FORCE SIDE NAMED FOR BATTLE WITH BRUMBIES

[Ecky]

Sorry folks, but I was there specifically to monitor Lees. From a position where we could hear his (and the other officials') comms all games.

He had a very good game. Sorry.

If you take out the emotion of being a supporter you may acknowledge this.

I am not saying he (or his AR's) didn't miss things. What he ruled on was spot on. I gather the public didn't have Sports Ears reception for much of the first half? If you had you would have noted both Hodgson and Moore were in the ref's ear (and face) a fair bit in the first 15-20. His management of them being poor leaders was actually very good.

Sorry.

[valzc]

???

[brokendown gunfighter]

sorry Ecky,he and his assistants did not have a good game--missing things is ok.Missing a lot isn't

[Ecky]

Sorry BDGF - let's agree to disagree.

And have a beer at one day

[Kalahard]

Nah, we just used our eyes Ecky. Can see much better with those than seeing through your ears.

[blueandblack]

Sorry BDGF - let's agree to disagree.

And have a beer at one day

so long as you pay....

[andrewg]

He had a very good game. Sorry.
I am not saying he (or his AR's) didn't miss things. What he ruled on was spot on.

I don't know what to make of these comments as obviously not only am I watching the wrong game but I'm supposed to ignore what I believe are the clear directives re what the Refs will be policing - particularly when you consider the Yellow Cards in the first 2 rounds.

And I'm not supposed to make any comment on the transgressions upon which he made no call but were all clearly to the Brumbies advantage. (just because if Lees didn't make a call at least it wasn't an incorrect one???#$@%)

In just the first 66 seconds of the game, during which time Rod Kafer commented is the time when Lees was evidently stamping his mark on the game (mostly in giving the Force Panalties there were 5 flagrant non-rulings which were in clear view of Lees or the AR on the Eastern Side of NIB.

00:15 - Moore's crude shoulder charge and looping arm hit on Heath Tessman. (This type of act has been a YC in all games in the 2 Rounds).
00:54 - Fardy enters the ruck from the side right in front of Lees who has no problems with this.
1:00 - Toomua to Tomane long drifting forward pass which enable the Brumbies to eventually pressure the try line only to be kept out by great D by the Force.
1:00 - Alexander cleans out McCalman with a grab around his neck.
1:02 - Moore then lashes out with a backhand, which connects, to Cowan who had attempted a cleanout. In clear view of the AR.

Then within the next 5 minutes:

Approx 4 mins (no clock on screen) - Butler does a neck roll cleanout on Rasolea. (in clear view of the AR)

Approx 6 mins (no clock on screen) - Arnold does a neck roll on McCalman (results in Penalty on McCalman for no clean break after tackle).

If these are all representative of Andrew Lees doing a good job, then "Houston we have a problem" of huge magnitude.

I don't think that these can be shrugged off as things that Lees simply "missed".

It was clear that Moore and Fardy had been assigned hitman status early in the game AND during the time when most "good" refs do try and stamp their mark on the game, Lees just ignored/missed the above.

I reckon the practice of giving warning is just bollocks.

Super Rugby is played by professionals who all should know the rules. The serial transgressors play on the fact that they're going to get warnings while disrupting continuity of the game.

Give the warning in the shed pre-game and YC from the onset will stop this practice.

Moore should have been YC'd if not for the shoulder charge on Tessman at least for the very much intended backhand on Pek Cowan.

Lees should have stamped out the grabbing players around the neck during cleanouts. If by nothing else by talking to both Captains after the first incident.

Weak refereeing which unfortunately seemed to be to the detriment of the Force and impetus that they were creating.

All this is only from the 1st 10 minutes of watching the game for the 2nd time. In this 10 minutes Andrew Lees and the 2 x ARs were simply terrible - and they were only just warming up!

More to follow (and undoubtedly there will also be more on Moore who was mostly just being his normal belligerent self during this game).

[SNOB]

Give the warning in the shed pre-game and YC from the onset will stop this practice.

Couldn't agree more andrewg! I thought the yellow card was bought in to stop "professional fouls"! These guys are all professionals so bin if they can't get it right! And I don't care if a Force player is YCd if they are fool enough! For gods sake it's a profession! Know the rules of your profession!
Can't believe that the citing board cleared Moore.

[andrewg]

Force v Brumbies - 10 to 20 minutes. - more things that only a blind man couldn't see.

This is the 10 minutes when Lees is lecturing to Hodgo due to transgressions and Pek gets YC'd yet the Brumbies apparently can do what they want without even a warning.

