Western Force Feel the Blues on Black Friday

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13-02-09, 21:21
RugbyWA

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Western Force Feel the Blues on Black Friday

The Emirates Western Force have opened their 2009 Investec Super 14 season with a 25-19 defeat at the hands of the Blues in front of 19,309 fans at Subiaco Oval in Perth tonight.

The home side had led 14-8 at half time after running into a stiff breeze, but three second half tries from the Auckland outfit ensured they would record a bonus point victory.

The Blues opened the scoring in the 11th minute through a Paul Williams penalty goal, but two tries in five minutes from AJ Whalley and then Drew Mitchell made the score 14-3.

Whalley barged over from five metres out before Mitchell pounced on a spilt ball to race 95 metres to score untouched.

The period immediately before and straight after half time belonged to the Blues, as they piled on 22 consecutive points through tries to Chris Lowrey, Justin Collins, Anthony Boric and Taniela Moa. Paul Williams was wayward with the boot; missing three straight conversions before replacement Jimmy Gopperth slotted his attempt after Moa’s try to take the score to 25-14.

The gap was narrowed to 25-19 when substitute lock Tom Hockings darted down the blindside to score with just over 20 minutes to go, but the Blues held out their opposition pressure for the final period of the game to seal the win.

Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell, Richard Brown and Pek Cowan were prominent for the home side, while Man of the Match Kurtis Haiu, Moa and Collins were impressive for the Auckland side.

The Emirates Western Force will host the Cheetahs on Friday 20 February at Subiaco Oval in round two.

11th Min: Penalty to the Blues kicked by Paul Williams. Blues lead 3-0
17th Min: Try to the Emirates Western Force scored by AJ Whalley. Converted by Matt Giteau. Emirates Western Force lead 7-3.
22nd Min: Try to the Emirates Western Force scored by Drew Mitchell. Converted by Giteau. Emirates Western Force lead 14-3
27th Min: Try to the Blues scored by Chris Lowrey. Not converted by Williams. Emirates Western Force lead 14-8.

HALF TIME: Emirates Western Force 14 Blues 8
43rd Min: Try to the Blues scored by Justin Collins. Not converted by Williams. Emirates Western Force lead 14-13.
46th Min: Emirates Western Force: Troy Takiari replaces AJ Whalley.
48th Min: try to the Blues scored by Anthony Boric. Not converted by Williams. Blues lead 18-14.
50th Min: Emirates Western Force: Tom Hockings replaces Pat O’Connor.
52nd Min: Emirates Western Force: Matt Hodgson replaces Tamaiti Horua.
54th Min: Try to the Blues scored by Taniela Moa. Converted by Jimmy Gopperth. Blues lead 25-14.
55th Min: Emirates Western Force: James O’Connor replaces Ryan Cross.
57th Min: Try to the Emirates Western Force scored by Hockings. Not converted by Giteau. Blues lead 25-19.
FULL TIME: Emirates Western Force 19 Blues 25

Emirates Western Force 19 (Whalley, Mitchell, Hockings tries; Giteau 2 cons)

Blues 25 (Lowrey, Collins, Boric, Moa tries; Gopperth con, Williams pen)
13-02-09, 21:40
lara93

Force can't shed Blues

Nick Taylor, rugby reporter

February 13, 2009 08:34pm

THE Western Force have still not shed their Super 14 opening day Blues with a 25-19 loss against the Auckland-based Blues at Subiaco tonight.

They have not won any first match of the season since their debut in 2006 although they had won three of their last four home games.

These have not been easy times for the Perth outfit off-field, but the players say they have put aside the pre-season problems and coach John Mitchell certainly seemed to be getting on with his assistant John Mulvihill during the warm-up.

It was a far from perfect performance, there were plenty of errors and while it was not exactly a full blown thriller, season openers rarely are.

The Blues had plenty of field position, particularly in the first period, mainly through their kicking game, but Tasesa Lavea was guilty of too much poor kicking.

In contrast Matt Giteau had a fine evening's work but even his accurate kicking and flashes of brilliance were not enough for the Force.

Fullback Cameron Shepherd showed confidence on his return from a knee-wrecking injury playing for the Wallabies last year.

But it was a second half performance, reminiscent of the bad old days, not holding onto a 14-8 advantage that handed the Blues victory.

The Force must show more intent on control and structure, because at times they looked a little confused.

They threw everything at the Blues in a rousing last few minutes but it wasn't good enough.

Although there was some early direct running from centres Josh Tatupu and Ryan Cross the Blues had the bulk of the pressure and opened the scoring with a penalty after 10 minutes from from fullback Paul Williams.

In reply his opposite number Shepherd came close to getting a try. Collecting the ball deep he chipped ahead and soccered the ball through, but the Blues defence got to the ball first.

Cult figure AJ Whalley brought the Subiaco crowd to its feet but they had to wait an age while the big prop struggled to get the ball over the line for a try.

