Force move in on red-hot Cooper

[jono]

great minds hey jombi

[Hoolly Doolly]

Any midfield combination will struggle playing behind a struggling pack. Even genia had an off night by his standards.
The reds pack got smashed in the set pieces and at the breakdown for the most part and houston and higgenbotham got shown up for the players they are. Without anymore quality second rowers and with laurie weeks out injured still i think the reds might struggle going into the final series.....we should probably loan them stanford, wykes or hockings?

[pieter blackie]

cooper choked

[tic]

cooper choked

Oh, so you don't want him now?

OK, we'll keep him.

[jombi]

I think the 'struggling midfield' line is OK here, but at the same time Coopers defence was terrible.

He's a gun on attack, but my cat would cover the inside channel better than Cooper.

I just think that we should aim for Hunt as our first five now, and either keep Hill/Pretorius or get another first five with the sole intention of educating/helping Hunt into the flyhalf role for 2012.

[pieter blackie]

Oh, so you don't want him now?

OK, we'll keep him.

I have said from the word go that he is a loose cannon when he fires he makes a big boom but there is no aiming. We will be better of with someone that is a bit more conservative in approach

[tic]

The Reds forwards were outplayed last night - largely due to the loss of all of our second rowers - Cooper had no room. Its as simple as that. That hardly makes him a loose cannon.

As I say, we will happily keep him. Quade, if you are reading this -

WE LOVE YOU -

[pieter blackie]

The Reds forwards were outplayed last night - largely due to the loss of all of our second rowers - Cooper had no room. Its as simple as that.

under pressure and he choked

[Hoolly Doolly]

We let go of one of the best performing flyhalves in france in Brock james when our pack was in its infancy and struggling. Dan Carter would struggle behind an underperforming pack as well....... imagine the what if's if we still had Brock james playing behind our current pack??????

[farva]

Brock James is an excellent fit for Clermont, but Im not convinced his playing style would suit the S14. He is not really a play maker, rather a player in the mould of Morne Steyn. Typically the playmaking role in France is left to the scrum half in Parra (Du Preez for the Bulls), whereas the Force need a playmaker. We already have a player that can kick for territory in Cameron Shepherd, if he ever gets on the field.

[TOCC]

under pressure and he choked

get your hand off it, he had about 2 decent balls all night

[force addict]

it wasnt his/their best performance but it was still strong

[jazza93]

Cooper did pretty well considering the Brumbies constantly had him marked, and the Reds only had 40% possession.

Giteau probably outplayed him last night, but mainly because he had the better team. Anyway, i can't wait untill they are in the same backline with the wallabies.

[brokendown gunfighter]

get your hand off it, he had about 2 decent balls all night

er perhaps rephrase that TOCC

[GIGS20]

The Reds forwards were outplayed last night - largely due to the loss of all of our second rowers - Cooper had no room. Its as simple as that. That hardly makes him a loose cannon.

As I say, we will happily keep him. Quade, if you are reading this -

WE LOVE YOU -

I have to agree wholeheartedly tic. THe Reds pack has played out of their skins all year. The Brumbies have the best team sheet in Oz rugby and until last night didn't do anything. I thought it telling that the Brumby revival was sparked by the Pack, the only group in the whole organisation which could be said to have had anywhere near a decent season.

They even made Giteau look good this week!