11:00 - Butler, Pocock and Kuridrani all grab McCalman by the neck at the breakdown.
11:40 - Could argue a good case that Fardy took the short lineout throw from Moore inside the 5 m.
(If the ball is taken in the air over the touch line then can throw the ball back into play provided that land back in field not in touch). Fardy only secured ther ball as he landed inside the 5m line and immediately passed the ball to Moore. Hard to say that the AR wasn't in a position to see this one.
13:25 - Moore grabs hold of Hodgo's shirt at breakdown to slow him down and prevent him moving to next contact. Lees probably unsighted and ball already moving. AR? Warning re foul play?
18:00 0 RHP has done a good cleanout and immediately Moore grabs hold of Coleman and pulls him on to of DHP. Still holding onto Coleman when once again immediately Lees penalises the Force for not rolling away. The only time Moore lets go of Coleman is after the whistle has blown.
19:11 - DHP has just failed to take a high ball and is falling to ground when Arnold misses him with a hay-maker. DHP lucky that this one didn't connect as was swung with serious intent. This one would have been in clear view of AR. Surely worthy of a warning??

By this time, Hodgo, and McCalman are showing some signs of frustration.

I suggest, NOT because of playing all that badly with a 0:10 scoreline but the fact that the Brumbies can apparently do no wrong or at least be held to account for their actions.

By this stage the penalty count was WF 7: 2 Brums.
And there had been plenty of opportunities for this to be closer.
It just seemed to me that the Brumbies had borrowed Richie McCaw patented "Cloak of Invisibility" and using it to good effect..

Andrew Lees STILL doing a rubbish job so I'm interested in what unfolds with the closer examination.

[andrewg]

Force v Brumbies - 20 to 30 Minutes - The Tide Turns

By 22:00 the score board had moved onto F 0:17 B with a well-worked try resulting from a great Fardy run and offload to Toomua.

The painful rugby continued and at 24:00 Lees on cue calls a KO advantage to the Force "over" even before they get a chance to get over the gain line. "Can we go back to the scrum please Sir?"
By this stage the Brumbies had had 85% possession.

26:00 - Fardy is penalised (P#1) for not supporting his weight. He is gobsmacked. The cloak has stopped working.

26:22 - Tessman has a little hold of Moore's shirt at a ruck. Moore in disbelief that he's been touched by an upstart.

26:49 - Penalty (P#2) goes against the Brumbies and eventually Cubelli gets YC'd for kicking the ball away. This results from Hodgo finally tired of the BS and tries to bring the kick to Lees' attention. Moore continues as his billigerent self and pushes Hodgo away with disdain. Hodgo doesn't want to lose the opportunity. Moore too is gobsmacked and just a bit rattled.

29:16 Scrum penalty (P#3) against the Brumbies!!!!???? Hodgo doesn't take the easy points.

29:30 Another penalty (P#4) against the Brumbies - Fardy for being off his feet (AGAIN) - 2nd in 5.5 minutes close to try line. AGAIN Hodgo is prevented getting access to the ball (for a quick start) as Moore picks it up and slowly walks across and places it at Lees' feet. Mouthing something like: "I don't know what HIS problem is!" The Sea of Blue were only too happy to explain it to both Moore and Lees. Hodgo takes the crap from Moore and Lees in his stride and again doesn't take the easy points

Wth 4 penalties against the Brumbies in 3.5 minutes the tide turns, Moore is very rattled, Fardy on a final warning (and can't believe it) and the Force start to play some good rugby.

There's a real invigoration arising from the Brumbies actually getting some penalties (now a bit more even at F7:6B).

By end of 30 minutes, the Brumbies had had 93 Ruck Involvements compared to the Force's 59.

Almost exactly the same as for the previous week - Brumbies 90 RIs v Waratahs 49 RIs. (Brumbies 8:5 Tahs)

Finally at 30:00 we have a game on our hands. Over the next 50 minutes both teams score 2 tries and 14 points.

Apologies for the delay in posting - needed some sleep.

[Woolfe]

Awesome work Andrew, are you going to put that on G&G? Will be sure to ruffle some feathers!!

[whodunnit]

Keep blaming the ref game after game!!!
Sigh!

[DazloT]

Send it to the referees boss or to the Force to pass on as part of their match report.

I think the brumbies will find it hard going soon when refs catch onto their tactics.

[Woolfe]

Great to see a comprehensive rebuttal of Andrew's work!

[andrewg]

Keep blaming the ref game after game!!!
Sigh!

Not blaming the ref.

The Force players are only human and adapt quicker than most (it's called survival).

I think it's important to understand WHY they don't get the outcome that they COULD.

The Force made only 5 Handling Errors in this game. Compare that to the Rnd 1 (28) and Rnd 2 (15).
They also won 93% of their Rucks (Rnd 1 87%). Tackling Efficiency a creditable 85% ( but some critical ones missed).

I think that they are doing a great job and that the improvement over last year is obvious.

However, it's a fact of life that the low table standing of the Force means that we attract the low standing referees.
Just a shame that the first 30 minutes detracted from what could have been a very good spectacle as the final 50 minutes were excellent.
(More about JM-R's try later).