Preview - Highlanders v Western Force

Highlanders v Western Force

April 9, 2010

Queenstown at 12.30pm (AEST)
Last meeting: Western Force 33 bt Highlanders 31 at Perth
Referee: M Jonker (SA)
TV times: Live, Fox Sports 3/3HD.
TAB Sportsbet: Highlanders $1.45 Force $2.65
Sportingbet: Highlanders $1.44 Force $2.80
Sportsbet: Highlanders $1.45 Force $2.75

Greg Growden writes: Fortune finally favoured the Force when they held the Stormers out. The Highlanders could easily be their next victim, but the Force are not exactly the greatest travellers.

AAP writes: Finally off the bottom of the ladder, the Force will be looking for successive victories for the first time this year. They should have a reasonable chance against a Highlanders side just two places and six points above them. The long-awaited return of injury-prone Wallabies back Cameron Shepherd is particularly timely, with veteran Scott Staniforth the latest in a lengthy list of Force casualties. The Force won their only previous clash with the Highlanders in Queenstown in 2008 and should go close again on Saturday.

http://images.smh.com.au/2010/04/08/...herd-200x0.jpg

The Force welcome back prolific pointscorer Cameron Shepherd. Photo: Getty Images

Highlanders: Israel Dagg, Ben Smith, Kenny Lynn, Jason Shoemark, Fetu’u Vainikolo, Mat Berquist, Jimmy Cowan (captain), Steven Setephano, Alando Soakai, Adam Thomson, Hayden Triggs, Josh Bekhuis, Clint Newland, Jason Rutledge, Chris King. Reserves: Jason Macdonald, Bronson Murray, Joe Tuineau, Tim Boys, Sean Romans, Robbie Robinson, Jayden Hayward.

Western Force: James O’Connor, Cameron Shepherd, Mitch Inman, Ryan Cross, Mark Bartholomeusz, David Hill, Chris O’Young, Richard Brown, David Pocock, Matthew Hodgson, Nathan Sharpe (captain), Tom Hockings, Tim Fairbrother, Ben Whittaker, Pekahou Cowan. Reserves: Nathan Charles, Matt Dunning, Ben McCalman, Sam Wykes, Justin Turner, Sam Harris, Dane Haylett-Petty.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/un...0408-ruxs.html

We're not the greatest travellers? Oh SMH how I've missed you, and your great attention to the little details :) I'm not smart enough to find the data, but didn't we make a 2 from 2 last time we made this same little tour across the ditch?

*Sigh*

---------- Post added at 22:36 ---------- Previous post was at 22:35 ----------

By the way, Force by 17. :brave:

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelling_gerry

Greg Growden writes: Fortune finally favoured the Force when they held the Stormers out. The Highlanders could easily be their next victim, but the Force are not exactly the greatest travellers.

What the hell???? Does Growden know anything, our home record is far worse than our away record. He can't even say we don't travel well to New Zealand, compared to the other Australian teams we're probably pretty much average.

The bus to Subiaco was a particularly difficult trip to make.

Yup, Greg Growden's an absolute JERK - can't take anything he says seriously! I think the SMH got it almost right with their Aussie team of the week though http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/r...0404-rlro.html Good to see Whittaker and COY feature.

Long may the Highlander's HooDoo in Queenstown continue! http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/100...t-break-hoodoo Carn the :force:

Quote:

Originally Posted by SinBin

Long may the Highlander's HooDoo in Queenstown continue! http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/100...t-break-hoodoo Carn the :force:

Thats a nice article... no crap about commitees or quokka's or poor away form.. just an honest assessment of two struggling teams going into the match of the round (no real finals pressure so it should be far better as a spectacle than the tahs/ saders game.. or even the Reds v Lions game)

Yup, no agendas, just honest sporting journalism - gotta luv'et. I think the photo had bias though, as not a sheep in site :D