YOU BLOODY BEEEUUTTYY!!

[maelkann]

That was awesome! Celebratory Cosmopolitans for everyone!

Would like to see stats for the second half - the penalties seemed to be racking up quickly.

[Hoolly Doolly]

Yes it seemed everytime the force were rumbling forward the saders had to give away a penalty to set their defenses up. how many times is a team allowed to be called offside before someone should be sent off??So much for rewarding attacking rugby!?!?! That was my only gripe with kaplan in the 2nd half.....he was dreadful in the first.....what a douche bag.

[BDAVEY]

Why wasnt Sheps kicking ??? we would of won by 20 points!!! but I will take the 4 points........ roll on Lions

[Sheikh]

That's what happens when you kick for touch on penalties, not for goal. Pressure builds and even the best team in the comp can't disguise their continual offsides. We lost our way a little in the second half, but the guys regained their gameplan and showed their class.

Our horror run of injuries coincided with playing the mid-table teams. We've beaten the Stormers and Crusaders (and should have beaten the Bulls). The three remaining games are against the Sharks, Cheetahs and Lions.

4 in a row, anyone? TG? What odds?

[Nicolas Hart]

What a sensational match.

Great to see the forwards of Aussie rugby making some big runs! Nimble heavy-weights of the competition, haha.

Last week, the Red's No. 6 (Higginbotham I think), and now this week our replacement Hooker No. 16 (Nathan Charles).

I loved watching us play the Crusaders at MES during the trial match last year; and this match was even better ..... !

---------- Post added at 22:31 ---------- Previous post was at 22:30 ----------

That's what happens when you kick for touch on penalties, not for goal. Pressure builds and even the best team in the comp can't disguise their continual offsides. We lost our way a little in the second half, but the guys regained their gameplan and showed their class.

Our horror run of injuries coincided with playing the mid-table teams. We've beaten the Stormers and Crusaders (and should have beaten the Bulls). The three remaining games are against the Sharks, Cheetahs and Lions.

4 in a row, anyone? TG? What odds?

Should definitely beat the Cheetahs and Lions (even though they're in SAFFA territory) ... not sure about the Sharks ... they're hard to beat away from SA , let alone in it!

[BeeJay]

Un-bloody-believable!!!

The whole team - I salute you!!!

Option taking suddenly so much better in the second half!

And that rolling maul against the CRUSADER PACK for Pek's try!!! You beauuuuty!

We HAVE to try to hang on to both Charles and Whittaker - both great in the tight and in open play.

And McCalman - great lateral defence and go-forward.

Of course, Bam Bam and Sharpie, as always, awesome!!

Scrum superb against the best in the comp.

Great to see Brownie and Hodgo working in tandem.

I was sitting next to a large bunch of Kiwis who gat progressively quieter as the game progressed.

Bring on South Africa!

[Ecky]

Yes, even when we win we must touch on how crap the ref was. I don't suppose we mind his missing of that crucial forward pass from Shep to Hodgo when the try was scored? We seemed to mind a couple of weeks ago when Joe Rococococococoko received a couple, but it was probably ok tonight.

I was most impressed with most of the players tonight. The back row contest was fantastic.
Hill's kicking at goal was crap but, as I've said in here before, he is the old style play director and he impresses me more & more each week.
Cullet was hardly sighted, same with Cross, but they did a couple of good things.
Everyone else who took the field played unbelievably well. What might have been if we hadn't had that unfortunate start to the season, hey?
How can Matt Hodgson not get a call up after this season?

I've been telling anyone who will listen that will be the spoilers this season and could well have a big influence on the make-up of the final 4.

[Timbo]

Happy Happy Joy Joy !!!!!

Now that is my Team!!!!!!

[TOCC]

terrific news force fans, im stoked for you guys, i would rather a australian team win any day of the week and a team like the force who have had a arduous season winning is even better

[Nicolas Hart]

terrific news force fans, im stoked for you guys, i would rather a australian team win any day of the week and a team like the force who have had a arduous season winning is even better

Not to mention it helps provide the Reds with a greater opportunity at maintaining a Top 4 position ... which for the record is brilliant ... Since the first round of the season you could tell the Reds were destined for a great run this year.

As for the Jonathon Kaplan refereeing ... he was fine. A good referee. There were a few harsh calls , though , I'd much prefer a referee who is decisive and in control over one who has no idea what he's doing (enter: Paul Marks). As far as officials go, Craig Joubert is by far and above the best of the entire game.

