Force -v- Waratahs 2nd March 2007 Live Web Score Updates

[Darren]

are not on TWF today

RugbyWA are doing a fine job of it though visit www.rugbywa.com.au then come back here at the end of the game and have your say

Edit:
I've copied the RugbyWA commentary into the following post (it's a bit hard to read it on their site when not watching it live)

Good job again by RugbyWA!!!

[Darren]

Emirates Western Force vs Waratahs. Kickoff 5.40pm WA time, Friday 2 March.

Big loss for the Emirates Western Force with the news that skipper Nathan Sharpe is out due to a back injury. Blues have beaten the Highlanders 28-9 in the early game.

Doherty into the second row, Hodgson comes onto the bench. Five minutes to kick off. Scott Staniforth is captain.

Teams have run out now; looks like a pretty healthy crowd in Sydney. Referee tonight is Mr Marks from Australia.

The Force kick off, running right to left in an incredibly smokey Aussie Stadium.

First 'not-straight' of the night comes after just three minutes. Brendan Cannon pinged this time.

5 mins in and Peter Hewat slots a dolly of a penalty for the 'Tahs. 3-0 early on.

Another penalty given away by the Force here - that's three in six minutes. Hewat is lining up the sticks from 40m, and he's got it. Tahs lead 6-0.

Better from the boys in blue there as Shepherd returns a Beale kick, but cross is tackled into touch 10m out

A lot of kicking here in the first 15 or 16 minutes. Hewat doing a good job of it for NSW too

Nine turnovers from the Force in 18 mins. Scrum to the Tahs as Rudi Vedelago knocks on

And straight from the scrum the NSW backline put on a beaut of a move and Morgan Turinui strides over almost untouched! Hewat converts and it's 13-0. Ryan Cross guilty of watching the outside men and Turinui went straight past him.

25 mins and the Force strike back! Drew Mitchell scores in the left corner after a 5m lineout goes to Henjak and Pelesasa smashes through for the try assist. Shep misses the conversion, but it's 13-5.

Penalty to the Force, and Shep nails this one to make it 13-8.

Mr Marks steps on Tahs' captain Adam Freier as he awards the Force a penalty 40m out. Shep lining up again.

Hits the post! That kick nearly brought snow on a warm night in Sydney. Cam struggling a little with his kicking for goal in the last couple of games.

Nearly half time now, as yet another pair of shorts need changing for the Force. Luke Doherty needing the new attire there...

15 seconds before half time and Shep is lining up the sticks again. A fourth shot at goal for the winger, and he gets his second goal! Half time 13-11.

HALF TIME - Emirates Western Force 11 Waratahs 13. Good comeback late in the half from the visitors after trailing 13-0 at one stage. A first try for his new club scored by fullback Drew Mitchell, Shepherd is 2 from 4 with the boot.

Teams back out there, second half almost underway... no changes for either side as far as I can tell

Commentator Greg Martin tells us that the last 11 times the Tahs have led at the half they have gone on to win. Records are made to be broken of course.

43 mins and an injured Luke Doherty limps off. Dave Pocock replaces him

Go you good thing!! Matt Giteau steps off the right and beats the Tah defence before running 20 metres to score a sensational try! Shep can't convert, but the Force now lead 16-13 after 44 mins.

47 mins and Hewat misses a penalty from out near halfway

Mr Marks awards a penalty against Gareth Hardy for no apparent reason. Hewat's kick hits the upright from 22m out directly in front. Oops...

Great break out from the Force ends up with Vedelago being ruled just short by the TMO. Super play from Shepherd among others there.

A 5m scrum to the away side now. What can they boys do? A forward pass from Pelesasa ends that movement though.

53 mins and Angus Scott replaces Troy Takiari. Changes for NSW too - Polota-Nau, Lyons and Sheehan on for Freier, Palu and Valentine.

Turnover count is 16 to 8. Force have had nine handling errors.

More changes. Staniforth off, Sare on. Spanner limping there; not great. Norton-Knight on for Turinui.

Ben Hand on for Dean Mumm

Penalty to the Waratahs after Dave Pusey tackles the jumper in the air at lineout time. Hewat kicks the goal, and we're tied at 16-all with 17 mins to go.

Tai McIsaac replaces Canno with 64 mins gone.

It's a kick-a-thon out there at the moment. Both teams playing not-to-lose, rather than playing to win.

