Western Force vs NSW Waratahs - Round 13 - May 9 2015

[Sheikh]

I was wondering whether Cheika's comments that he saw Godwin at 13 was because Beale had the lock on the Wallaby 12 jumper. Based on yesterday, Beale should be worried about making the touring party. As should a number of other Tahs (Robinson, Kepu, Dennis, Hooper & AAC all had pretty invisible nights).
A backline of Louwrens, Burton, Cummins, Godwin, Rasolea/Brache, Brache/Morahan, DHP (pending Junior's fitness) looks like what we should be running for the rest of the season.

[jargan83]

Any idea why Brache took that shot on goal for the first penalty instead of Burton?

[WF1964]

^ a daring experiment?

[Timbo]

At the time Brache headed in to take it, Burton was still making his way onto the ground as a replacement. Don't know why they didn't change the decision though.

[jono]

Yeah well. #idiots even if we did win

[GAFFA]

Only a player who was on the field at the time of the penalty being awarded can take the kick. That's why burton couldn't take it.

[jono]

Only a player who was on the field at the time of the penalty being awarded can take the kick. That's why burton couldn't take it.

Oh yeah. Burto couldn't come on until the stoppage - which was the penalty.
Fair enough

I would rescind my idiot comment but the game should have been over by 55 mins by means of the12 points we left out on the pitch. We need a kicker. Those points would have sucked the life out of the tahs. Our inability to turn the screws through missed opportunities or the 1%ers we mess up is the reason we don't win games. Plain & simple

[Macattack]

The win was built on great defence - back to the standard that served us well last year.
Very impressed with the hard-arsed defence of many last night, especially Benny and Mafi. Plenty of others did well also, but Benny Mac and Mafi seemed determined to take it to them hard.

Watched it again as soon as we got home last night and the TV didn't do it justice, there were some seriously hard tackles in the centre last night - just ask Pottgeiter and Hooper.

If we can ingrain that sort of defence and plug a couple of backline attacking weaknesses we will do well.

Also great to see the scrum stand up so well to a much heavier (and supposedly more talented) pack - sweet.

[valzc]

One of the bravest efforts last night I thought was Adam with a badly sprained ankle trying to walk it off. Gets back into position and had to make a big tackle straight away! And he managed it too! Kudos to you Adam! It's a wonder Hoff didn't card him for that!

[sandgroperrugby]

Badge gave a very frank and honest appraisal of himself after the game in the interview about his chances of making the wallabies. This is one of the many reasons he is a great role model for kids and some other petulant rugby players.

[shasta]

Any idea why Brache took that shot on goal for the first penalty instead of Burton?

With a success rate <60% it was not exactly an audacious gamble.

[shasta]

The win was built on great defence - back to the standard that served us well last year.
Very impressed with the hard-arsed defence of many last night, especially Benny and Mafi.....

Precisely. You name ANY of the best performing squads and see if their game is not built on defensive pressure and forward dominance. The only time any team can mount some good attacking play without that is when the oppo has put the cue in the rack. Get that right consistently and we might see the expansive game plans so many are longing for.

[AndyS]

Thought that was the best performance I've sen from the team for some time. Very interested to see them pick and choose which rucks to hit rather that attack them all, which more than anything was probably what disconcerted the 'Tahs. Continue to be impressed with Louwrens, and thought Cummins really showed his value doing a lot of unheralded things outside his normal job description simply because they needed doing. Still have to despair over the state of our goal kicking though - beggars belief that it has been an unaddressed issue for so long and would normally have cost the game. That said, and maybe it is the old "once bitten" thing, but had they kicked them you have to wonder whether they might have tried to defend the lead.

Nonetheless, a promising effort all around and good to see a bit of real attacking intent. As an aside, if the team had been told they would only win two in the season but could pick which ones, I wonder if they wouldn't have picked those two...

[Scozzie]

You name ANY of the best performing squads and see if their game is not built on defensive pressure and forward dominance.

Definitely the two factors that stood out last night from the Force. I thought there were huge efforts from the forwards, just looking at our dominance in the breakdown and the number of times their so-called big runners were dumped on their backside or lost the ball in the tackle, i.e. Potgeiter and Skelton...! Hodgo was an absolute star, and again showed how much his captaincy and leadership have been missed in the first half of the season.

Well done boys...! Let's hope for a few more wins and finish the season off strong...!

[jono]

Badge gave a very frank and honest appraisal of himself after the game in the interview about his chances of making the wallabies. This is one of the many reasons he is a great role model for kids and some other petulant rugby players.

Saw the interview this afternoon. Agree hands down. Both the two idiots were absolutely gob smacked when he said that too!
No use sugar coating it though. And at least he is honest enough to admit he hasn't been at the top of his game