[2017 Super Rugby] Round 10: Force vs. Lions (29/04/2017)

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: nib Stadium
Time: 13:55 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

Teams

Force: 15 Marcel Brache, 14 James Verity-Amm, 13 Curtis Rona, 12 Bill Meakes, 11 Alex Newsome, 10 Luke Burton, 9 Ian Prior, 8 Isi Naisarani, 7 Matt Hodgson (captain), 6 Brynard Stander, 5 Ross Haylett-Petty, 4 Lewis Carmichael, 3 Tetera Faulkner, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Pek Cowan

Substitutes: 16 Heath Tessmann, 17 Ben Daley, 18 Shambeckler Vui, 19 Onehunga Havilli, 20 Richard Hardwick, 21 Mitch Short, 22 Jono Lance, 23 Peter Grant


Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Sylvian Mahuza, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley (captain), 7 Ruan Ackermann, 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen

Substitutes: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Cyle Brink, 21 Dillon Smit, 22 Jacques Nel, 23 Anthony Volmink

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I fancy a wee upset here if Faf doesn't start and the Force are healthy.

 

[SomeOke]

I fancy a wee upset here if Faf doesn't start and the Force are healthy.

Naaah, it's tough to escape Ellis Park with a win these days, only the Canes and the Crusaders have managed it in the last two seasons. It would take quite an upset.

edit: My mistake it is in Perth, could be an arm wrestle.

 

[TRF_heineken]

I fancy a wee upset here if Faf doesn't start and the Force are healthy.

Well, Faf is starting, and the Lions are taking this seriously.

I think the Lions to win by at least 10 points.

Good to see Peter Grant making his return.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Well, Faf is starting, and the Lions are taking this seriously.

I think the Lions to win by at least 10 points.

Good to see Peter Grant making his return.

Ah, so I see. Force sounding a bit banged up, Dayne out for possibly a couple of months. A real shame as the Force could really do with a big name scalp right about now. I don't think the Lions backs will fully gel with this lineup yet, but they won't need to as there is no way the decent Force pack is going to boss them.

Interested to see if the Lions halfbacks resume their form of last year or are still suffering a Springbok hangover. Also to see if Mahuza looks as promising at wing as Skosan.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Faf's service has been dire. Hope he doesn't get near the Bokke.

Best of the local bunch for me has been Duvenhage. Not sure why Fleck doesn't start him as 1st choice for us TBH.

I'm not sure 2017 will be any better than 2016 for our national side. Halves both will be an issue, so might 15 and probably both centers and wings due to injuries, form and lack of experience from having to fill voids left by the likes of Habana for instance.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Looks like it went as predicted, the Force were highly competitive but their injuries reduced their chances of an upset.

 

[galumay]

I was surprised how competitive the Force were, given the injuries and the early form of the Lions. Thinking about the last few weeks for the Lions it should not have come as such a surprise really, I think they are not nearly the side they were last year. Good effort by the Wallies.

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

Force playing like they want it, probs the form team in Aus right now lol

 

[galumay]

Force playing like they want it, probs the form team in Aus right now lol

The threat of extinction is a powerful motivator! You are probably right, playing like that they would have beaten the Reds, Tahs and Rebels based on their games, and maybe the Brumbies as well.