Errors Costly for Western Force

[Darren]

The Emirates Western Force were their own worst enemy in Saturday night’s clash against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein with uncharacteristic errors allowing the home side four easy tries in the opening half which the West Aussies couldn’t peg back.

Despite a better second half in which the Force restricted the Cheetahs to just one penalty goal, they were left to rue mistakes in basic skills to go down 29-14 at Vodacom Park.

The Force came into the clash in good form with wins in four of their last five outings and with an opportunity to record a third straight victory, but it wasn’t to be despite excellent preparations at their training base in Cape Town and a perfect night for football in Bloemfontein.

“Really four of their tries came from role error so you can’t do much about that, individuals can deal with that but it became a cumulative effect in the end,” Coach John Mitchell said after the match.

“While the Cheetahs deserved their win they didn’t get it from building pressure when we gave them those four tries.

“We simply didn’t go into that contest with the attitude that was required despite a good build-up. It was disappointing that we had to go through that lesson,” said Mitchell.

The Force managed two tries, Ryan Cross scoring in the first half and David Pocock in the second, but for the most part their attacking effort went unrewarded.

While disappointed that the match slipped out of their grasp, Emirates Western Force Captain Nathan Sharpe said the challenge of finishing off the season against the in-form Sharks in Durban was one the squad would rise to.

"We just started poorly and gifted the Cheetahs quite a few tries tonight,” Sharpe said.

“Obviously they played well themselves, but you can't make mistakes like we did, especially against a team like the Cheetahs.

"It's a good challenge for us to finish in Durban now after this disappointing performance. We'll bounce back next week,” said Sharpe.

The game couldn’t have started any worse for the Force as the Cheetahs crossed inside 50 seconds and before the quarter hour were 14-0 in front.

The Force finally got the ball in hand and after some good work over several phases it landed with Cross and he cruised through for his 15th career try. O'Connor converted to bring the visitors back into the contest, but two late first-half tries to South African winger Bjorn Basson was like a dagger to the heart.

The Cheetahs' lead extended to 29-7 early in the second half when Naas Olivier was successful with a penalty goal and that prompted a number of changes in personnel and structure by the Force coaching staff.

Matt Dunning one of those to take his place on the field from the reserves bench and in doing so the big prop claimed his 100th Super Rugby cap.

A late try reduced the margin as flankers Matt Hodgson and Pocock combined to get the ball across the line, Pocock awarded the five pointer while O’Connor converted from a tight angle.

The Emirates Western Force will see out their three match tour of South Africa, and their 2010 campaign, next Friday night in Durban against the Sharks.

Investec Bank Super 14 – Rd13

Cheetahs 29
(Tries B Basson 2, N Olivier, S Pretorius; Con N Olivier 3/3, H Daniller 0/1; Pen N Olivier 1/1, R Viljoen 0/2, M Bosman 0/2)

Western Force 14
(Tries R Cross, D Pocock; Con J O'Connor 2/2, Pen J O'Connor 0/1)

By the clock
Min
1 Naas Olivier try 5 - 0
2 Naas Olivier conversion 7 - 0
5 Meyer Bosman missed penalty goal 7 - 0
12 Sarel Pretorius try 12 - 0
13 Naas Olivier conversion 14 - 0
18 Meyer Bosman missed penalty goal 14 - 0
21 Ryan Cross try 14 - 5
22 James O'Connor conversion14 - 7
25 Bjorn Basson try 19 - 7
26 Naas Olivier conversion 21 - 7
36 James O'Connor missed penalty goal 21 - 7
40 Bjorn Basson try 26 - 7
40 Hennie Daniller missed conversion 26 - 7
Half time: Cheetahs 26 – 7 Emirates Western Force
44 Naas Olivier penalty goal 29 - 7
74 David Pocock try 29 - 12
75 James O'Connor conversion 29 - 14
78 Riaan Viljoen missed penalty goal 29 - 14
80 Riaan Viljoen missed penalty goal 29 - 14
Full time: Cheetahs 29 – 14 Emirates Western Force

Replacements
47min: Ben McCalman replaces Tom Hockings
47min: Ben Whittaker replaces Nathan Charles
48min: Chris O'Young replaces Justin Turner
51min: Matt Dunning replaces Nic Henderson
61min: Sam Harris replaces Nick Cummins
69min: Mark Bartholomeusz replaces David Hill
71min: Sam Wykes replaces Nathan Sharpe

[antiussentiment]

ok.. fill me in.. what is a role error?

