Force v Brumbies Round 17

[choice]

Foley spends more time grooming his beard than he does coaching. The guy is as boring as his team has been playing. Sure plenty of glimpses but no consistency.

[The InnFORCEr]

WESTERN FORCE MEDIA RELEASE
Friday, 5 June 2015

BRUMBIES TOO STRONG FOR FORCE IN PERTH

Two late tries to the Western Force were not enough to overcome the ACT Brumbies in the Western Australian side’s final home match of the season at the ‘Force Field’ (nib Stadium) tonight, succumbing 33-20.

The Brumbies built momentum in the game through the strength of their rolling maul, with David Pocock scoring a hat-trick – carrying the ball to the line each time at the back of a maul.

Trailing 21-6 at the break, the Force crossed for two tries to Tetera Faulkner and Luke Morahan to get within striking distance at 33-20 with five minutes remaining,

Force flanker Angus Cottrell was at his abrasive best, tearing into the Brumbies runners in defence and earning himself the Haigh & Hastings Man of the Match. Flyhalf Zack Holmes was also busy for the home side, attacking the line and setting up the Force’s final try of the night for Morahan.

The Force will take on the Melbourne Rebels in its final match of the season at Melbourne’s IKON Park on Friday, 5 June.

WHAT THEY SAID… Michael Foley, Western Force Head Coach
“The Brumbies are a tough side to play at any stage, particularly at this period of the season when they’re chasing finals. We’d identified a few things they were strong at like the maul, and that ended up being the point of difference in the game. I thought our guys were incredibly brave, we defended for long periods against a good attack and we showed some good signs with the ball, but ultimately the difference in the game was a very, very good maul.

“One of the hardest things in a season like this, particularly on the back of last year, it means a lot to us to play for people that do the right thing by us. We won six of our eight home games last year, this year we’ve only been able to win one – and it hurts the team. I’ve seen groups of people under less pressure fracture… but the team is tight, we’re still fighting and we want to play well next week.”



2015 Asteron Life Super Rugby – Week 17
Friday, 5 June 2015 at the ‘Force Field’ (nib Stadium), Perth Kick-off: 7pm Crowd: 9,054

ACT Brumbies 33 (David Pocock 3, Christian Lealiifano, Allan Alaalatoa tries; Christian Lealiifano 4 conversions) defeated Western Force 20 (Luke Morahan, Tetera Faulkner tries; Zack Holmes 2 penalties, 2 conversions)

Half time: ACT Brumbies 21-6
Yellow Cards: Steve Mafi (28th min)
Red Cards: Nil
Referee: Angus Gardner


WESTERN FORCE
Western Force: 1. Pekahou Cowan, 2. Nathan Charles, 3. Guy Millar, 4. Sam Wykes, 5. Adam Coleman, 6. Angus Cottrell, 7. Matt Hodgson (c), 8. Ben McCalman, 9. Alby Mathewson, 10. Zack Holmes, 11. Nick Cummins, 12. Kyle Godwin, 13. Marcel Brache, 14. Luke Morahan, 15. Dane Haylett- Petty.

Reserves: 16. Heath Tessmann, 17. Chris Heiberg, 18. Tetera Faulkner, 19. Steve Mafi, 20. Kane Koteka, 21. Ryan Louwrens, 22. Luke Burton, 23. Patrick Dellit.

Head Coach: Michael Foley

ACT BRUMBIES
ACT Brumbies: 1. Scott Sio, 2. Stephen Moore, 3. Ben Alexander, 4. Rory Arnold, 5. Blake Enever, 6. Scott Fardy, 7. David Pocock, 8. Ita Vaea, 9. Nic White, 10. Christian Lealiifano, 11. Joe Tomane, 12. Robbie Coleman, 13. Tevita Kuridrani, 14. Henry Speight, 15. Jesse Mogg.

Reserves: 16. Josh Mann-Rae, 17. Allan Alaalatoa, 18. Ruan Smith, 19. Jordan Smiler, 20. Jarrad Butler, 21. Michael Dowsett, 22. Nigel Ah Wong, 23. James Dargaville.

Head Coach: Stephen Larkham


BY THE CLOCK
Min Score
10 From a lineout five metres from the try line, flanker David Pocock touches down at the back of a rolling maul for the ACT Brumbies’ opening try. Christian Lealiifano converts. 0-7
15 Pocock is penalised for diving off his feet at the ruck. Zack Holmes kicks the penalty from 35 metres out. 3-7
16 The Brumbies are penalised at the breakdown, with Holmes adding his second penalty from 40 metres out. 6-7
18 After stringing several phases together in the Force’s 22m, Stephen Moore offloads to Lealiifano to dart down a short blindside to score. Lealiifano converts. 6-14
28 After a lineout five metres from the Force line, the Brumbies again form a rolling maul with Pocock controlling the ball at the back to score his second. In the process, Force lock Steve Mafi receives yellow card for illegal maul defence. Lealiifano converts. 6-21
HALF TIME 6-21
58 From a penalty, the Brumbies win their lineout five metres from the line. Three phases later prop Allan Alaalatoa runs through a stretching defensive line to score under the posts. Lealiifano coverts. 6-28
66 From a lineout deep in the Force 22m, the Brumbies maul their way towards the line with Pocock trailing to fall over the try line for his third of the night. 6-33
71 After a lineout five metres from the Brumbies’ line, the Force pick-and-drive towards the centre of the field with Tetera Faulkner scoring under the posts – confirmed by TMO Ian Smith. Holmes converts. 13-33
75 Holmes breaks the Brumbies’ line down the left-hand-side and finds Luke Morahan in space who storms in to score. Holmes converts. 20-33
FULL TIME 20-33