[andrewM]

Just reading some of the comments on Foxsports Adjudicator column..so sweet..

Western Force v Crusaders, ME Bank Stadium, Perth, Friday 9.45pm (EST)
The Adjudicator's verdict: "Rin, I love your optimism. But even if John Mitchell does know a bit about the Crusaders, well he may as well understand the moon’s pull on the ocean and try to push back a king tide at Cottesloe. With sharp shooter Dan Carter returning to the fold the Force will be overwhelmed. Anthony of Perth is on the money. Crusaders by 30."

Agree/disagree with The Adjudicator? Tell him, in 100 words or fewer, why your team will win this match. Email The Adjudicator, including your full name and where you're from.

LATEST COMMENTS FROM FANS

Glenn from Brisbane says: as predicted we just named our best possible side. this is a crunch game with a tour approaching and the crusaders know that. kick for the corners carter, 4 tries is a must here.

Anthony of Perth says: Dear Adjudicator, expect to see nothing less than a whitewash this Friday as the Crusaders commence their tour in style. With on form players filling the ranks, and undoubtedly fielding a take-no-chances XV on the pitch, the men in red and black will be a hard act to beat. Couple that with a tried and tested veteran forward pack and some stylish backs (eg. Ryan Crotty and Zac Guildford), and you have yourself a team that has lately been churning out strong scrums and light, trying scoring feet. Whilst the Force have a tendency to impress, their victory over the Bulls a shining example of this, their touch and go nature will dictate the tempo of the night. We're going to see one of two things. We could see the Force put it all down on the pitch, play the 80 and give the Crusaders a hard fought victory. Or we could see the Force lose stamina and cohesion early on, missing tackles and turning the ball over at the breakdown like they often do, resulting in conceded tries coming out of their ears. Either way, the Crusaders win. By how much, only the effort of the Force will determine. By 30, at least.

Rin says: Dear Adjudicator, I think that you are very wrong in this department, the Force have shown in the past that they are a bogey side for the Crusaders, and I think this is because of John Mitchells intimate knowledge of many of the Crusaders team. This is going to be a close one, especially with the Force at home, they have drawn twice in only fours games between the two sides, there very well could be a third draw on the cards come Friday night. All I hope is that the Force send them on there way to SA with their tails between their legs just for them to receive further pillaging in the Republic.

Cutsnake in Vietnam says: Force fans, save yourself the trouble of watching this game as it will be a replay of the Round 7 game against the Bulls. The 2nd half saw wave after wave of attack from the Bulls. They were like giant sets that were welling up from the Southern Ocean relentlessly crashing down on Bells Beach and something had to give. The Force will again be ‘valiant’ and ‘brave’ as the newspapers told us last time and they will bob up and down trying to desperately catch their breath but in the end they will end up another statistic like a naïve, drowned Japanese tourist. Crusaders with a typically strong finish to win by 20 points.

[Dramoth]

Yes it seemed everytime the force were rumbling forward the saders had to give away a penalty to set their defenses up. how many times is a team allowed to be called offside before someone should be sent off??So much for rewarding attacking rugby!?!?! That was my only gripe with kaplan in the 2nd half.....he was dreadful in the first.....what a douche bag.

Kaplan again??? Wasnt he the muppet that cost us our first ever win... against the crusaders as well... or was it Jonker?

But still... Kaplan has to be one of the worst ref's around...

[chiraag]

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeooooooooowwww!!!!

What a game by the boys. Kaplan must have had a bit of a talking to by someone at half time. Came back and actually reffed the game without too many pre-conceived biases.

Huge game from Pocock, Sharpie, Inman and Brown Dog. I have said that Inman has been largely missing so far this year despite the large amount of praise he's been getting on TWF, but he definitely wasn't tonight!

My vocal chords hurt......

[Nicolas Hart]

Jonathon Kaplan's a good referee; probably one of the best in the competition. Jaco Peyper, however, is a tool.

If anyone's biased , it's likely "us" because we're wanting what's best for our team.

The majority of penalties were there - and they went both ways - just that some of the "line ball" calls went against us.... that will happen ... I hardly think it was some personal vandetta against the Force.

Just be happy with the win.

[Burgs]

That was fun, especially watching with a room of cocky Kiwis

Two tries were pretty fortunate, though spectacular, but I think we have earnt a couple of decisions over the years.
Possible the Saders may not see it that way when they watch the replay in the morning though.

Very bummed not to have been able to come down and share but so stoked for the team.

Well done boys