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Thread: The Trial game that set Subi on fire

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    Apprentice mowerman6167's Avatar
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    The Trial game that set Subi on fire

    I just can't wait to see the full side in action last nights game was a real blinder by a team of guys enjoying their game. real hot

    To all the players on the field last night you showed real guts and some great plays.

    The score does not show the real game as the penelty count was one sided and the boot of Bosman just gave the Cheetahs a higher score on the board. The boys really took it to them

    The Emirates Western Force have played their first trial game, going down 29-19 to the Cheetahs at Subiaco Oval tonight.

    In traditional trial match style, the team played expansive and attractive rugby, with members of the youthful backline enjoying the solid platform that had been laid by the forwards.

    Coach John Mitchell was encouraged by the way his charges expressed themselves.

    "We wanted the guys to have a go and not be inhibited," Mitchell said. "You can't win a flag playing one dimensional rugby; this team's not here to come second."

    "The team has got self belief and they'll give it a crack."

    Tai McIsaac, who captained the side in the absence of Nathan Sharpe and Scott Fava, was impressed by the form shown by his inexperienced forward pack against the seasoned Cheetahs line-up.

    "Considering the experince we had, we did really well at the set piece," McIsaac said. "We gave it to them on their feed (into the scrum), and sometimes on ours."

    The Emirates Westen Force will now travel to Melbourne and Auckland for away trial games against the Crusaders and Blues respectively.

    EMIRATES WESTERN FORCE 19 - VODACOM CHEETAHS 29 - Full Time at Subiaco Oval, Perth.

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    Good stuff mowerman (and welcome to posting!) it really helps those of us who couldn't get there!
    Who were the stand outs for you?
    The radio broadcast was singing the praises of Brock James, James Hilgendorf and Chris O'Young plus Josh Graham in defence. Interested in how Pek Cowan and David Te Moana stood up to the big Springbok props? Te Moana was on when they won a tighthead I believe?

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    It was a good night to start the season.

    Most of the gold seating areas were packed out. Crowd was around the 17,000 mark.

    A sea of blue force caps and jumpers every where.

    The rugby was enjoyable and shows promise. Forwards were sound and the scrummaging of the starting front row was great as they put the cheetahs much hyped front row to the sword.

    Replacing both props at the same time then changed this around.

    Lineout was functional but neeeded improvement ecspecially the defensive lineout.

    Ball retention was pretty sound.

    Backs looked pretty sharp but tended to try to force things a little, a lack of patience, and turned the ball over by kicking or forcing a pass.

    Big area to work on would be defence around ruck and maul. A few to many gaps.

    All in all there was enthusiasm, speed and cohesive team work.

    A pass mark all around.

    As for the cheetahs, they might be back to where they came from next year. Rolling mauls where their most favoured means of advancing. They should use their backs more as they looked pretty handy with the limited opportunities.

    $0.02 worth

    PS - Subi ran out of beer around 1/2 time where we were. Had to go to Bundy instead.

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    ... on the 6th day God played rugby and on the 7th day he rested, because he was sore and a little hungover.

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    That sounds pretty promising then Redbull, the return of Cannon, Fitter, Sharpe and Fava should really help especially around the ruck and maul?
    They had most of the senior players who weren't playing come through the 6PR com box during the match and you could tell they were toey as buggery to get out there themselves!
    I guess with the backs they were all out there trying to pull off something great to stick in Mitch's mind?
    Ben Wards dead ball kick off probably not what he was hoping for though!!!
    Did Brett Stapleton look comfortable at this level?
    Apparently according to one of the players in the box he is still only at three quarter pace coming back from his hammie injury.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Redbull
    PS - Subi ran out of beer around 1/2 time where we were. Had to go to Bundy instead.
    TRAGIC..... for beer drinkers
    Rugby watching = RUM!!!

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    I'm shocking when it comes to remembering all their names but nobody looked heavy out of place.

    It's their first scratch match and time will tell as the step up the opposition level.

    1st five and fullback both looked very classy and composed. The biggest breakdown was around the centres with option taking and not allowing the wings enough room (need to straighten up a bit).

    Man, I'm being picky though for their first run together.

    The way they went should enable Subi to be sold out for their first game. Rugby WA advises that total seats sold at the moment is 32,000. Aiming for 42,000 which would equal/beat the current rugby record which was Aus vs SA last year.

    So if you're not a member and you want a seat, better get down to ticketmaster ASAP.

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    ... on the 6th day God played rugby and on the 7th day he rested, because he was sore and a little hungover.

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    The starting 10 and 15 were Brock James and James Hilgendorf who are both in the mix for the starting XV. I would think that is who you were impressed by? They really got good wraps on the radio.
    In my opinion our weakest area in the squad is in the centres and it sounds like it was reflected last night.
    As I mentioned in the other thread, I agree, the quality of the Cheetahs is yet to be proven at this level too before we get too carried away.
    I'm tipping them to only win three games in the season so it's got to be kept in perspective.
    The sports news tonight will be important for putting a positive spin on the result to ensure a sell out on the 10th. Could even mean another 1000 members, those who have been sitting on the fence til they see some proof or promise.
    And I will be there with bells on in my Gold Members Seat don't worry! Wouldn't miss it for quids!

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    Senior Player luke_the_pom's Avatar
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    man our full back was good!!!!
    James Hilgendorf was it?
    loved his game.... look forward to seeing more of him for sure!

    wasnt that impress Brock James to be honesty.... what about everyone else??

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    For me James Hilgendorf was the stand-out. He made some v. good line breaks and created a few problems on the Cheetahs back line. He was unlucky not to be able to claim the first try of the match (was actually a penalty try).