[The InnFORCEr]

Chucky Stannard also tweeted that it would be last game for Sammy & The Badger.

The power of social media!

[Ecky]

At the 'corner post bar' after the game Brache also said it was disappointing playing like that for the guys that were leaving like Sammy and Paddy...

I heard at Monday's training Paddy wasn't being retained after this season, and yeh - Marcel (or Marcie, as he was being called at training) mentioned last night that was his last home game as well.

[Alison]

I heard at Monday's training Paddy wasn't being retained after this season, and yeh - Marcel (or Marcie, as he was being called at training) mentioned last night that was his last home game as well.

You mean that it was Marcel's last game too Ecky?

[GIGS20]

Shame about Marcel, he was one of few who played the whole season with enthusiasm. I don't think he is good enough for Super Rugby, but there are several names in the backline that need to go before him.

[WF1964]

It seems a bit of a shame then, that only Sam got an/the official farewell.

[Buddha Handy]

Sure the coaching is bad but at the end of the day we are pretty much a club rugby team playing against teams full of wallabies, all blacks and springboks week in week out.

Until we can recruit some more wallabies and are given more assistance to do this then we will not be able to beat anyone consistently.

[GIGS20]

I think that's the rub isn't it Buddha. The art are happy to throw some cash at an academy for us to develop talent over here, but don't want to give us a leg up into spreading the talent more evenly.

They will even drag their heels on signing Benny Macs contract, but watch Quakes signature fly through the office if qld want him

[Ecky]

You mean that it was Marcel's last game too Ecky?

No - Marcel mentioned it was Paddy's last home game.

I spoke with Marcel after last week's game and asked if he was staying on and he said he hoped so. So do I, although it was he who let in the the 2nd try by coming off the wing he was defending, so I'll need to give him some pointers, assuming the official coaching debrief doesn't already do this

[andrewM]

After the game I did hear Paddy suggest that he may be spending more time on the other side of the fence next year, playing a different role.. Out of curiousity I did a google search on Angela Tsun pregnant but didn't come with any hits. But the pictures! I've always thought she was quite a beautiful lady but.. phew! Next time I see Mr Dellit I'm scared he'll knock my block off!

Would be a shame to see Brache go so I hope there's nothing in that rumour. It is only in the second half of the season that I have appreciated his tenacity and speed when all those around him have seemed lethargic

[beige]

Out of curiousity I did a google search on Angela Tsun pregnant but didn't come with any hits. But the pictures! I've always thought she was quite a beautiful lady but.. phew! Next time I see Mr Dellit I'm scared he'll knock my block off!

Well yeah after you said that!

[todd4]

Sure the coaching is bad but at the end of the day we are pretty much a club rugby team playing against teams full of wallabies, all blacks and springboks week in week out.

Until we can recruit some more wallabies and are given more assistance to do this then we will not be able to beat anyone consistently.

Maybe we are playing like a club rugby team because of the coaching? We are a professional Super Rugby team and I assume we are paying top dollar for our coaching staff. At the end of the day the Head Coach will still be putting his hand out for his very generous pay packet regardless of the results. Coaching is a cut-throat business and in professional sport it all comes down to results.
Over the last few years it has become evident to me what a huge impact a coach has on a team. Look at what Link was able to achieve with the Reds, Chieka with the Tahs, White with the Brumbies. I have no knowledge of the feeling in the club or amongst the players but I'm thinking that 'something is rotten in the state of Denmark' for things to have gotten so bad this year. I hope Mr. Sinderberry is on to it.

It's only wishful thinking that the ARU are going to send us a shipment of Wallabies. Why would any Wallabies want to come here when we are playing like a club rugby team. Our stodgy, boring, risk free rugby is even boring for the die-hard fans, it certainly wouldn't inspire a Wallaby at the top of his game to pack up and move west.

The future of the Force depends entirely on the Force, no one else. We need to be playing good, consistent entertaining rugby to get the fans back and to entice good players to want to come here.

Can we achieve this with the nucleus of the team we have? I think so. Can we achieve this with the current coaching staff? Not from what I have seen.

[Alison]

Maybe Paddy will go into a TV and/or radio career like his wife?

[Cowboy]

I am back to believing Foley must go. He has had three years to show where he is taking the club, and the truthful answer is we are not improving fast enough.

He has made some good contributions in his time here, but we need more improvement than what he has been able to deliver.