Let us not forget what happened on the 4th of April 2008

[pieter blackie]

A try to Force winger Ryan Cross with 95 seconds left on the clock has inspired the Western Force to a nail-biting 15-14 win over the Bulls in front of 21,161 fans at Subiaco Oval on Friday night.

Two first-half tries to Bulls winger Bryan Habana saw the defending champions bolt out to a 14-3 lead but the Force hit back after the interval, with a try to Matt Giteau in the 42nd minute bringing the home side to within four points.

The Bulls' defence held firm for the next 36 minutes as the Force launched attack after attack in search of the winner, and the rewards finally came in the 78th minute when substitute Matt Stannard's pass deflected off forward Luke Holmes' shoulder and found Cross tucked up on the touch line.

The former Sydney Rooster took full advantage, leaping forward and touching the ball down in the corner to secure the Force's first home win of the season - and just their fifth triumph at Subiaco Oval since their inception.

The Force remain in fifth spot on the table but are equal on points with the fourth-placed Chiefs, while the Bulls (two wins) return to South Africa with their tails in between their legs following a winless four-game Australasian tour.

Force full back Cameron Shepherd put the first score on the board when he slotted through a penalty in the 15th minute, but Bulls speed machine Habana put the visitors ahead five minutes later with a well-worked try from the breakdown.

Force flanker Scott Fava was sent to the sin bin in the 25th minute for persistent infringements but the Bulls failed to capitalise on the numerical advantage as a resilient Force defence stood firm.

But Fava's return five minutes before the break failed to fire the Force as the visitors pounced on a Cross error to post their second try of the night.

After Scott Staniforth lost the ball in a tackle, Bulls flanker Pedrie Wannenburg intercepted Cross' attempted shovel-pass to Giteau and sprinted 30m before being brought down by Shepherd.

But, before falling to the turf, the Bulls flanker cleverly dished off a pass to Habana, who raced towards the line for his second try, with Derick Hougaard's conversion on the siren making it 14-3 at half-time.

The Force went all-out attack after the break, with Giteau crossing over two minutes after the restart to revive the home side's hopes.

Skipper Nathan Sharpe was the catalyst behind the try, barreling his way to within three metres of the try-line before Giteau plucked the ball from the breakdown and crossed over.

Shepherd's conversion made it 14-10, but the Force failed to add to that tally for the next 36 minutes as the Bulls' tightened their defence.

But Bulls forward GJ Stegmann's sending off in the 74th minute opened the door for the Force, and the home side took full advantage as Cross registered arguably the most important try of his fledgling Super 14 career to secure the four points for the Force.

Western Force 15

Tries: Giteau 1, Cross 1

Conversions: Shepherd 1

Penalties: Shepherd 1

Bulls 14

Tries: Habana 2

Conversions: Hougaard 2

[jombi]

Shepherd

That's basically the difference, if we had Shepherd we would've won atleast 3 games thus far.

I hope Bart fires tonight though, he can be just as dangerous - but he seems to be low on conferdence and doesn't like to hit it up anymore.

And I don't want anyone bashing David Hill is he gains half a metre via a torp off the side of the boot tonight like some people did last week!

If we treated everyone like that then no one would rate Shepherd because he's done it 50 times too!

[pieter blackie]

Force vs Bulls

2007 Force 30 Bulls 27
2008 Force 15 Bulls 14
2009 Bulls 32 Force 29

The Force very nearly won the 2009 encounter as well

[oxleymoron]

What about the game in 2006, where we were down 27-0 and scored 21 unanswered points in the last 12 minutes for our first competition points?

[Timbo]

Talking us up, not talking us down ....... priceless!

[James]

What about the game in 2006, where we were down 27-0 and scored 21 unanswered points in the last 12 minutes for our first competition points?

Ox we didn't pick up any points against the Bulls in 2006. They kicked a late penalty to make it 30-21. We picked up our first competition points against the Stormers the week after losing 25-24.

Was a bloody awesome series of play though. Hilgendorf and Staniforth were awesome.

[GIGS20]

With the injuries, I'd have to say we'll struggle this week. Hopefully the Bulls are tired and overconfident with jetlag and a skinfull of piss......

[hertryk]

With the injuries, I'd have to say we'll struggle this week. Hopefully the Bulls are tired and overconfident with jetlag and a skinfull of piss......

Matfield always looks as though he has just got out of bed..