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Force v Hurricanes Super Rugby R3 2012

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MajorlyRagerly

Trevor Allan (34)
For the bemoaners who seem hell bent on turning union closer to league, this is what you get. Appalling defense, little contesting in rucks and a shit skill level. I've seen better skills in age group rugby, absolute shit sandwich of a game.

Force terrible, cldnt tackle. Canes passing absolutely woeful. Didn't matter though as it's not like they had defense to beat.

If the canes were offending as much as the ref was pinging them in the red zone, they shld have had men in the bin. Although the ref then seemed to think a no armed shoulder charge to stop a man chasing his grubber was ok too... So I think all cancelled out.

Happy to see the canes take the points, but thats about it
 

Lee Grant

John Eales (66)
Staff member
I remember watching the Force in Sydney last year and they kicked the ball too much in that game also. It was strange to see runner JOC (James O'Connor) kicking the ball away lin 2011, like a dog wagging it's head instead of its tail, and it is just as strange seeing the 2012 team trying what didn't work before.

There is nothing wrong with kicking the ball into the right real estate if you have good kickers, and truth be told: it seemed to be working early against the young Canes' winger; but it was fool's gold: the Canes adjusted.

By contrast, the Force didn't change what they had to change. At oranges Graham mentioned their poor reaction to transition when they lost the ball: they scrambled well sometimes as individuals, or in pods near the ball, but as a XV they didn't have a Borg-type team reaction to emergencies that the Canes had.

The Canes flooded them as the Stormers did last year and either scored at will, or nearly did, every time they had the ball. The Stormers didn't have much possession in 2011 either: they also scored tries too quickly for that.

The Force needed Borgs to react to opportunities better also, and a Borg leader. I wouldn't blame Stannard too much for not facilitating better on attack. He played above himself at the end of last year but he has been found out as not being a rainmaker. Seymour is a fine young flyhalf but he is not a rainmaker either, and will have to learn how to be one on the job.

I can see why Graham wants to use scrummie Turner a lot: the local boy is seen as the future for the franchise and needs some time. His lovely pass is still there, but he was never a great round the corner runner adding value to his supports by attracting tacklers. The absence of Sheehan and his rage after oranges was noticeable. Turner disappointed, but he has to learn his profession before we judge him too harshly.

Maybe something like an Australian Rugby Competition would be a good idea for young players. You think?
.
 

RedsHappy

Tony Shaw (54)
Lee, brilliant as you are, your gentlemanly implied tolerance of poor coaching is sometimes notable.

Take your analysis above. RG was for two full years 'skills' and backline coach for our national team, and this distinction is (apparently) what won him the promotion to S15 coach in Perth. He has been over-sighting the Force backs in all of training, selection, recruitment and sacking potential for well over 12 months.

Is it thus not a very reasonable expectation that by now we'd see a major improvement in the Force's backs, their execution and sustained tactical capacity, and a few more competent new recruits and selections? And, btw to your good point re the repetition in 2012 of last year's proven failures of Force game plans, improvements in general game plans as well?
 

AngrySeahorse

Peter Sullivan (51)
I thought the Force forwards played very well. Their scrum and lineout were solid and at times dominant. The percentage of possession was proof they were doing a good job.

The backs on the other hand were very poor. Their defence was brittle and they almost seemed to be running from the heavy collisions. This was a game which required urgency in defence as the Hurricanes have ball runners right across the field.

The forwards took up the challenge while the backs weren't up to it.

I noticed a couple of times Stannard actually did the whole "7's retreat" as I call it, receives the ball nearly flat footed, sees the wall of defenders & then shuffles backward, looks for someone to pass to running from depth, if no one is there then crab side ways looking for a gap. Now, it may work in 7's when you've got gaps gelore but not in 15's. Fair play to Stannard as he may of developed it as a habit & if he actually had better support then maybe he wouldn't have had to go it alone. I do actually like Stannard as a player but this was not a good sign in the game when he started doing this.
 

