1
![Not allowed!](images/buttons/down_dis.png)
![Not allowed!](images/buttons/up_dis.png)
It was Foleys throw ins that buggered the lineout!
[QUOTE=travelling_gerry;410074]It was Foleys throw ins that buggered the lineout![/QUOTE
A crusader would've thrown better to the force lineout.
Take the bonus point for losing and stop criticising for the sake of criticising. Teams can only play as well as their opponents let them and the Force effectively frustrated the Crusaders that much that they nearly pulled off a win against a team who had only lost 1 game this season.
So what the lineout wasn't that flash and the scrum struggled, we got within 1 point of the most successful team in Super Rugby.
Lineouts and scrums can be fixed but we played for the whole 80 minutes for the 2nd week in a row and that can only give our players more confidence.
I can sort off understand Kiwi supporters wearing All Black jumpers to this game but why would you wear Chiefs or Highlanders gear, save it until they actually play at NIB.
Go Steve Mafi another great al round game.
I heard on the commentary that the Force have only missed one kick for goal this season. Now if we could only score more tries!
Laugh and the world laughs with you.......
......cry and you'll weaken your beer
Enjoyed being back at NIB and watching the force! Sad about the result but still did well. Some tired players out there I think they definitely will be looking forward to the bye this week.
I thought there was a knock on played off the ground in the lead up to that scrum, a photocopy of Mozza penalty in the first couple of minutes, that might have turned the game our way as well, but it's rare that I walk out of the gates praising the ref, I usually have to watch a replay first. He did a good job.
C'mon the![]()
![]()
Did wonder about the kick for the last line-out. Couldn't tell from my angle, but from where it was kicked and where it landed, it looked like it went dead rather than out inside the 5. The AR was standing beyond the flag and seemed to look straight up (although I only caught sight of him out the corner of my eye). Can anyone sitting in the north-west corner confirm where the kick went out?
Although we shouldn't have put ourselves in that position; we tried to defend a 6-point lead rather than playing the way we had for the previous 38 minutes which kept the 'Saders scoreless. That, and losing 5 of 9 line-outs didn't help, either!
Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon
Ruck Stats – Force V Crusaders – Round 7
Remember:
1. Early means 1st or 2nd of player’s team AFTER the ball carrier has been tackled and brought to ground.
2. Impact means active engagement: strong physical contact, changed shape of ruck, clean-out, protecting ball etc. (more than hand on someone’s bum or arriving after the hard work has been done). Yes it’s subjective – but as I collect all data at least it’s consistent.
3. Impact DOES NOT equate to Effectiveness. I’ve concluded that coming up with an effectiveness measure is just too hard in the time that I have available – but open to suggestions.
As badly as we played this is still a game that we could/should have won. The Crusaders (#4 on the combined table) were ready to be knocked off by the Force (#15 on the combined table) – especially at HOME. We needed to capitalise on the Crusaders own poor components of their play (23 Handling Errors).
I am still a supporter of trying to score more tries and let our Backs show us what they can do. BUT these changes were meant to be built upon our already good defensive structures which we seem to have forgotten/lost.
At the same time clearly many of our Backs are not up to Super Rugby level as they go missing far too often. 23 MISSED TACKLES – 18 of them by our Backs. Our Backs missed 33% of their attempted tackles. And it was much the same story during the 3 games in New Zealand. We are ALWAYS vulnerable out wide.
Although we stuffed up Scrums at critical times our scrum did OK against what is effectively an All Black tight 5. Won 10 of 12 scrums on our own feed.
BUT our Line Out was diabolical, winning only 4 from 9 and putting the Crusader’s Line Out under no pressure. Confusion appeared to reign supreme. We simply should have just handed them the ball it would have been less painful to watch. We were up against the All Blacks Locks who gave the Wallabies a towelling at the RWC – BUT it wasn’t their good play it was our bad play.
YET the try that the Force did score was what the team has been talking about with good support play and innovation. WE just don’t see enough of it.
I have no issues with the kicking game against a team like the Crusaders – we can ill-afford to let them play in our half – especially with our poor tackling. (44% Possession; 41% Territory)
When we were ahead 19:13 at 62 minutes the Force just needed to keep pressing for more points as they had the Crusaders on the back foot after a great 3rd Quarter - which has been missing. Unfortunately the Line Out issues kept killing our momentum and forced Hodgo to take points rather than consider a kick for the corner and offensive line out.
Disappointingly, in the last 5 minutes we saw none of the tenacious, last-line-of defence, hard work which was our trade mark.
The Crusaders were holding off on most rucks. We scored 9 TOW to their 6.
