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A strong second half comeback from the Emirates Western Force has ensured a 23-all draw with Crusaders in Christchurch this afternoon.
In a curious twist of history, the final score was an exact replica of the inaugural match between the teams at Subiaco Oval in 2006.
Despite being outscored three tries to two, Matt Giteau’s brilliance with the boot and ball in hand saw a second half surge that almost allowed the visitors to claim a remarkable win.
The first half began with a series of long arm penalties as referee Marius Jonker closely policed the offside line. Crusaders Flyhalf Stephen Brett kicked just one of his three goals in the first ten minutes, while Matt Giteau’s response levelled the scores at 3-all.
The home side took advantage of numerous handling errors by the visitors to score three tries in the remainder of the first half. Centres Ryan Crotty and Tim Bateman each crossed for a try before a second Giteau penalty cut the lead to 15-6. Five minutes later, lock Isaac Ross finished a brilliant team try when he dived over in the left corner to make the half time score 20-6.
The sides swapped penalty goals in the opening stages of the second half before the games was turned on its head on the hour mark with a spectacular try team try finished off by replacement winger Haig Sare.
Sare was put into position by Giteau, who beat several defenders before looping a long pass to his winger. Only moments earlier the Crusaders appeared certain to score before Drew Mitchell barrelled Colin Slade into touch in-goal. Giteau’s sideline conversion cut the margin to 23-16.
Crusaders fullback Leon MacDonald was sent to the sin bin for an illegal tackle on the airborne James O’Connor five minutes later, giving the Force a one man advantage for the subsequent ten minutes.
O’Connor was in the thick of the action again soon after when he crossed for a try of his own after running onto a beautiful Giteau offload. The try was created by a Mitchell breakout to give his side great attacking position.
The final moments were tense, as Brett missed a straight forward kick for goal with just four minutes left on the clock that could have sealed victory.
Matt Giteau, David Pocock and James O’Connor were impressive for the WA side, which had good platforms at the scrum and put pressure on the Crusaders backline as both sides consistently flirted with the offside line.
As it happened (courtesy of OxleyMoron):
1:25pm Good afternoon and welcome to those who are joining us from around the rugby universe (including Melbourne and the Netherlands)
1:28pm Force out onto the ground
1:29pm Crusaders on the ground
1:30pm Force to kick off
1:32pm high tackle penalty against O'connor. Brett to have a shot
1:33pm Brett misses the penalty. 0-0 after 2 mins
1:34pm Offside against the force. Brett to have another shot.
1:35pm Brett has missed to the left. 0-0 after 4 mins
1:37pm Another penalty against the force - offside
1:38pm Brett kicks one third time lucky. 0-3
1:40pm Crusaders offside. Gits to have a shot. First time the force have been in the crusaders half.
1:41pm Gits kicks it. 3-3 after 10 mins
1:43pm Jonker has just talked to sharpe about offside
1:43pm Crusaders score a try through Crotty in the corner. They swung the passes wide to find the overlap.
1:44pm Brett misses the conversion. 3-8 after 13 mins
1:46pm Crusaders get a good break from the kickoff, the defence was nowhere. Force throw inside our 22
1:47pm Lineout is poor, knock on from Pocock, turned over, grubber kick put through by Brett, Mitchell appeared to knock on, Crusaders may have scored a try. Gone up to TMO.
1:48pm TMO awards the try. Try scored by Bateman.
1:49pm Conversion is good. 3-15 after 15 mins
1:49pm Force on attack, inside 22
1:51pm Ball knocked on by pocock, 5m out from crusaders line.
1:53pm Good push from the force at the scrum
1:55pm O'connor tries a chip kick, almost comes off, force throw on halfway
1:56pm Gits knocks on inside the 22 after a small running dart from the quick tap
1:57pm The last 5 minutes have been much better from the force, except for the knock ons
1:58pm Offside against the crusaders
1:59pm Gits to have a shot, about 40m out
2:00pm its good. 6-15 after 25 mins
2:02pm Knock on against the crusaders. First force feed scrum
2:02pm 6 handling errors by the force, 2 by saders
2:05pm Try to Isaac Ross. The inside channel defence was very poor, there were about 5 overloads from crusaders in the tackle to keep the ball moving.
