Western Force hopes of three home games to launch season dashed

[travelling_gerry]

Western Force hopes of three home games to launch season dashed

Nick Taylor

October 29, 2008 04:10pm


WESTERN Force hopes of having three home games to open the 2009 Super 14 season were dashed today.
The competition's ruling body has postponed an expansion of the finals series until 2010.

If the finals had been expanded to the top six teams from the current top four, the competition would have started a week earlier - giving the Force home games against the Highlanders, Blues and Cheetahs.


rest of the article from Perth Now...........

[Burgs]

Well, it's not all bad, I have to be down on the 13th so I now get the first match not the second to watch

[slomo]

good way to kick off the season v's the blues, should pull the biggest crowd of the season.........

[James]

good way to kick off the season v's the blues, should pull the biggest crowd of the season.........

I reckon we have a better chance of beating the Blues if we play them sooner.

[jargan83]

whinging bloody saffers, this is their fault
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[oxleymoron]

If you believe in omens and quirky stats, it' not all bad. The Crusaders played the Highlanders in the last round this year - they lost, but then went on to win the S14

[TOCC]

i thought both arguments have merit, its just dissapointing they couldnt find a compromise for this season

[WF2006]

Ohhh. Kickoff on Friday the 13th!
No black cats or ladders or whatever that day everyone!

Onwards to the Super 12 with Japan, NZ and us. The Saffers seem to be becoming more and more of a thorn than an asset.

[gustafsl]

Other major disagreements coming out of South Africa this week:

1. How to flip a coin.
2. Which is the bigger number 1/2 or 0.5
3. What toy to get in the Happy Meal at McDonald's.

Seriously, how fucking hard is it to set a playoff format for six teams? There's only two logical ways it could be done.

Option 1: kinda like NRL
1 vs 6
2 vs 5
3 vs 4
Two lowest losers are out, other 4 play semi's then final.

Option 2:most sensible
1 and 2 get a bye
3 vs 6
4 vs 5
winners move on and play 1 and 2 in semi's then a final.

How fucking hard is it?

[jargan83]

they wanted a conferance system to guarentee them having a final regardless of where their finished

[Burgs]

Much harder if you insist on an SA team being in regardless of how high they finished

[Swee_82]

Gus, you haven't factored in the Saffa need to see thier teams make the 'finals' regardless of finishing outside the top 6...

[travelling_gerry]

For example if the table at the end of the Home and away season looked like

1. Force
2. Crusaders
3. Brumbies
4. Waratahs
5. Blues
6. Sharks
7. Bulls

....then the Waratahs would have to drop out of the finals and the Bulls replace them so that the top 2 teams from each country are represented.

Now that would be a shame.

[Homer]

Dicth the saffa's, bring in a Hong Kong based team and three from Japan. Then change the rules to allow aussies playing for any Super12 team elligible to make the wallabies.
Hong Kong is a guaranteed market with all the expats and Japan will have the commercial clout to boost the TV right s and coffers of the new administration. Flight costs will also be cheaper.
I'd definately fly to HK or Tokyo to watch a final with the Force in it, even the Brumbies.

Demanding a finals entry despite being crap is outrageous and I am sure the players wouldn't want it.

[jargan83]

For example if the table at the end of the Home and away season looked like

1. Force
2. Crusaders
3. Brumbies
4. Waratahs
5. Blues
6. Sharks
7. Bulls

....then the Waratahs would have to drop out of the finals and the Bulls replace them so that the top 2 teams from each country are represented.

Now that would be a shame.

1. The Tahs won't finish that high

2. It would suck for any side to have to drop out to accomadate some shithouse saffer also ran just because the SARU knows their teams are shit and had to rig it so that their teams can HOST a final without earning it