BULLS LINE UP

[Nipper]

Mark Lawrence.......good news there!

I hope you're joking! He was awful the last time he reffed a Force match! Was it the Sharks match? Don't recall. What I do recall is him blasting the pea out of his whistle every 2nd phase.

[James]

That was Keith Brown. Who was the ref for us last weekend.

I am ambivalent on Mark Lawrence. When it comes to referees ambivalent could probably be reclassified as prefer/like.

[GIGS20]

That was Keith Brown. Who was the ref for us last weekend

Keith Brown........ Even though we won, it wasn't much better than the Sharks match, he virtually ignored the tackler holding on, but pinged anyone who fell the wrong side of the ruck almost before they hit the ground.

Luckily enough, the Brumbies pack wasn't anywhere near what the sharks pack was, and were as frustrated by it as us......Sharks just proceeded to hold the tackled player more and more outrageously until they realized the ref wasn't going to call any of it, then they started convincing him that we WERE holding on in the tackle, and got away with a couple.

[Rex Messup]

The referee will be equally bad or equally good for both teams. Stop whining

The team that dominates at the breakdown, masters their set piece, holds onto the ball, takes their chances and tackles as a unit will win the game.

[GIGS20]

WAIT! Hold everything, have I slipped into a parallel universe where Rex posts logical and level headed information?

[todd4]

Watching games involving the Bulls this year their number twelve doesn't like to pass the ball, nearly always wanting to do it himself.

Plenty of traffic coming JOCs way, but Rex will tell you that our defence coach will be on to this and have a cunning plan at the ready....

[The Big I]

SO on a different note, if you were the Force coach what would be your game plan for tomorrow night?

[Burgs]

My "whiteboard" would read something like:

Stay out of your own half and minimise penalties.
Patience.
The ball will always beat the man.
When kicking for touch kick it to the shithouse so no quick throw ins.
Make your tackles count, hit hard, hit often.
Beware the intercept.
You know what to do.
Think!
React!!
PRIDE!!!

[GIGS20]

Can I add, try to avoid kicking it to touch, but make sure your kicks hit grass AND CHASE THE F*€KERS LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW

[Sheikh]

My "whiteboard" would read something like:

...
When kicking for touch kick it to the shithouse so no quick throw ins.
...

Did you see the Wales - Ireland game?

[Burgs]

No.
Did the ball end up in the toilet block?

[Sheikh]

No, but the ball was kicked into the crowd and the ball-boy gave Wales a replacement ball with which they took a quick throw-in. Completely missed by the refs.

[James]

SO on a different note, if you were the Force coach what would be your game plan for tomorrow night?

Aggressive, rush defence. Try and bring the Bulls down behind the advantage line. Force their forwards to move around the park as much as possible. When we have the ball either spin it wide as soon as we get momentum (and don't push passes when we get there just take it into contact and start again) or if we can't get momentum put a high-ball just outside the Bulls' 22. Get the chasers to bring down the receiver as soon as possible to maximize how much the Bulls' forwards have to run. Instinctively the Bulls will look to kick away from the breakdown and we have to have guys back there and ready to run the ball right back at them and take advantage of defensive mismatches.

The Bulls have a 5/2 bench split so we have to really test their backs in the last 20 minutes. 2 replacements for 6 players who have spent the last 4 weeks travelling should see opportunities there.

[Burgs]

No, but the ball was kicked into the crowd and the ball-boy gave Wales a replacement ball with which they took a quick throw-in. Completely missed by the refs.

Ahh, that hoo har, ok:

When kicking for touch kick it to the shithouse to minimise the chance of quick throw ins.

[SinBin]

Bulls aim to shut down James O'Connor
Wayne Smith From: The Australian April 23, 2011

TALK about the Bulls being on the horns of a dilemma. Having been utterly bamboozled by Sonny Bill Williams and Quade Cooper in their past two matches, they tonight have to confront Super Rugby's other whiz kid, James O'Connor. Admittedly, Williams and Cooper probably had more supporting talent around them at the Crusaders and Reds than O'Connor will enjoy in a still injury-depleted Western Force side at nib Stadium in Perth. Then again, the 20-year-old has an uncanny habit of making things happen on his own.

The Bulls simply cannot afford to let that happen, not if they intend to make anything like a serious defence of their title. The champions have had a series of must-win matches slip through their fingers this season and sooner or later they must win or turn their thoughts to the harsh reality that maybe time has finally overtaken them.

Bulls captain Victor Matfield isn't ready to go down that path just yet and has told the South African media that it is merely "a matter of time" before the Pretoria powerhouse strikes back. "We are waiting for the spark to ignite the season but I can feel that it's not far away," Matfield said. "The team realises how incredibly important (this) match is and there is a noticeable urgency."

Full article here