one of the worst performances ive seen.

[todd4]

Firstly congrats to the Kings, the script I read said we only had to turn up but the Kings were not the easy-beats they were supposed to be, they put in a passionate performance and got the win. Wonder what the Shorks think about their black strip?

I'm certainly not an expert but as a forum member it's my duty to try and sound like one so here goes;

With the line-out it seems we had more success in retaining possession when Charles threw short.
Most of the calls were for Charles to throw long to the back of the line-out and it invariably turned to shit, either an overthrow, not straight or the opposition were able to disrupt it. Until we become more skilled in this area why not keep it simple and just throw short?

I beleive chook Fowler is the kicking coach, he needs to be working overtime with all our kickers, it really is unacceptable for a team at this level not to be able to kick a farking goal. I don't think Kyle should have the added responsibility of goal kicking at this stage, down the track he will probably become our main kicker but Fowler needs to sort out his technique.
It was also a bit strange seeing the outside centre doing most of the positional kicking or was it just that when it came to him he didn't see many other options?
I know we've all complained about too much kicking away possession in the past but there are times in the game when you need to put a well placed kick in behind the opposition and it's usually the 10 that does this.
Give Sias a run-on start against the Bulls and give him more than 4 mins to form a conbination with Godwin. We need his place kicking and also his positional kicking, if I remember he has a pretty good long pass as well.
Some people have suggested we put Benny Mac in the second row. While I have a lot of respect for Ben he is too light for a lock. I think he is listed at around 106 kgs. Look at the size of some of these Saffa locks they'll push our scrum around the park if we put lightweights in the second row. Perhaps MMM and Lynn?
Early days yet but I'm undecied on Tuopo at fullback I think that if Fowler could work on Mafi's positional kicking I would still like to see him at 15. Working some backline moves with Mafi entering the backline at pace would be good to see.
Someone said they would like to see Alby make more sniping runs and I agree, I don't remember any at all in that game and it would certainly help to mix up the attack and keep the defence guessing.

[zed]

Awful game. We really just seemed to lack any strike runners. There was no guile or ambition in the back line. They were just smashing it up and hoping eventually one of the Kings would miss a tackle, which rarely happened. This could be a very long season.

[wingman]

need to play first 20 minute rugby for 80 and take points when on offer

with the backline running around at the moment it lacks balance and leadership , they should make neccessary changes for saturday both in lock ( wykes) and 10 jersey with some thought into how to address the 15 issue . i would like to see cummins or rasolea at 13 .

coaches can't ring out wholesale changes but some subtle ones say 3 or 4 across the 22 would be healthy

[lacitis]

Its approaching mid week and I am still pissed off about Sundays performance. The performance against the Rebels vs last week against the Kings just doesn't make sense. It can't just be travel cause they just played dumb rugby especially in the second half.

[palitu]

Its approaching mid week and I am still pissed off about Sundays performance. The performance against the Rebels vs last week against the Kings just doesn't make sense. It can't just be travel cause they just played dumb rugby especially in the second half.

im feeling a bit better. I can't shake the feeling that there was no energy, and that it had a bit of travel weariness or something...

[Quins]

I note the new membership card following the re-launch has no player photos this year, just plain blue. Bit like the performance really.

[Gruffalo]

Nobody has mentioned match fixing. The way the Force played second half was equivalent to throwing the game!
Lots on the line politically with the entry of the Southern Kings. Maybe the Force were made an offer they couldn't refuse ?
Posted via Mobile Device

[Nipper]

Early days yet but I'm undecied on Tuopo at fullback I think that if Fowler could work on Mafi's positional kicking I would still like to see him at 15. Working some backline moves with Mafi entering the backline at pace would be good to see.

I'm with you - not sold on Tuopu at 15, would prefer to see Mafi there. Wouldn't you want Mafi to be able to attack from anywhere, rather than (mostly) one side of the pitch?

I'd definitely like to see Cummins at 13 over Stanley. They didn't bend/break the line at all - just shipped it across the field to flat attackers. Against the Rebs, Godwin bent the line with his footwork, but there was none of that this game. With Godwin & Stanley, you have two ball players and no go-forward/destructive runner. With Godwin & Badger you have a finesse/ballplayer and a destructive runner - Thunder & Lightning, if you will.

Besides a few kicks straight to the opposition (and THAT shot at goal), I thought Christie went OK. He's a decent enough distributor.

The two things that stood out to me were a) shite tackling, and b) what happened to that nice offloading game they were playing against the Rebs?

Hopefully, they can take some positives out of the loss. The loss was embarrassing and made me want to puke, but it's done and over with. If they can use this as a kick in the butt, come together as a team in the face of a hostile environment and at least play well and be competitive in Pretoria, then at least there's hope. If not, well.... where to from here?

[GIGS20]

Love ya work Nipper.

Re Christie, I think he's by far our best attacking flyhalf. The only reason I would replace him in Pretoria is to fix the kick for post. That will be a critical component of our game against the Bulls

[Invictus]

Love ya work Nipper.

Re Christie, I think he's by far our best attacking flyhalf. The only reason I would replace him in Pretoria is to fix the kick for post. That will be a critical component of our game against the Bulls

Yep, if there is one place where you need a bullet proof kicking game, it is on the veldt.

I have this terrible feeling that the mother of all spankings is heading our way.....

[The InnFORCEr]

I have this terrible feeling that the mother of all spankings is heading our way.....

I can still hear my mates old man from Christchurch saying after our biggest defeat at the hands of the Crusaders "the score was 53 to nil, and you were bloody lucky to get the nil"

[Nipper]

Love ya work Nipper.

Re Christie, I think he's by far our best attacking flyhalf. The only reason I would replace him in Pretoria is to fix the kick for post. That will be a critical component of our game against the Bulls

Cheers, Gigs. The "kicking issue" is causing a selection headache, no doubt. Christie has been a decent 10, but all that ball distribution doesn't matter a lick if they can't convert territory and possession into points when they're spending good chunks of time in the opposition's half.

I'm sure Godwin will come around - that's an awful lot of pressure for a young guy starting in his first S15 matches - but I don't think they can afford to stick with him while he works out his yips. And it probably won't do much for his overall game if they stick with him and this slump continues.

I'd be really surprised if it wasn't Ebersohn at 10 this weekend. Like @Invictus said, kicking your goals on the highveldt seems non-negotiable if you want to have a chance at winning.

Hell, I haven't been too impressed with Toupou at 15 (how the hell did he end up at 15 anyway?), so maybe they'll move Christie to 15? So, perhaps:

10 Ebersohn
11 Mafi
12 Godwin
13 Cummins
14 Delitt
15 Christie

I dunno. I guess that's a long-winded way of saying "your guess is as good as mine!"

[brokendown gunfighter]

Delitt is back in Perth

[Buddha Handy]

converting the pressure into points is the key and it has been the same as last year, we dominate possession and territory but have nothing to show for it. If we get out to a 15 or 20 nil lead we shouldn't lose from there.

If Ebersohm is going to play well and prove himself you would think it would be in SA where he grew up playing so give him a shot I say.

I think Stanley has played better than last season, prob because #13 suits him better than 12 but we need to try someone else.

[Nipper]

Delitt is back in Perth

Was wondering why he wasn't in the 22 last week. Not another injury, I hope?

Check that - just dug up the story about his injury (don't get much news over here, unless I dig for it myself!). That sucks.