Bloody Oath We Did!

[robyn <3]

Poor Pek copped the blame for the Brownie high tackle just before that.

Actually, I'm saying poor Brownie, I would have wanted credit for making a tackle like that!! Hehe

[Fullback]

*Cheer* That's how you do it..4 Try bonus point and everything

Nice job guys!!!

[travelling_gerry]

Force ruin Brumbies' 'homecoming' party

28th February 2009, 20:30 WST
The Brumbies tripped over their own welcome Matt at Canberra tonight.

They and their fans spent the past week gleefully celebrating the recapture of Matt Giteau from the Force but the smiles froze on their faces last night when the Western Force spoiled the party with a four-try 25-16 Super 14 win at Canberra Stadium.

The result flew in the face of those who thought the departure at season's-end of one star player would be terminal for the Force.

It boosted the Perth teams result to two wins from three matches this season and gave them winning momentum as they head to New Zealand for games against the Chiefs at Hamilton and the Crusaders at Christchurch.

It was the Force's first win over the Crusaders and their first on the East Coast and the defiance with which they withstood the two-time champions delighted captain Nathan Sharpe.

"Tonight was not about perfect rugby," he declared. "It was about collective will."

Although the Brumbies dominated the scrums and lineouts, the Force tackled themselves to a standstill to keep the Brumbies from crossing their line.

The home team's only five pointer was a penalty try for repeated 5m scrum infringements.

By contrast, the Force backs were for the first time this season as incisive as their talent promised, with Cameron Shepherd's hat trick setting up a four-try bonus point.

A sequence of mistakes frustrated the Force in the first 20 minutes and they gave away two penalties which Brumbies full-back Mark Gerrard converted into six points.

However, the Force had the best try chance of the opening exchanges when Shepherd made a break to set up Ryan Cross for a run at the line. He was caught 5m out and flung a prayer over his head which Tai McIsaac was unable to handle.

Seven minutes later the Force bust the Brumbies line again. Giteau's skip pass set Cross free and he in turn delivered the ball to Shepherd who sped across the try line.

It silenced the crowd but was a tantalising demonstration of the playmaking talent they will enjoy next year, especially with Brumbies fly-half Christian Lealiifano having an off night.

Another penalty extended the Brumbies lead to 9-5 but Giteau replied in kind on half time to restrict the home team's advantage to a point.

The Force backline then erupted. Nick Cummins kept alive a move and, from the ruck, the ball sped through four pairs of hands for Shepherd to score.

Six minutes later, centre Junior Pelesasa broke through three tackles and his dodging run set up a try to No.8 Richard Borwn, who unfortunately damaged his shoulder when forcing the ball. He went for X-rays after the game.

A rash of substitutions invigorated the Brumbies and their continual pressure earned them a five pointer when their scrum destroyed that of the Force and referee Matt Goddard awarded a penalty try which narrowed the margin to 20-16 with 15 minutes to go.

This time there was no Force fade and, three minutes later, Shepherd completed his hat trick after good work from Drew Mitchell.

Giteau showed show much he will be missed next year with a command performance at fly-half but his place kicking was awry and he landed only 2-6.

CANBERRA
DAVE HUGHES

http://www.thewest.com.au/default.as...ntentID=127306

[travelling_gerry]

How long since no one crossed our line in a game?

[.X.]

I would love to go to the foxsports studio this week and shake Kearns hand and say "sh** call" you only mentioned the force in a positive mode at the 79th minute.

I found more positive plays and contribution from all 22 players in the 80 minutes ive just watched than the past 2 matches of this year's S14 competition. WELL done lads hope we can continue in Hamilton next week.

Benny

May I suggest you write to foxsports about Kearnsy. It would be a safe bet that it wont be read on air, but, It would be read.

[travelling_gerry]

[travelling_gerry]

[MI5_Dog]

from those stats gerry, cummins played another blinder!

[James]

I haven't seen the match but could this be the best result in the Force's history?

I think that remains the 3 point win in Pretoria for mine. A win against the Bulls at home is a great achievement and they were champions that year.