MrTimms

Ken Catchpole (46)
Staff member
Shep with a yellow card:

SUPER RUGBY 2012
OFF FIELD YELLOW CARD
NEWS RELEASE
10-3-2012

SANZAR NEWS RELEASE
Cameron Shepherd issued an Off-Field Yellow Card

Cameron Shepherd of the Western Force has been issued with an off-field yellow card for contravening Law 10.4 (e) Dangerous Tackling during a Super Rugby match at the weekend.
The incident occurred in the 34rd minute of the match between the Western Force and Hurricanes played NIB Stadium on Friday the 9th of March 2012.
An Off-Field Yellow Card may be issued by the SANZAR Citing Commissioner for foul play incidents that are very close to, but in his opinion do not meet the Red Card threshold for Citings.
In this case the incident was not acted on by the referee for the match and on further review of the match footage the Citing Commissioner deemed an Off-Field Yellow Card was appropriate.
Ends

Issued by SANZAR
 
N

Newter

Guest
Could it be they just need a backs coach? They don't seem to have one on the books. I don't think Sheehan and Stannard would be completely useless if they had a Jim Mackay or Alan Gaffney organising them.
 

The_Brown_Hornet

John Eales (66)
The problem is the backline and the play making department in particular. The pigs are doing their job and providing plenty of ball. The problem is that the backs get this funny shaped white thing and wonder what the hell it's for. It's very frustrating to see no structure in attack, no deception, no angles and no passing to players running onto the ball. What we are seeing, however, is a lot of hoofing the ball down the field and it being run back at a hundred miles an hour.

It's depressing, but like Shiggins they're my team and I'll not abandon them.
 

cyclopath

George Smith (75)
Staff member
Sheehan is doing OK, not brilliant, but not bad. Stannard is struggling, and this is giving nothing to those further out. Cummins tries hard, but he needs to be set through gaps or into space, not trying to batter his way through all the time. Dellit looks big enough but didn't make an impact, nor did Shepherd. We all know it, they need a 10. And it seems Graham is not necessarily a wonderful attack coach. The poor defensive structure of the backs was notable too, but I don't know whose responsibility defence is over there?
I know it's been said a hundred times, but JOC (James O'Connor) would have been a big help at 10.
 

cyclopath

George Smith (75)
Staff member
Qwerty, we Tahs fans ought to be careful about labeling other teams' backs as boring too quickly. Although, we probably know boring better than most!
But, yeah, definition of stupidity with the endless repetition of that play.
 

Reddy!

Bob Davidson (42)
I can't see the Force winning many games this year, poor skill and creativity and lack of maturity. They have a long way to go to be a force in this competition.
 

The_Brown_Hornet

John Eales (66)
Cyclo, I've said for a while that we need someone better than Sheehan at half back. I'm loathe to criticise too much, because he's got plenty of ticker and gives 150% out there, but I just feel that he's not setting the standard high enough with his passing. It all starts from the base of the ruck or set piece and we're just not getting that crisp service. Stannard hasn't had a happy season so far either. Something is missing with his game at the moment and I can't work out what. He was much better than this last year.
 

cyclopath

George Smith (75)
Staff member
As I said, Sheehan is OK, but not great. He is not the biggest issue I feel. You need a better 10/12 nexus first, then the 9 I reckon.
 
D

daz

Guest
. Their pack is pretty good - scrum looked good, lineout fine, phase play OK, but absolutely, lay-down, fucking clueless once the ball leaves the hands of Sheehan, and sometimes before it does too.

Sharpey deserved better for 150.

+1

Could not put together a structure to score a try even if the opposition parted like the Red Sea. After 7 seasons the Force is about as stagnant as a slimey pond.

I said to my missus just before kick off that if the Force could not win this for Sharpie (at home, in the heat), then the province may as well be wound up. I was obviously being a bit dramatic, but I fully expected a comfortable Force win; the final result was a fucking embarrassment to the team, the coaches and the long suffering supporters.

They gave up. Simple as that.

Shame on them.
 
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