Force v Sharks Round 7

[SNOB]

They have to ditch these incompetent refs NOW!
The acceptance of mediocrity breeds mediocrity!

[Scozzie]

There were some decent individual performances from the Force though. It was good to see DHP back and making some good yards, Kane Koteka is growing into the role really well - again some brilliant ball carries, and Faulkner was good in the loose.

Although the season's effectively over for us, I think there are signs that they can get a few more wins before the end. They still need Hodgo back to captain though.

[DazloT]

I've got a feeling Briant will be stood down again. Not that I thought he was terrible this game but THAT disallowed try and specifically his reasoning show either a level of immaturity or bias.

Apart from that we were our own worst enemies agaun

[palitu]

For me, it was the kicking - I don't think we won a kicking battle all night, and yet we kept kicking.

Everytime we ran it, ball in hand we were making huge meters! but hey, lets just kick it back to them... although, if we are making meters, ball in hand, why don't we... no, we'll just kick it!

very disappointing effort. I was more displeased this game than last. It was a pretty crap game to watch, from both sides to be honest.

[Scozzie]

I agree, the Force should have kept the ball in hand, as they were more effective that way. But to be fair, the Sharks kicking from hand was probably worse than ours. Steyn, Mvovo and the scrum-half (can't remember his name) all had shockers with kicks from hand....!

[SinBin]

The disallowed try was a disgrace, but having to watch two games in a row where Briant coaches our Wallaby capped front row the art of scrumming was hard to watch.. Teams are aware of this focus and milking it.

[shasta]

Whatever the referee did, I thought the turning point came when the penalty which would have taken it to a 9-5 scoreline was missed. I think Sias did too.

The biggest problem this team has had for most of it's existense is the kack of a genuine fly half.

[SinBin]

Two disallowed tries ensured the Western Force ended their South African tour fruitless on Saturday, with the Sharks winning their Super Rugby match 15-9 at Kings Park in Durban.

The Force were looking to shake off the heart-breaking, last-second loss to the Bulls in Pretoria after controlling the majority of that contest and again they took it right up to more fancied South African opponents.

The Force led 6-0 at half-time with two penalties courtesy of Sias Ebersohn, but a disallowed try to Ben McCalman and then another in the second half to Steve Mafi proved match-deciding.


The Sharks ran in two tries after the break courtesy of SP Marais and Lwazi Mvovo to secure the win despite the Force feeling as though they were the better performers.

The Perth-based franchise has now lost six straight matches since scoring a stirring opening-round victory against the defending champion Waratahs in Sydney.

Both teams missed early penalty attempts on Saturday with Frans Steyn struggling with the kicking duties on goal and in play in the absence of the rested Patrick Lambie.

The Force did lead 6-0 at half-time thanks to the boot of Ebersohn, but a disallowed try to McCalman when referee Nick Briant refused to declare the ball had touched the line denied the visitors a healthier advantage.

With Force captain Sam Wykes joining winger Marcel Brache in being ruled out of the game due to concussion, the Sharks got on top in the second half starting with a try to Marais just minutes into the half.

Then a stirring run returning a kick from Marais set up a try to Mvovo and that proved enough to win the game for the Sharks.

However, the Force were again denied a try despite Mafi crossing in style. McCalman was ruled to have caused obstruction and that only added to the pain for the visitors.

SHARKS 15 (SP Marais, Lwazi Mvovo tries Fred Zeilinga con pen) bt FORCE 9 (Sias Ebersohn 2, Luke Burton pens) at Kings Park Stadium. Referee: Nick Briant.

AAP http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/un...28-1ma5e2.html

[valzc]

Not wanting to single out a player, but after frustrating week after frustrating week, I really can't see why Sias is allowed to start in a game. I would say his endless kicking contributed to 80% of that loss, and why Foley waited so long before pulling him is dumbfounding! Even Alby is taking so long to distribute the ball, the other team has time for a lunch break by the time he's picked it up, must be getting too fatigued, Prior's service has been so much better when he's on. And Cummins was doing the invisible man again along with missed tackles.

[Alison]

I'm hoping that the Reds and Blues both lose next weekend so we don't go into our next game at the bottom of the table! Been such a horror run so far. Hopefully when Hodgo's back the tide will turn and we'll end the season with a string of wins to set us up for 2016.

[valzc]

I'm hoping that the Reds and Blues both lose next weekend so we don't go into our next game at the bottom of the table! Been such a horror run so far. Hopefully when Hodgo's back the tide will turn and we'll end the season with a string of wins to set us up for 2016.

It's a hope Ali, but even Hodgo can't stop this kick addiction they have -Sias, it's beyond a joke now. You could tell from his face he'd fucked up well & truly but whereas Luke had a bad day with the boot you can at least excuse 1st time pressure, and he's also one of the best on field, but Sias just doesn't seem to show much this season. I also don't see how Briant has been allowed to ref these games for the Force after his last debacle. Why did Sanzar roster him on when was obviously a tosser with a chip on his shoulder? Surely there's a petition that could be sent? We can't blame refs for game losses, but this guy is totally useless. As Kaplan even commented in his article about the Crusaders scrummaging, Angus is also a bit of a dick. I think some of these guys (not all) tend to turn into little Hitlers on the field. Briant never stopped yabbering away throughout the whole game, was constantly nagging away at everyone which I think just shows how out of control he is and trying to overcompensate.

[travelling_gerry]

To be fair I think the TMO pushed him into disallowing that first try..he was dumbfounded and silent when the TMP said I cannot see conclusive grounding.
And he had awarded the second try when the screaming disrespectful Sharks players and AR talked him into going upstairs.

[WFDom]

It's a hope Ali, but even Hodgo can't stop this kick addiction they have -Sias, it's beyond a joke now. You could tell from his face he'd fucked up well & truly but whereas Luke had a bad day with the boot you can at least excuse 1st time pressure, and he's also one of the best on field, but Sias just doesn't seem to show much this season

Foley is a proponent of a "well" executed kicking, the kicking will not stop. Our execution is abysmal. It was interesting to see how excited he got in the 2nd half when there was a couple of decent kicks in behind.

Sias' cons & pens are always given max hoof if 10 metres or 60 metres. trouble is when he sprays them they look really bad. He's got his slippers on now that he's signed a 3 year contract. Unless players are all class and we want to lock them in. They should be given one year deals to put pressure on them to perform.

[Alison]

Foley must be getting sick of the post match interviews. Seems to say the same thing every week - a series of "the boys executed this that and the other well" followed by series of "buts". Wonder if he gets wound up behind the scenes!

[Alison]

L

Foley is a proponent of a "well" executed kicking, the kicking will not stop. Our execution is abysmal. It was interesting to see how excited he got in the 2nd half when there was a couple of decent kicks in behind.

Sias' cons & pens are always given max hoof if 10 metres or 60 metres. trouble is when he sprays them they look really bad. He's got his slippers on now that he's signed a 3 year contract. Unless players are all class and we want to lock them in. They should be given one year deals to put pressure on them to perform.

Seems strange to keep pressing on with a game plan that relies on strengths that the players don't seem to have. It's clear that a well executed kicking game isn't happening for us so why not change it to something that plays to the players' strengths instead? Or is that too simplistic?