[robyn <3]

Angry. Very Angry. Too angry to comment without venting, but here goes.

Can't string anything together. Sloppy. Lazy. Attack was piss-weak. Defence was acceptable in comparison, but really wasn't flash. Didn't protect the ball. Wasting oppertunities, like not putting penalty kicks into touch. Unenthusiastic. 'Backline of death'. Flat flat flat. Couldn't keep the ball in their hands - what was the final knock on figure? Turner got hammered. The entire backline was horrendous. Catching the ball standing still? Yeah that sounds great!

Still very angry. Not worth the time of day, let alone the stupid time of night I gave it!

'Sharks are gonna getcha' if they play anything like that again!!

[welshrugbyfan]

Just a bad bad game. All teams have shockers like that. You can usually tell by the early bounce of the ball.

Were not playing for much anyway.

[PerthGirl]

Just pride! They were bad last night!!

[Blackswan]

WE were bad last night

[Burgs]

Have serious doubts about the legality of the first two tries, feedback please Ecky, and from there they were basically in catch up mode.
To me, and may well be wrong, I felt the Cheetahs 9 was offside as he had one foot further back than Turners at the scrum base.
The turnover one the last pass was about half a metre forward it the mowing line was accurate.
In the context of the match (timing) they were combined as a killer blow.

Turner had a match he will be the better for, he has had a dream run up till now.
He admitted to being nervous before the match and that showed, plus the scrum base try would have really rattled the confidence of a young player, turned into a bit a of a trainwreck experience.

I don't know what instruction Cross is under but surely it isn't, "Run it up every time, never pass and try and concede a turnover whenever possible..." Really disappointed with his form and have to question his continued selection as he isn't "playing into form" after 13 weeks.

The rest all had average matches but nothing too tragic, just errors compounding to add too much pressure, I doubt the Cheetahs are doing too much celebrating this morning as it wasn't that great a performance really, just better than the opposition.

Just seems strange that the Force can be the giant killers but have struggled two weeks in a row with the cellar dwellers.

[WF1964]

Just pride! They were bad last night!!

WE were bad last night

No, no - it's definitely WE if the Force win and THEY if the Force lose

[welshrugbyfan]

The offside line in a scrum runs between the ball. Each scrum half must stay on his side of an imaginary line that runs through the ball. The scrum half who put it in may have one foot on each side of the ball but the opposing scrum half MUST stay with both his feet behind the ball.

That scrum was a shambles the way the ball was let out. It should have come out at the south eastern part of the scrum. There's not much the opposing scrum half can do then. But no we let it out at the south west part and the little half back snapped on the opportunity.

If it comes out on the SE side of the scrum the back row forwards can shield away the opposing half back.

Dumb play on our part.

[jono]

so based on that WRF, he was onside?

[welshrugbyfan]

Need to see it again to be sure. That's just the rule.

I thought from one look last night he was behind the ball and our half back made a meal of it.

[normie]

I thought he looked off side, but the commentators and more importantly the refs didn't have any doubts about him being onside.

[GIGS20]

Need to see it again to be sure. That's just the rule.

I thought from one look last night he was behind the ball and our half back made a meal of it.

He had one foot either side of the ball, he was offside.

[welshrugbyfan]

I'll take your word on that. I still can't bring myself to watch a replay of the game.

Honestly what was Nick 'I'm waiting for a body to fall from the sky' Cummings doing with that catch?

[AndyS]

As bad as our errors being costly were theirs not being. Seriously, we couldn't take advantage of 23 ineffective and 32 missed tackles???