in his first game back from an ankle injury, made it two tries in his return with a five-pointer off the back of a rolling maul.
However, tries to Reece Tapine, Andrew Ready and Brad Lacey late in the second-half saw the Force rewarded with a hard-fought 42-33 win.
Queensland head to Roma on Saturday for the Santos Festival of Rugby, where they’ll face the New South Wales Waratahs in their second and final pre-season trial. Tickets available here.
Queensland kick off their Super Rugby Pacific campaign against the Melbourne Rebels at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday the 19 March - tickets available here.
Queensland Reds 33
Tries: Nasser 2, Tualima, Thomas, Flook
Conversions: Daugunu 3, Paisami
Western Force 42
Tries: Pulu 2, Strachan, Tapine, Ready, Lacey
Conversions: Prior 3, McGregor 3
Re: young Noddy. I don't think England junior's effects him. He says he's always dreamed of being a Wallaby. Given how long it's been since anyone really claimed permanent ownership of the gold 10 shirt; let's hope 5/8 nous is hereditary. So far so good.