Reds v Force Thread

[Timbo]

It might be like playing schoolboy games on Langley Park in the sixties! Having to submerge the ball for a try at the river end! Oh those were the days !!!!

[Sheikh]

Underwater rugby? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underwater_rugby

[blueandblack]

changes to reds lineup

lachie turner to FB
campbell magnay to wing

[shasta]

It's a goer, if anyone was wondering.

http://www.redsrugby.com.au/News/New...SCHEDULED.aspx

[jargan83]

It's a goer, if anyone was wondering.

http://www.redsrugby.com.au/News/New...SCHEDULED.aspx

I know WA is two hours behind the east coast....

[UNCLE BOOG]

While it might be bad, I'm loving all the people saying "poor decision, made by TV sponsors, unsafe" on Facebook (etc) then getting slammed by rugby (Force) fans telling them to harden up!
funnier than the comics in the west!

[SinBin]

Western Force coach Michael Foley says he wants to see "back to back attitude" from his players, as they look to build upon last Sunday's victory over Super Rugby champions New South Wales.

The Force began the season in the best possible fashion with the bonus-point 25-13 triumph over the Waratahs in Sydney, the first occasion the expansion franchise has won in the opening round of the competition.

The win helped consolidate the progress the Force made in 2014 in Foley's second year in charge when they finished eighth on the overall standings with a 9-7 win-loss record.

Consistency has plagued the Force since they entered Super Rugby in 2006 and while improvement was made on that front last season Foley has set the bar high for his troops, as they look to secure a maiden play-offs berth.

The Force meet Queensland at Lang Park on Saturday evening and Foley acknowledges the visitors need to reproduce the same attitude that underpinned the win over the Waratahs or the result will count for little.

"I'm looking for back-to-back attitude in this game," Foley told Grandstand.

"I want to see that when things don't quite go our way we handle that. When we make mistakes (against the Waratahs) we handle that.

"As much as when things go your way you turn around and say 'the attitude must have been right'. I'm always interested in how we deal with the difficulties.

"I think against the Waratahs we dealt with the difficulties as well as I've seen us over the last couple of years."

Much of the post-match analysis following last Sunday's match in Sydney focused on the display of the Waratahs, with several observers suggesting the defending champions were rusty in their season opener.

More credit should have been given to how well the Force played and the composure they showed, although Foley highlighted the Waratahs players did not make excuses for their performance.

Foley says the victory reinforced the confidence that has developed among the Force playing group during the past 12 months, while noting they still have room for improvement.

"It was a very important win for us, it was the first time we had actually won the first game of the year so that was a good thing for us and obviously to beat the champions away from home," he said.

"Sometimes you can catch teams early in the season but I thought our guys did particularly well. A lot of the things we had practised both in terms of the technical aspects of the game and the mentality importantly, they shone through.

"When you look at some of the things in the games, such as our ball usage early we were a little bit excited and probably gave them a couple of opportunities that we wouldn't have wanted to.

"Also, later in the game when we moved the ball wide we liked some of what we did there but there is certainly some room for improvement in that area."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-2...gainst/6164062

[jargan83]

While it might be bad, I'm loving all the people saying "poor decision, made by TV sponsors, unsafe" on Facebook (etc) then getting slammed by rugby (Force) fans telling them to harden up!
funnier than the comics in the west!

Tropical low is no worse than a sting cold front in winter.

[shasta]

I know WA is two hours behind the east coast....

Only the important bit. 3 hours behind the dumber regions.

If the BOM radar is accurate, the worst is pretty much over Brisvegas ATM and looks like passing befor kick-off time. Suncorp handles rain well too. Pretty important as they seem to be having some problems with white lines over there.

[blueandblack]

rain finally stopped here in west end. still overcast but hopefully its done

[Rex Messup]

Only the important bit. 3 hours behind the dumber regions.

If the BOM radar is accurate, the worst is pretty much over Brisvegas ATM and looks like passing befor kick-off time. Suncorp handles rain well too. Pretty important as they seem to be having some problems with white lines over there.

They have actually got the lines sorted. They have progressed to line ups

[andrewg]

Some team comparisons:

Starting XV:

REDS: 728 SXV caps; 10 Wallabies - 320 caps.

FORCE: 620 SXV caps; 4 W/1 AB - 50 caps ( BMcC 38 caps)


Benches:

REDS: 170 SXV caps; 2 Wallabies - 12 caps.

FORCE: 121 SXV caps; 0 Wallabies.

Packs:

REDS: 883kg

FORCE: 882kg


So, experience heavily weighted towards the REDS (same as last week).

Hopefully all of the endeavour, cohesion and teamwork with the Force.

[jargan83]

Force to win by 8

[jono]

First try - alby

[brokendown gunfighter]

O'Connor out--pity because I would have liked to see how he went