Sam Harris on for Halangahu. 72 mins gone.

75th minute and Cam Shepherd is lining up the sticks after a scrum penalty against Al Baxter. He misses.

2 mins to go - still tied. Tense yet again!

Penalty to the Waratahs with 15 seconds to go, and surely they will have a shot for goal... no! Norton-Knight takes a quick tap, chips ahead and... Shep gathers and boots it into touch. There's the whistle; full time at Aussie Stadium. Tuqiri not happy at all with Norton-Knight, pushing him around on the field. Not good by big Lote.

FULL TIME - Emirates Western Force 16 Waratahs 16. A third draw for the WA side in their short existence. Is it a good result? "It's like kissing your cousin" says the peanut gallery here in the War Room. Skipper Staniforth says it was "like a relegation battle tonight - no-one wanted to lose." Well, positives are that new recruits Mitchell and Giteau have their first tries for the club, and of course there are the two competition points. The team remains undefeated on the road in 2007, and with the next three games at home (plus a bye) maybe March is the month to cross the Subiaco frontier. We'll see you next Friday night at Subi when the boys in blue take on the mighty Hurricanes.

[pruc]

16-16 with 16minutes to go and big 16 tai on for cannon

[LarryNJ]

Please don't let this end in a draw...

[Darren]

3 minutes to go, 16-16

[pruc]

1min to go please. see if gits learnt his lession how to drop kick??

[peterss]

I thought it was a game that we certainly should have gone on to win.

Once again Sheps kicking was probably the difference and if he converted his kicks we would have won.

But considering the injuries to our lineout players and that the Tahs played aswell as us it probably deserved to be a draw.

very very sloppy game by both teams though.

[Dingles_69]

Ah well a draw is better than a loss, even though we had our chances. Thank christ San Norton-Knight played the ball instead of the Tahs taking the penalty shot!

[shasta]

I thought it was a game that we certainly should have gone on to win.

Once again Sheps kicking was probably the difference and if he converted his kicks we would have won.

But considering the injuries to our lineout players and that the Tahs played aswell as us it probably deserved to be a draw.

very very sloppy game by both teams though.

Well I've only been able to listen to a static filled call on 90.5. But sure sounded like another one that got away. But chins up. Not many side come away from there with a win. Just look at the positives the boys are two points or a few straight shots from being undefeated and are on 12 points. Imagine how they'll go when the timing and understanding comes.

BTW anyone else think it a weird anomaly that you can get two bonus points in a losing side. But when two sides battle out a real tight good game they only get the same? Should be they be awarded the extra point for a less than seven loss?

[qld supporter]

Force unlucky not to win, hated watching those passes continually going behind the man in the backline.. that cost momentum, and many of the handling mistakes/turnovers..
What about that petulant wouldbe league converts' actions against his own teamate .... thats unforgivable , I hope he gets shown the door for that!

[Darren]

What about that petulant wouldbe league converts' actions against his own teamate

That was the best thing to come ouit of teh match! Lets hope we don't have to see him again next year (or some september for that matter)

It was suggested on another Forum that perhaps it's time for Lote to switch codes to AFL

[qld supporter]

no he's not suited to a team sport...maybe testing mirrors would be a better choice for him......as long as it isn't rugby I don't really care

[Use The Force]

Poor form from Lote.

I reckon Hewat would have missed but I'm glad SKN took that sh*t option at the end because the Tahs didn't really deserve to win.

Scrappy line outs from both sides, but I really thought the stand out in the forwards was Scotty Fava. Really kicked into gear tonight and about time too!

[Fozzy]

I didn't see too much wrong with Lote actions. The game went begging because a stupid option was taken. Prehaps he should of waited till he got to the dressing room before telling his team mate how he feels.

[Burgs]

Lote is an absolute disgrace and my respect for Two Dads has shot through the roof for not firing back.
As Link said, he's a leader on the field and they encourage their leadership group to make decisions and stand by them.
Despite being a more senior player, Lote is not to my knowledge in the leadership group and his actions tonight demonstrate very clearly why he isn't or shouldn't be.
43 players took the draw like absolute gentlemen, 1 took it like a spoilt brat.
Unfortunately we are doomed to be stuck with him four five years on an exorbitant cost with an expectation to have to play him to get some return on investment.
Please reconsider ARU