    I thought Brock James played pretty well. His kicking game was pretty sharp and should be a good weapon when they have their combinations set.

    Chris O'Young was the other stand-out for me. Good passing from the breakdown and a couple of cheeky runs.

    The forward situation was a bit hard to judge considering the missing Wallabies and size and experience of the Cheetahs. Lineouts need improvement.

    Overall a good hit-out for the boys and enough to fill me full of confidence for the coming season. February 10 is going to be absolutely huge!

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    When does Matt Henjek get his first run? Does anyone else feel he's overrated?

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    Pretty sure that he is getting a run this weekend with the other Wallabies Sage.
    I think he deserves to be rated our best Half at the Force, this season will determine if he is the best of the next generation to replace Gregan and Whitaker.
    From the little we have been allowed to see of him, he seems to be prepared to take the hits and run the ball which has been missing from the Wallaby game plan for some time.
    I think he deserves his rating on potential but desperately needs genuine game time rather than token run-ons once the game is dead.
    His performance for Australia A in France was well regarded.
    I would expect that the Henjak/O'Young game time ratio will be much more even than the Gregan/Henjak one was though and this should help to keep two pretty good halves fresh for the whole of each match, probably looking at about 60/40 rather than 80/20 I would think.

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    I'm only asking as I haven't really seen much of him, you guys know I'm not trying to start s**t which is good. I'm positive that Chris O'young hasn't got the same skill that Henjak does.

    Last year in Perth I got mistaken for Henjak at the hotel we stayed at hehe.

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    Where you throwing ice?!?! boom boom
    You'd have to be happy with that wouldn't you, he's meant to do alright with the chicks!

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    Result irrelevant for Force

    via Fox Sports
    By Wayne Smith
    January 23, 2006

    SAVE for the minor matter of the result, the first appearance of Australia's Super 14 expansion team, the Western Force, proved a resounding success.

    The Force lost 29-19 to fellow newcomer the Cheetahs of South Africa, at Perth's Subiaco Oval on Saturday, but that was of virtually no consequence, considering the two sides went into the pre-season trial match with almost contradictory objectives.

    The Cheetahs, intent on getting some confidence-building wins on the board before their intimidating debut in the Super 14, against the Bulls in Bloemfontein, threw everything into the encounter, including their four Springboks.

    Two of them, flanker Juan Smith and halfback Michael Claassens, scored the South Africans' only tries. A third, five-eighth Meyer Bosman, demonstrated just how desperate Cheetahs' coach Rassie Erasmus was for a victory by kicking five penalty goals.

    By contrast, Force coach John Mitchell rested Wallabies Nathan Sharpe, Brendan Cannon, Scott Fava, Matt Henjak, David Fitter, Digby Ioane and Cameron Shepherd and took the chance to blood a swag of youngsters.

    "The objective was not to leave any of the younger guys wondering about the pace and intensity of Super 14," said Mitchell yesterday.

    Before the match, 20 Force players had never experienced rugby at that level. After it, only 19-year-old outside centre Zander Peden, who missed the game because of a back injury, was still in any doubt about what to expect. He will have his education rounded off before the season-opener against the Brumbies in Perth on February 10.

    Despite its overall inexperience, the WA side still outscored the Cheetahs three tries to two, one of them a penalty try as the South Africans were forced to resort to professional fouls to restrict the scoring early in proceedings.

    Not surprisingly, the Force unveiled an expansive brand of rugby based on the pattern Mitchell refined when he coached the All Blacks in 2002-03.

    Looking on were no fewer than 17,000 spectators - the Waratahs-Brumbies match in Wollongong attracted 5684, the Reds-Blues trial at Ballymore only 4258 - and, while it was impossible to say how many of them were no more than curious rugby novices, indications are that what they saw will entice them back. By yesterday, more than 30,000 tickets had been sold to the Brumbies game.
    Yet there was more than razzle-dazzle to the Force's game, with the WA scrum - even without Test front-rowers Cannon and Fitter - proving that it could cope with everything the Cheetahs could throw at them, Os du Randt included.

    "We gave it to them on their feed and sometimes on ours," said hooker and acting captain Tai McIsaac. Even the hard-to-please Mitchell was delighted with the way young front-rowers Angus Scott and David Te Moana - now a trim 122kg after starting out as a 160kg 19-year-old with the Gold Coast Breakers - rose to the challenge.

    "The first 30-40 minutes were quite outstanding," Mitchell said.

    McIsaac wasn't the only player seriously underused by the Reds in recent years to stand out in the match, with five-eighth Brock James - widely regarded at Ballymore as having a big boot and not much else - turning in an impressive display.

    So too did his halves partner, former Waratahs reserve Chris O'Young, who supplemented his customary slick passing game with several incisive runs, while James Hilgendorf showed enough attacking spark to suggest Wallabies utility Cameron Shepherd faces a serious challenge for the 15 jersey for the Force.

    The Australian

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    Veteran Sagerian's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Burgs
    Where you throwing ice?!?! boom boom
    You'd have to be happy with that wouldn't you, he's meant to do alright with the chicks!
    Haha, maybe there was some white substance (allegedly) on my nose?

    We stayed at the Sheriton in Perth and as we were hitting the lobby bar we saw the wallabies checking in (we didn't realise that they were also staying there).. We got to say hi to a few players, etc.. all good.

    It was the Saturday morning that the concierge mistook me for Henjak. I was wearing my Wallabies training jersey and wondered out into the very crowded lobby and the concierge singled me out "Morning Matt, how are you? Did you sleep well? Good luck.".. Err, thanks?

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