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Tahs played bad. We played worse. TPN on the bench was because at the moment he isn't the best hooker in the squad. Even if the tahs had his number & knew how to counter him.
Can't judge a whole season on a trial. The 10s and round one. We shall see
Watched the game and first thoughts were - had a great chance of winning but towards the end we lost about 4 of our own line outs in a row in good attacking positions. Line outs seemed to be ok with tessman throwing but were those line-out stuff-ups because of TPN's throws? I'll have to watch my replay. Need to get this sorted, you'd think with the first choice Wallabies lock calling the line-outs we should be winning nearly all our line-outs. Impressed with quite a few of our guys, Louwrens could well challenge as the back up Wallabies half this year. I just pray he and Lance stay uninjured. Very impressed with the forwards counter-rucking, you don't see enough of that in Aust rugby I think the intensity of it caught the Tahs by surprise. It seemed to me that every time DHP fielded a kick he returned it by booting an up and under. Low percentage play as we are just giving possesion back to the opposition. He must be under instruction but I'd prefer to see him run it back every now and then. Overall we had our chance to win and on a dry track next week against the Reds we should see what our backline can do.
The game never reached the highs it should have. The conditions were just shit, no suprise both teams skills were poor. Rather than being wet it just drizzled and the ball may as well have been a piece of soap.
I have never heard the hits in defense like that before. Was bloody impressive and lasted the whole game. Our center channel is finally looking good considering that was their first real game together.
Backs just didn't get enough good ball (mostly due to the weather), but my hopes are higher than normal after a loss. I truly believe the season will be a significant improvement on the last. Lets just hope its enough to survive the chop (in 4 years).
I think we will pick up a few wins this year but they will probably be our typical boring grinding victories. Morahan was on fire last year with Spirit, barbarians etc, we need to unleash him, DHP and Peni
Koteka and hardwick were good but big dog and hodgo will make a big difference
Indeed. This is what I'm wondering, should we have actually nipped that game in the bud and won it? I know that we can get accused of being too hard on the Force considering the position they are in regarding recruitment and travel, but maybe we're being soft on them in this fixture? It was a close game, the Waratahs looked inept despite the possession they had, then we started to make our customary errors around the 60min mark or so, and dropped off.
Looking at the Force, we have good locks, a back-row with great potential, a talented fly-half & centres unit, two Wallabies in the back three; we should have won that game shouldn't we? Giving away a those penalties in the early stages, and not learning to protect those rucks, how many times did Tolu Latu get in there?
Too many times the Force drop their heads and throw the game away, I felt like we may have done the same this time. I hope this doesn't start a trend every week. They should've won that.
Japan and the Pacific Islands for Aussie Super 9's!
Let's have one of these in WA! Click this link: Saitama Super Arena - New Perth Stadium?
Well I thought the tahs looked into because we were doing a great job in the defensive ruck, lots of disruption and aggression. I thought many of the early penalties came from the same aggression, possibly a little misdirected.
Told late was a lone figure in there ruck and, yes he hurt us, but nobody else did. Folau was a nobody, which means our forwards did what they had to to tie the ball up with phipps. I don't remember hearing hegartys name more than once.
We were short of finishing, but I thought most of that was rust and a bit of panicked desperation ball, which would have been better not thrown.
I think the Reds will be a different proposition next week. Lots of old bodies running around for qld and (apart from a world class front row) I don't think they've got all that much. And before anybody mentions George Smith, I wasn't impressed with his game this week, he might use be a little too old for super rugby.
I have faith
C'mon the![]()
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I was really impressed with the aggressiveness of our defense. When was the last time we saw the Force, or an aussie side for that matter, absolutely dominate people in the tackle, and force them backwards?
Lineout - shockingly bad, probably cost us the game.
Attack - was pretty poor, but then again it is really their first proper game together, and the gelling was not expected.
The new centre pairing looks pretty good, and i'm looking forward to more as they get to know each other.
Overall im pretty excited by the year to come, and having a decent bench is pretty exciting too!
We just need wins now.
We played reasonably well. As Wessels said after the game we need to learn how to win. The game was there to be taken in the last 20 and neither team could land the killer blow. Playing well and losing just won't cut it sorry to say in the environment of AUS rugby at this time.
Hope the boys can find the eye of the tiger against the reds.
Non sunt multiplicanda entia sine necessitate
Yep, I hate to say it, but a week from now no-one will remember or care about how they lost. Especially those with an agenda to push.
Frustrating game to watch as it was definitely a winnable game for the Force, I thought we looked like the better side in the first half apart from the line out woes that seemed to last for most of the game.
Neither sides outside backs were really able to make a statement in attack but I though ours were great in defense, again mostly in the first half where they constantly caught the Tahs behind the gain line. The Tahs were happy to kick for territory a bit more in the second half which I thought we could have utilized the same tactic a bit more as from memory a lot of the second half was played at our end of the ground.
Someone said it while the game was on but unforced errors really did cost us in the end, we had several attacking line outs that were a mess and the ball went to ground, yes the conditions were a poor but you need to secure the line out ball.
Other than the result there are some pleasing aspects as well as come negative.
Positive first hit out for a team that hasn't played together before at super rugby level.
Dominant scrum.
Out performed the 'tahs in almost every position.
Lost key line-outs at key moments in the game in attacking positions.
Not the best game I've seen from DHP.....and I'm a big fan.
Good to hear that Wessels was angry after the game!
At home against the Reds on Thursday may be the most important game the Force have ever played.
Let's get down there and show our support.
The one thing I had difficulty with was how low Latu can get in the rucks. I know he I not tall but if you have your guts resting on the other player is that not supporting your own weight.. He was a real pain in the rucks and our boys just did not work out how to get around it..
LOL! It's just another lump the Tahs have found for the team aka Skelton, first time he's actually been fit enough to put in some rugby, and he's already the best thing since sliced bread. The Force (and other teams) learnt how to cut him short just need some reminding. And the same will go for Latu, pretty sure the kiwis will knobble him the first game, as I didn't notice any valuable input from Latu any other time.