Giteau, who started the move with a moment of brilliance, stepping past two defenders before slipping a terrific inside pass to Tamaiti Horua, converted.

Then at the 22-minute mark speedster Drew Mitchell picked up a loose ball when a Blues backline move broke down and sprinted 90 metres to score in the corner.

Giteau slotted a difficult conversion to put his side 14-3 ahead but five minutes later Blues No 8 Chris Lowrey crashed onto a flat pass and went over Force hooker Tai McIsaac for a five pointer, unconverted.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/stor...005401,00.html
13-02-09, 22:00
.X.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick Taylor

Fullback Cameron Shepherd showed confidence on his return from a knee-wrecking injury playing for the Wallabies last year.

Nick - I am pretty sure Cam broke his leg, it was against the poms in Sydney. I was there I saw it.
13-02-09, 22:04
pieter blackie

how many free kicks did we get against us ?? that is where we lost the game
13-02-09, 22:21
gustafsl

Too many players having average games is where we lost this one. Just did my ratings and way way too many players got a 5 or 6. The sad part is that this is all too familiar. So many times over the past couple years the Force have fallen just short of winning. It's about time they started winning a few more of these type of games.

Couple things for next week.

Get Wee Man, I mean Sare, out of there. Put Cummins in. Didn't Cummins start every game last year until he got injured??? Why exactly did he lose his spot then?

Ban drums from the stadium. It may be great there, but it's f#*#ing annoying on TV.
13-02-09, 22:24
jargan83

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exile

Nick - I am pretty sure Cam broke his leg, it was against the poms in Sydney. I was there I saw it.

We didn't play the poms last year did we? Ireland and France.

I thought the Injury happened against France in Brisbane?
Posted via Mobile Device
14-02-09, 07:50
mudskipper

He broke his leg against France in Sydney early July last year...

http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...028286915.html
14-02-09, 07:59
slomo

Quote:

Originally Posted by pieter blackie

how many free kicks did we get against us ?? that is where we lost the game

eleven ......
14-02-09, 08:03
sandgroperrugby

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exile

Nick - I am pretty sure Cam broke his leg, it was against the poms in Sydney. I was there I saw it.

that would be against the french. we didnt play the english here last year.
14-02-09, 08:23
travelling_gerry

Force squander lead in 25-19 loss

13th February 2009, 21:30 WST
The Western Force have squandered a half-time lead to lose their opening Super 14 match 25-19 to the Blues at Subiaco Oval.

On a night where rugby fans voted with their feet by staying away from the much maligned Subiaco Oval, the Force kept their winless record in round one matches in tact in front of just 19,309 people.

Despite the Blues having the better of the play throughout the first half, the Force recovered from an early 3-0 deficit to score the first two tries of the game and held an underserved 14-8 lead at the break.

But possession told in the second half as the Auckland-based visitors came from behind to register their victory with a bonus point for scoring four tries.

The Force also scored a bonus point by virtue of their small losing margin, but it will be of scant consolation.

Three of the Blues’ tries were scored into the breeze in the second half as they put on 22 points in a row, a run eventually broken by a try to Force substitute Tom Hockings, which was to be the final score of the game.

The Blues looked ominous early in the second half when 34-year-old flanker Justin Collins found himself in space on the right wing and cut back inside Drew Mitchell to cross the line and bring his side within a point of the hosts.

Collins’ try came on the back of 11 consecutive phases for the Blues, a move which typified the way the match was played.

The visitors hit the front in the 49th minute through big second rower Anthony Boric, who pounced on a loose ball as the Force backs hesitated, beat four men and ran 20m to stumble over the line.

What eventually proved to be a match-winning lead for the Blues was created when halfback Taniela Moa scored in the 54th minute.

Moa crashed over on the end of a swift move as the Blues won a turnover at a lineout inside the Force 22. Substitute fly-half Jimmy Gopperth converted the try to open up a 25-14 break, which was reduced when Hockings crossed in the corner four minutes later.

The Force’s tries in the first half came through AJ Whalley and Drew Mitchell, who scooped up a fumbled Blues ball on his own line and charged the length of the field to score in the corner.

But it was not to be on a disappointing night for the home side.

The Force host the Cheetahs at Subiaco Oval next Friday night and while the Blues continue their road trip in Pretoria against the Bulls.

PERTH
SHAYNE HOPE

http://www.thewest.com.au/default.as...ntentID=124706
14-02-09, 10:41
normie

Quote:

Originally Posted by gustafsl

Ban drums from the stadium. It may be great there, but it's f#*#ing annoying on TV.

it's f#*#ing annoying at the ground!!!
14-02-09, 10:45
.X.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandgroperrugby

that would be against the french. we didnt play the english here last year.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mudskipper

He broke his leg against France in Sydney early July last year...

http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...028286915.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by jargan83

We didn't play the poms last year did we? Ireland and France.

I thought the Injury happened against France in Brisbane?
Posted via Mobile Device

Poms, French...... meh- so much rum, so much rugby - I was there, I think.:drunk::drunk: