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Western Force 2020

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
OK, How can I say this in a way you'd understand?

I don't think it's my comprehension that needs to be questioned..........


Believe it or not, there are five professional rugby union teams in Australia, one just doesn't happen to be involved in Super Rugby.

There's more than that, but I only expected Rennie to be visiting the four Super Rugby teams in the lead up to, er, Super Rugby......... and not down at the Erindale Vikings club for a schooner and schnitty.

As I said.........

It's possible he'll meet the Force at some stage, but it didn't seem relevant going into the first round of Super Rugby.

Giant nothingburger.
 

andrewM

Herbert Moran (7)
I don't really see any legitimate cause for grievances here....

Rennie has met up with all four of the Super Rugby teams as they're the direct feeder into the Wallabies.

It's possible he'll meet the Force at some stage, but it didn't seem relevant going into the first round of Super Rugby.

Johnson suggesting Super Rugby teams can target Force/GRR players should be taken as a positive for those players aspiring to reach higher levels of the game.

I'm not disagreeing with much of what you are saying Slim, except with your presumption that the Force will always be a feeder to the Super teams.

RA's message is not clear and full of paternalist platitudes . Castle says that Force players are eligible for Wallabies selection, but then Rennie comes out and says that you have to be playing for a Super team to be considered. Sure, its true that there are most likely no players in the Force's 2020 team who would be on the Wallabies selection radar but for Johnson to then come along and say we should be honoured that the other professional teams consider our players good enough is patronising to the extreme - we already know that and don't need that attitude. Having Rennie visit at the same time as he met with the other teams would have shown to me, and others in the west that RA is willing to make amends and build bridges. It would have only cost him an afternoon on his schedule.

EDIT:
If Rugby Australia WAS serious about the Force's and GRR's aspirations, maybe the RA PR could have suggested Rennie say something like 'Only Australian based professional Rugby players will be considered for Wallabies selection'

and Johnson instead of saying
At the moment there is not a place for the Force in Super Rugby, we are seeing players transferring into Super Rugby and it’s important that we keep relationships with them,”

maybe something like

“At the moment there is not a place for the Force in Super Rugby, but we really hope GRR develops into a viable development pathway for rugby players in this country'

Begs the question, has RA asked Tim along to any of the coaching conferences?
 

Jagman

Trevor Allan (34)
Full on hyperbole there Show. Force easily won the NRC last year and any of those beaten sides would trounce Sydney Uni. Force, admittedly, have lost quite a few of their better players this year, but they seem to have good development programs and an excellent coach in Sampson.

Hyperbole not so much. A "full strength" Sydney Uni side would not be able to be fielded in the Shute shield due to player points cap.

In 2019 it could have looked something like:
Robertson, Latu, HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes), McDuling, Swinton, Champion de Crispigny, Kemeny, O'Regan, Phipps, Foley, Kane, Porter, Dargaville, Potter, Clements: with Waratahs like Horton, Bell, Talakai and Gordon on the bench. Its a team with Wallabies, Super rugby players, former super rugby players, players who earned 2020 super rugby contracts and solid NRC players. It would have been far superior to the NSW NRC sides at least.
 

kiap

Steve Williams (59)
Hyperbole not so much. A "full strength" Sydney Uni side would not be able to be fielded in the Shute shield due to player points cap.

In 2019 it could have looked something like:
Robertson, Latu, HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes), McDuling, Swinton, Champion de Crispigny, Kemeny, O'Regan, Phipps, Foley, Kane, Porter, Dargaville, Potter, Clements: with Waratahs like Horton, Bell, Talakai and Gordon on the bench. Its a team with Wallabies, Super rugby players, former super rugby players, players who earned 2020 super rugby contracts and solid NRC players. It would have been far superior to the NSW NRC sides at least.
TBF, hyperbole may have been harsh from BR for that team.

It's really a magic unicorn.
 

ForceFan

Chilla Wilson (44)
Community Colours
2020 Club Alignments:
Arks – Byron Ralston and Angus Wagner
Associates – Ian Prior
Coastal Cavaliers – Kieran Longbottom and Jacob Abel
Cottesloe – Marcel Brache, Ben Grant and Nick Jooste
Curtin University – Andrew Ready and Henry Taefu.
Joondalup Brothers – Victor Harris and Brynard Stander
Kalamunda – Henry Stowers and Jeremy Thrush.
Nedlands – Tevin Ferris, Tom Sheminant and Heath Tessmann.
Palmyra – Jack McGregor, Jackson Pugh and Chris Heiberg
Perth Bayswater – Johan Bardoul and Jake Strachan
Southern Lions – Jonah Placid and Fergus Lee-Warner
UWA – Chris Alcock and Rory O’Sullivan
Wanneroo – Grason Makara, Ollie Callan and Pama Fou
Wests Scarborough – AJ Alatimu, Feleti Kaitu’u, Dom Hardman and Brad Lacey
 

ForceFan

Chilla Wilson (44)
87280709_2817422328296498_3606671028442365952_o.jpg


A good workout for both teams on a hot, humid afternoon in Perth.
Game played as 4 x 20 min qtrs and endless subs.
WF put on 10 un-answered points in the 2nd half.

Read more.......

WF will be better after this first season trial for 2020.
Chance for the broader training group to get some valuable game time.
8 first start players sidelined by niggles and a couple of longer-term injuries.

Big thanks to the Eastwood players for coming over to the West.
Big effort by them considering that their pre-season only started 4 weeks ago.

Next week Newcastle and first GRR game on 14 March.
 
B

Bobby Sands

Guest
Hyperbole not so much. A "full strength" Sydney Uni side would not be able to be fielded in the Shute shield due to player points cap.

In 2019 it could have looked something like:
Robertson, Latu, HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes), McDuling, Swinton, Champion de Crispigny, Kemeny, O'Regan, Phipps, Foley, Kane, Porter, Dargaville, Potter, Clements: with Waratahs like Horton, Bell, Talakai and Gordon on the bench. Its a team with Wallabies, Super rugby players, former super rugby players, players who earned 2020 super rugby contracts and solid NRC players. It would have been far superior to the NSW NRC sides at least.

Why isnt that 2019 team the current Tahs team?
 

hoggy

Trevor Allan (34)
Any chance of a link to the live feed for the Newcastle game, the above one comes up 404 :cool:
 

ForceFan

Chilla Wilson (44)
FORCE GO FOR THE KILL

The Western Force powered to an emphatic 72-7 victory over the Newcastle Wildfires barbarian side in their final warm-up match ahead of the inaugural season of Global Rapid Rugby, kicking off on March 14.

The Force ran in ten tries to one, employing a game plan built around variety in attack, controlled defence and solid handling.
The match was played in front of a crowd of around 3000 at Newcastle.

Read more here....
 

wamberal

Phil Kearns (64)
Full on hyperbole there Show. Force easily won the NRC last year and any of those beaten sides would trounce Sydney Uni. Force, admittedly, have lost quite a few of their better players this year, but they seem to have good development programs and an excellent coach in Sampson.



Eastwood flew over there to play a trial game a couple of weeks ago against the Force. They were certainly not trounced, in fact they looked pretty competitive to me. Caveat: I have no idea how strong the Force team was. There is a replay on the Eastwood website, might be only accessible for members.
 

wamberal

Phil Kearns (64)
Force looked full strength - Eastwood played well and to my mind validated the concept of national club championship concept.


Any viable competition simply has to be built upon the traditional foundations of the sport in this country. That is what the NRL and AFL did. Seems to have worked for them.
 
S

Show-n-go

Guest
Damn, few injuries and they’re a couple of try’s from falling to the mighty Eastwood Rugby Club.......doesn’t bode well does it
 
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