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Crowd was OK, but nothing spectacular. I'd say ~5,000 give or take. I didn't catch any official figures.
The Force's match report describes Ready as a prop!
Also, any chance of signing the BoP winger Sekuini Tanimo? He was lightning quick with a nose for a hole in the defense.
Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon
actually. for an exhibition match played in dodgy weather. I'd say a crowd of 4000 - 5000 was pretty bloody good.
cheers auss...
fabricarti diem punc
Not sure if that was anywhere near a full strength BOP team. But considering their 3rd in 2020's NPC, it was a very encouraging performance. A lot of errors from both sides in the conditions but a pretty watchable match.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
More of the handling errors were in the 1st half when it was dry. Ball handling seemed to improve in the wet.
To anyone with more knowledge of the balls the teams currently use, is this something to do with ball technology? When I played a wet ball was more like a bar of soap!
Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon
Was chatting with a BoP supporter after the game, and his opinion was that where the Force was clearly superior was in structure. Can't help feeling that might say something about the main focus in the M10C, which then pays off in SR when structure is added to players that got selected on the basis of flair and rugby intelligence rather than just strength/athleticism.
One big difference though...that rust was being knocked off BoP in a warm-up match for the M10C that will keep their best players busy for the next few months. It was being knocked off the Force ahead of spending their next few months doing what, killing it in a gym and watching the Test matches from the couch?
Agonise over the shape of SR all they like, what's the big difference between NZ and Australian rugby?
The Western Force celebration of the season’s first win over a New Zealand side will be short and sharp as they head straight back into training on Monday.
After Friday night’s tough 24-19 win over NZ provincial heavyweight Bay of Plenty the new look squad - or most of it with eight new players still to arrive - starts a two month training block as the re-build for next year kicks on.
Second-rower Izack Rodda is staying in Brisbane, training with Easts ahead of a possible Wallabies call-up, winger Manasa Mataele will arrive when his international duties with Fiji are finished while the four backs signed from the Brumbies will not be in Perth for several months.
Two other signings , a winger and flanker, will be announced shortly.
“No break, straight back into it. Seven weeks straight starting Monday,” coach Tim Sampson said.
Plenty of the young and homegrown talent Sampson will be working with was on display in the win over the Steamers.
“It’s so pleasing to have them get the opportunity to be involved,” Sampson said.
“They have come into our environment and seen what a tight group we are and what it means to represent the Force.”
While they were not overawed by Friday’s step-up Sampson said: “They all played their little bit but for some it was a big occasion, they probably tried to do a bit too much.
“We told them not to try and solve problems on their own.”
The Force were guilty of losing too much possession in the tackle or simply dropping the ball in slippery conditions.
“We have got to adapt to conditions and be better,” Sampson said.
“It’s simple things, at all levels of rugby, ball in both hands and when you go to ground you’ve got to protect it.”
The Force blew several opportunities in the first half after going behind by seven points.
But they tightened up after the break and ran in four tries of their own - only to see a late rally by the Kiwis almost steal the win.
“It was nice to see us kick on in the second half,” Sampson said.
“In the first half we didn’t move the defence around enough, we asked a lot of our forwards to carry into the teeth of their defence a fair bit.”
The Force went behind to a breakaway try early in the game, winger Sekuini Tanimo pouncing on a loose ball to sprint 50 metres.
But after the break they scored four of their own.
They pulled level when local youngster, centre Grason Makara, stepped his way over and they added 17 unanswered points with tries from Fergus Lee-Warner, man-of-the-match Jake Strachan and hooker Andrew Ready before the visitors hit back with late tries from Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi and Tanimo.
https://thewest.com.au/sport/western...ason-c-3424361
That’s what I was thinking what do they now until next season? Do they play club rugby? It’s a long time for no games!! I wish they would bring back the NRC!
I just can't see RA having anything like the stomach to do what is necessary though.
Much, much harder way to go, but I think the only way Australian rugby is ever going to get anything resembling an NRC is if someone leads by example. In which case it has to look primarily to Asia, because the passive (as a minimum) resistance they'd get domestically would be like swimming in jelly. Too many vested interests have too much face tied up in an NRC not being possible to allow anyone to get it working within Australia.
Just saw a post on Instagram saying that the whole game is now available via the Western Force website.
Exile
Port Macquarie
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!" - Rocky Balboa