2:05pm Brett misses the conversion. 6-20 after 30mins
2:07pm Crusaders on attack again. Offside penalty against valentine
2:07pm Crusaders have kicked for the lineout, pushing for the 4th try
2:09pm Good defence by the force get the turnover 10m out from our line
2:09pm Throw not straight from crusaders
2:10pm Knock on from Waldrom, force scrum on 10m line
2:14pm Force were lucky, a couple of big mistakes there. 2 minutes to half time
2:17pm Half time. 6-20. The crusaders were in control for most of the first half. Simple handling errors are what have cost the force dearly on attack an the missed tackles, especially in the inside channels on defence.
2:21pm Possesion and territory fairly even, 8 handling errors to 3
2:26pm 2nd half has begun
2:29pm force have had some possession, not crossing the advantage line
2:30pm offside against the crusaders
2:30pm gits kicks for the lineout, inside the 22
2:31pm throw not straight by tai
2:32pm force on attack
2:33pm Jonker wants a chat to the crusaders for continual offside. Warning issued.
2:34pm Gits to have a shot. Got it. 9-20 after 47 mins
2:34pm Hodgson on for Stanford
2:35pm force offside from valentines box kick, saders thrown outside 22. Shep off, Sare on.
2:38pm saders knock on 5m out. Horua driven into touch
2:40pm Knock down from Drew. Jonker pays a penalty for late tackle. Penalty kicked by Brett
2:41pm 9-23 after 53 mins
2:41pm gits kicks out on the full from the kickoff. Hockings on for Pusey
2:43pm Pocock down receiving treatment
2:46pm Great last metre defence stopped a try there by drew
2:47pm Sare scores a try. Fantastic break by Gits
2:48pm good work by sare to get the ball down. Gits converts from the sideline. 16-23
2:49pm knocked on by the crusaders inside the 22
2:51pm The crusaders have just bombed a try, they had a 4 man overlap
2:54pm Forward pass by the saders on attack. Castle off, AJ on.
2:56pm Leon McDonald gets a yellow card for taking O'connor out in the air
2:56pm Pocock throws a forward pass
2:58pm offside by crusaders, force inside the 22
2:59pm O'connor TRY
2:59pm Try almost socred under the posts
3:00pm Gits with another good run and offload to give the try to rabbit. Converted. 23 all.
3:01pm Holmes on for Tai, 11 mins left
3:02pm crusaders ball on 10m line
3:04pm penalty against force. Sare was offside
3:05pm Brett to have a shot from the 22, missed it right. 23-23 73 mins
3:06pm crusaders on attack
3:07pm Macdonald back on from the sin bin.
3:08pm force on attack inside 22
3:08pm pelesasa driven into touch 15m out
3:08pm cowan off, castle back on
3:10pm gits knocks on and hit late by Franks
3:12pm scrum near halfway, crusaders feed, time is almost up
3:12pm hooter has gone
3:13pm DRAW
3:13pm 2006 has repeated itself.
3:14pm A late chance to win the game for the force went begging. Horua went to kick the ball after the hooter went, was lucky it came bak to giteau who couldn't keep it in.
3:16pm A poor first half by the force, however the second half was better, purely on the back of gits performance
3:18pm Sharpie has said in the post game interview that the force didn't play well early, but are happy to walk away with 2 pts.
3:19pm There are a few injury concerns from the game, Shep went off early with a leg problem by the look of it, castle was holding his arm towards the end of the game, gits and pocock received treatment for a couple of big hits
3:23pm handling errors 15 to 10, territory 45%, possession 48%, 11 missed tackles
3:24pm 2pts in Christchurch still keeps the force in contention for a top 4 spot.
3:27pm The next game for the force is saturday night against the Sharks at Subi. Remember to be proud in pink next week and donate towards The InnForcers pink hair pledge.