[Joondanna Blue]

Cameron Shepherd scores hat-trick as Western Force beat the Brumbies
By David Beniuk
February 28, 2009

"Wallabies fullback Cameron Shepherd bagged a hat-trick to help Matt Giteau make a triumphant return to Canberra Stadium in the Western Force's stunning upset win over the Brumbies.
The Force won 25-16 win to score their first victory in Canberra and hand the Brumbies' only their second ever home loss to an Australian side in their Super rugby history.

Shepherd's three tries confirmed his successful return from a horrendous broken ankle suffered playing for the Wallabies against France in Brisbane last July.
Shepherd had missed last week's win over the Cheetahs still suffering soreness.

It also relieved some of pressure on the Perth side, which had been reeling from superstar fly half Giteau's decision to quit the franchise at season's end, and rumours of discontent between players and coach John Mitchell.

Instead, the Force got the perfect start to a three-match road trip that will see them take-on New Zealand sides the Chiefs and the Crusaders in the next two weeks.

The Force and Brumbies have now both scored two wins from three matches this season.

Returning to Canberra for the first time since his announcement, Giteau had a hand in two of Shepherd's five-pointers, but could only kick two from six in the four-tries-to-one bonus point win in front of 15,893 fans."

Note: A previous report dated February, 2009 “Brumbies counting on lure of Matt Giteau to draw big crowd” had a crowd estimate of 20,000+)

"With his side down 6-0, Shepherd touched down in the 27th minute after Giteau had sent Ryan Cross steaming through a hole.

The Brumbies led 9-8 at halftime through Mark Gerrard's boot, but Shepherd scored just four minutes after the break after some quick hands, with Giteau throwing the final pass.

When No.8 Richard Brown scored the Force's third try in the 50th minute after a strong run from Junior Pelesasa, the Force were suddenly up 20-9.

But when a series of bulldozing attacking scrums from the Brumbies resulted in a penalty try, a grandstand finish was ensured with the score 20-16, despite the away side having scored three tries to the Brumbies one.

But Shepherd gave the visitors some breathing space again in the 68th minute with his third and the Brumbies couldn't find the execution to seriously threaten again.
"You can't ignore that Cam came back from a very serious injury and he'd be probably the first to acknowledge that he's walked slowly into the competition,'' Mitchell said.
"We must take our hat off to him tonight, he played with an enormous amount of confidence and his penetration in one on ones was quite outstanding.''
Mitchell deflected any suggestion Saturday night's win was a season-defining one for the under-fire Force._pe``It's too early to say,'' he said.
"This is a tough competition and wherever you can pick up points is crucial.
"We did ask the question this week to step up in our game and I think we got a big tick for that.''
The Force's season hadn't started well with a limp loss to the Hurricanes and a narrow win over the struggling Cheetahs.
Mitchell said the added blow of Giteau's announcement hadn't added to the pressure.
"It didn't really feature in our preparation or camp this week at all so it certainly wasn't distraction,'' he said.
Brumbies coach Andy Friend lamented his side's flatness.
"I thought our scrum and lineout were very, very good but just our energy levels and our ability to control the football wasn't good so we need to work on that,'' he said.
"We need to find some answers to that, as to why we were flat and slightly off.'' "

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...002381,00.html

[domattw]

What a great game great, seems like those Brumbies have been Forced to the knackers yard .......Great effort and great control, and less kicking.....Congrats to the whole team


I hope that Dave Hughes report gets edited before it's printed and posted so its correct.

[jargan83]

Cam Shepard was walking past us shaking hands. Slomo and myself dragged him in for a bear hug!!
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[Egan]

Oh it was sweet to see us play that well, while watching the A-League GF in Adelaide at the Rosemount. Played a lot better than our previous two games and hopefully we can win against the winless Chiefs next week.

Well Done Force from Adelaide. It's a pity that I am over here this season for uni, but will definitely go to our first ever final, wherever in the world it is!

Come on the Force!

[normie]

A CAPITAL win!

[normie]

where is mudskipper??!!
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Where is the MS? I miss his sharp, ascerbic posts!