Mighty Ruck Involvements from Hodgo (3 TOW and 17 Tackles), Ben McCalman (7 Tackles) and Gus Cottrell (5 Tackles). 2nd highest tackles from Ben Tapuai (13 Tackles/4 Missed Tackles). However, the normal level of support was generally missing. The best Ruck Involvements by Backs: Morahan 11, Grant 11, Rasolea 9' Masirewa 9, Tapuai 8.
Fantastic to see the return of Francois van Wyk who was busy all game.
Terrific to see Kyle Godwin back in the XXXIII.
Hope the injuries to Charles (arm/wrist # ?), Cowan (arm) and Prior (ankle/hip) are not too bad.
I thought that Ben O'Keefe did a good job (BUT there still appears to be no focus on high tackles. e.g. Volavola's tackle on DH-P at 50 mins)
I’m glad we have a BYE next week and then 2 more games at HOME (Bulls and Tahs).
Last edited by andrewg; 09-04-16 at 09:34.
Andrew I can see the effort you put in week on week into your stats and you either work for RWA or a building a CV to apply for a job and good on you
A couple of weeks ago you posted on foleys credentials as a sent Piece coach
Joseph and Blackadder must of read that as well
The continual dissatisfaction with supporters and non supporters on this web page doesn't change from week to week or even season to season
Your stats prove nothing week in week out as even the most uneducated rugby critic can see what is going on
If we are stuck with this coaching setup and player roster there needs to be a change of tack from on the field to off the field
This group need to do more work off the field in the community put more time into the local junior comp and attend shopping centres schools and do holiday clinics for free in return for the support of the local community
Foley should be at all clubs giving tips on his experience and knowledge at all levels
Last night he didn't have the nous to look at the crowd thank them for sticking with them through thick and thin and keep the faith
This is an area that is going to keep the force in town and keep people attending the games
The players and coached can't quite get it right on the field so off the field is required ASAP
You never know doing something enjoyable for the community might even make there feel better within themselves and take that into the field
Hodgo go needs to be replaced ASAP as captain as he is a broken man there is nothing left behind his eyes and can't believe the quality of his performance week in week out and if he was 10 years younger he would have to be rated in the top 3 flankers in the world
Capable of playing another 2-3 years but the continual negativity will soon drag him down
Can always captain from behind the scences
Work harder iff the field and the rewards will come
Don't feed me shut about RUPA and there rules that is all smoke and mirrors
They as themselves need to pick themselves up off the floor and start off the fiekd
No use bitching about our kicking game, the Saders are a high kicking side - half time stats Force 22 Saders 21 kicks. No problem with countering it for territory. Set piece killed us.
I'd like to thank the Saders 10 for his steal on Hodgo to effectively pass the ball to Lourens for our try. Thanks mate!
This is maybe irrelevant to some but I've noticed this season that very few players come over to see the fans at the end of the game. The only ones to have done it without fail this season are Hodgo and Benny Taps I think.
I know they must be knackered as well as disappointed after such tough physical games but it means so much to all the little kids who line the barrier waiting for a signature from their favourite players. They are the future of our game and a few minutes of engagement with them could spur them on to take up rugby rather than AFL or soccer.
Just a thought.
Proudly Western Australian; Proudly supporting Western Australian rugby
I gather the stats out of my own interest and have absolutely nothing to offer RWA as there are many more people with better credentials.
The Ruck Involvement stats you can't get from anywhere else and most people are surprised as to who IS actually putting in the hard work.
IMO Ruck Involvement is a good measure of work rate and an indication of how much individual players, especially Forwards, are prepared to put in for the team rather than just for themselves. For Backs Ruck Involvements usually come at a cost e.g Ian Prior, Luke Burton et al.
I wasn't aware that I'd ever commented on RUPA.
Hodgson will obviously just keep doing what he does right up until he hangs up his boots - whether he is Captain or not.
He just does what he does and obviously brings the same dedication and effort into all of his endeavours.
One of the problems is that there is NOBODY actually stepping up to show that they could/should take his place as Captain.
I'd rather Foley and the playing squad had a primary focus on improving their game to provide an 80 minute, consistent, professional effort.
Then they'll have time for the PR.
But I agree with Alison in that they all should be doing a lot more with the fans, especially the younger ones, after each game - home and away.
For the rest - you're entitled to your opinion.
PS Get out and about and support some local rugby today.
Last edited by andrewg; 09-04-16 at 11:30.
Agree with you Insider about the community engagement side of things. I wonder if the precarious financial position has put paid to a lot of the marketing/engagement side of things. This is where the ARU could do SO much more. Do they do ANY advertising outside of NSW?
Proudly Western Australian; Proudly supporting Western Australian rugby