3:28pm See you at Subi next week. Ox signing off.
giteau was outstanding...the scrum stood up well...
gits on target with the boot and some great footwork to get first Sare Then JOC through into space and score... great game Gits... i have a feeling there were some stern words said in the change rooms at half time.. different team out there second half... better defence (still not great) but much better decision making and handling in attack..
well that sucked. Lemme at the player voting...on 1...Drew and Valo
It's strange, 2 weeks in a row now I have missed Drew's bad performances... Maybe he improves when I turn on the TVHis attack in the second half was not bad at all. That try saving tackle was wow-pow stuff too... was the first half really really 1 worthy? Should I not watch it before I vote?
Well 2 points is better than 0, I agree. Last time we went on that tour we went away with 0 wins. This time 1 win 1 loss 1 draw, that's not bad for a 3 week away tour...
A kick in this game is like a rather nasty alcoholic shooter, only as good as it's chaser...
Courtesy of quality South African commentry
NOTE: Tackle stats not yet completed.
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Drew put on one of the great goal-line hits to keep us in the game. He also fumbled a kick through for their second try. A few missed tackles and a few fumbles trying to force a pass. A mixed bag from Drew which is the norm
Still too many handling errors, and the first half was a continuation of the Chiefs game....I suspect I wouldn't have been particularly happy with the performance even if we'd fallen over the line.
We need to grow a heart in this team....bloody quick!
C'mon the![]()
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the bonus point we gifted the cheifs has already come back to bite us.
Giteau provides inspiration as Force grab Crusaders draw
Article from: Justin Chadwick
March 14, 2009 03:50pm
MATT Giteau played a starring role as the Western Force overcame a 14-point deficit in the second half to snatch a 23-23 draw against the Crusaders.
The Crusaders ran in three unanswered tries in the first half of the Christchurch clash on Saturday.
The home side led 23-9 in the 57th minute before the Force, inspired by some Giteau brilliance, launched their comeback.
Giteau weaved his way through the Crusaders defence in the 58th minute to set up substitute Haig Sare for a try, before breaking through two tackles in the 69th minute to send 18-year-old inside centre James O'Connor over for the Force's second.
But the Force couldn't land the killer blow, with the tiring Crusaders holding on for the second draw between the two sides.
Coincidentally, the first draw between the two sides - in Perth in 2006 - was also a 23-23 scoreline.
The latest result could come at a cost for the Force, with fullback Cameron Shepherd suffering a leg injury and prop Ben Castle also leaving the field in the second half through injury.
The Crusaders dominated the first half, with the home side's expansive game plan leaving the Force defence floundering on numerous occasions.
The 20-6 halftime scoreline could have been even worse for the Force had Stephen Brett been on target with his boot, the Crusaders flyhalf missing two penalties and two conversions.
Inside centre Ryan Crotty notched the first try of the match when a double cut-out pass from Brett unleashed him into space, while Tim Bateman made it 15-3 in the 15th minute when Force fullback Drew Mitchell failed to clean up a chip kick and the Crusaders centre swooped on the crumbs.
The Force hit back with a penalty to Giteau in the 25th minute and the Crusaders were forced to defend grimly for the next five minutes as the visitors' pushed hard for a try.
But a Force turnover released the pressure valve, and the Crusaders' willingness to use the width of the field again left the Force exposed, with a series of quick passes freeing lock Isaac Ross on the left wing to give the Crusaders a commanding halftime lead.
But the Force broke the shackles in the 58th minute, with Giteau's slicing run and 13m pass to Sare on the left wing giving the visitors a sniff of victory.
Crusaders fullback Leon MacDonald was given a yellow card in the 66th minute when referee Marius Jonker deemed he had challenged O'Connor in the air and the Force made the most of the numerical advantage to grab a share of the points.
The Crusaders' draw - after three straight losses, has increased pressure on the seven-times Super champions ahead of next Saturday's bumper clash with the NSW Waratahs at the Sydney Olympic Stadium.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/stor...005401,00.html
14th March 2009, 15:45 WST
Matt Giteau ignited a second-half fight back to earn the Western Force a 23-23 draw with the Crusaders at AMI Stadium in today’s Super 14 rugby match at Christchurch.
It was the second draw between the sides in four years, with the 2006 contest at Subiaco Oval also ending 23-23.
Two Giteau breaks in the final 23 minutes created tries for James O’Connor and Haig Sare which hoisted the Force from a desperate situation when trailing 9-23.
Poor place kicking cost the Crusaders the win, with fly-half Stephen Brett missing three penalties and two conversions.
The hosts fielded a makeshift team because of a long injury list, including four All Blacks, but looked by far the slicker team in a first half in which the Force’s lack of cohesion was exacerbated by an inability to retain possession.
Brett missed two penalties in the first four minutes before succeeding with his third attempt in the sixth minute, but Giteau replied in kind three minutes later.
Constant pressure paid off for the Crusaders when Brett spotted a lack of Force defenders and put over Ryan Crotty in the corner in the 12th minute for an 8-3 lead.
A succession of errors gifted the Crusaders their next, just two minutes later. Poor tackling allowed the home team to burst upfield and, when the Force gained a line out on their 22m line, they made a hash of it, returning the ball to the hosts. Brett’s chip kick bounced awkwardly and Drew Mitchell knocked it on, allowing Tim Bateman to pick up for the softest of tries under the posts. Even Brett at his most wayward with the boot couldn’t miss the conversion.
The Force had several opportunities to hit back but inept handling frustrated them, although Giteau did get a reward for the increased pressure with another penalty.
By contrast, the Crusaders slick interplay with the ball created their third try in the 27th minutes. They counterattacked from a Force turnover, provbing one way and then the other, always with support runners on the scene.
In the end, the Force could not muster sufficient defenders to follow the ball and winger Nick Cummins found himself alone facing three onrushing opponents. Lock Isaac Ross scored for a 20-6 lead and the Force held out their rampant rivals until half time.
Brett and Giteau swapped penalties early in the second half before a turning point in the 56th minute. The Crusaders looked like scoring a bonus-point try when Colin Slade sped for the corner but Force full-back Mitchell nailed him with a miracle mid-air tackle to jolt him into the corner flag as he was diving for the touchdown.
From the resulting drop-out, the Force slammed the ball to the other end, regained possession and Giteau stepped through a gap and accelerated into the clear before lofting a pass to a speeding Sare.
The replacement winger, inserted when Cameron Shepherd appeared to hurt his knee, did well to stay in touch and score a try which Giteau converted.
The momentum which had been creeping the Force’s way shifted totally when Crusaders international Leon MacDonald was yellow carded for tackling O’Connor in the air.
With their full-back in the sin bin and Brett stranded near the halfway line with cramp, the Crusaders’ defensive line was stretched too thin to hold out a Force raid in which Giteau again made the key break, with O’Connor the beneficiary this time.
Giteau’s conversion tied the scores and, with 13 minutes left, the spoils were up for grabs. The Crusaders had another great chance when AJ Whalley conceded a penalty near his 22m line but Brett squandered the gift and the Force held out.
The Force return to Perth tomorrow to prepare for next Saturday’s home game against the Sharks of Durban.
DAVE HUGHES
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.as...ntentID=130062
That was the best performance of the season. The Crusaders were in sparkling form in the first half. Their support play, aggression at the breakdown stirring defence and ability to turn over the ball were a feature. The Force actually played some great phase play in the 20-35 minute mark of the first half. The defence was just awesome but the speed of clearance and willingness to take the ball into contact and recycle it quickly and the willingness to build pressure through phases and maintaining possession instead of kicking it was very pleasing. The second half comeback was very pleasing. I thought the effort was outstanding. Handling let us down in the end but the effort, commitment and desire was back. Great stuff
great stuff-not
the Force turned over ball,knocked on,got offside,missed tackles for the better part of the first half
you cant play good rugby for 30 minutes only & expect to win
scrummaging was better though
any one tip the drawI did yay too bad it wasnt paying $1001 like in 2006!!!
"Believe in the best, think your best, study your best, have a goal for your best, never be satisfied with less than your best, try your best, and in the long run things will turn out for the best."
You are one up on me on this one Lonzy!