ACT Brumbies vs Western Force

[QLD]

Matt Giteua playing against his future team. Cant see the Brumbies losing this one though.

Brumbies v Western Force at Canberra Stadium, Canberra
LIVE on Fox Sports 2 from 1930 EDT
Brumbies: Mark Gerrard; Clyde Rathbone, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Stirling Mortlock, Francis Fainifo; Christian Lealiifano, Patrick Phibbs; Stephen Hoiles (captain), George Smith, Julian Salvi; Mark Chisholm, Ben Hand; Guy Shepherdson, Stephen Moore, Nic Henderson. Replavements: John Ulugia, Ben Alexander, Sitaleki Timani, Peter Kimlin, Josh Holmes, Matt Toomua, Tyrone Smith.

Force: Drew Mitchell; Cameron Shepherd, Ryan Cross, Junior Pelesasa, Nick Cummins' Matt Giteau, Josh Valentine; Richard Brown, David Pocock, Matt Hodgson; Nathan Sharpe (captain), Tom Hockings; Ben Castle, Tai McIsaac, Pek Cowan. Replacements: Luke Holmes, Kieran Longbottom, Richard Stanford, Tamaiti Horua, Chris O'Young, James O'Connor, Haig Sare.

 

[Haj]

Brumbies have been fortunate enuff to get what i consider charity shots at goal. Havent really shown much but have been good in defense, even tho in my opinion theyve been getting away with a lot at the breakdown.
Ref is an idiot. Obviously has no idea. Penalizing cowan for a high tackle when it was clearly Brown......pretty soft call either way i reckon.
C'MON FORCE!!

 

[Incredible Schalk]

Force winning 20-9 after 55 minutes, 3 tries to none, Brumbies look clueless..

 

[QLD]

Huge call ref giving the Brumbies a penalty try after 3 scrums 5m outside the Force tryline. 20 points to 16 and another close win to the Brumbies is coming on.

 

[QLD]

Shepherd hat trick you beauty. Brumbies still in it though I reckon.

 

[munross]

Full time score is Brumbies 16 Force 25.

I'm having a dreadfull weekend with my tippings for this weekend's matches so far

 

[QLD]

How good was Sharpeys post match speech

 

[Jer1cho]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Intercept King JdV @ Feb 28 2009, 12:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Full time score is Brumbies 16 Force 25.

I'm having a dreadfull weekend with my tippings for this weekend's matches so far[/b]

Me too hey.

But good game by the Force. Brumbies were outplayed.

 

[Gavin]

Tell me all you Brumbies' fans, does anyone actually rate Christian Lealiifano? I know he is young but he was utter rubbish tonight. No wonder the Brumbies signed Giteau again, Lealiifano can't kick to save his life.

 

[Haj]

Good win for the force. Brumbies didnt look threatening at any stage apart from the penalty try awarded for the good scrummaging while holmes was dazed from the smack to the head he copped from shepherdson and knee injury. Even tho we gave away the penalty try Im glad they didnt turn to uncontested scrums and tuffed it out.
Another charity penalty also kept em in the game while Holmes gets his head taken out by shepherdson and gets nothing. Ref was dreadful.
Adam Ashley Cooper.....LOL

 

[Fushitsusha]

Dear Christian Lealiifano...

I hate your.

Yours truly,

Fushitsusha



Seriously... the Brumbies' forwards were just dominating the Force, but Lealiifano just can't manage the backline...

George Smith bent David Pocock over his knee and gave him an absolute spanking...

The Brumbies should have the best backline out of all the Australian teams but Lealiifano just runs sideways or kicks it out on the full.

Mortlock, Ashley-Cooper, Rathbone, Gerrard, Fainifo... God damn I'll be happy when Giteau gets here next year to look after those guys....

However, I don't understand why Toomua hasn't been given a chance yet... Lealiifano just seems to be getting worse...

Anyways, good work by the Force... but neither team really looked that good...

 

[mackka]

Is Christian Lealiifano the worst flyhalf in the S14? He's somehow managing to make Mortlock and Ashley-Cooper look like rank amateurs with rubbish ball.

 

[Fushitsusha]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mackka @ Feb 28 2009, 12:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Is Christian Lealiifano the worst flyhalf in the S14? He's somehow managing to make Mortlock and Ashley-Cooper look like rank amateurs with rubbish ball.[/b]

He's at least the worst flyhalf of all the Australian teams... and unfortunately for the kid - he really is the sole reason why the backline is failing to ignite...

They haven't had any decent ball since the Highlanders game...

Basically, he has 3 plays -

1. Keep running sideways until he's gone too far and he misses the inside runner...

2. Keep running sideways until he finds Mortlock who already has 3 defenders against him...

3. Kick the ball out on the full...

Honestly, I think George Smith would make a better flyhalf...

But... yeah... he's making everyone outside him look bad because they can't get any decent ball...

It's a total shame because the Brumbies' forwards looked really solid... turnovers galore... awesome scrum... pretty even in the lineout...

Andy Friend has to make the tough decision to drop him for Toomua... who hasn't really had much Super 14 experience at flyhalf but who played well in the Sydney competition... or make a dramatic promotion for the South African U21 flyhalf we have sitting in the Academy...

 

[Jer1cho]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mackka @ Feb 28 2009, 01:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Is Christian Lealiifano the worst flyhalf in the S14? He's somehow managing to make Mortlock and Ashley-Cooper look like rank amateurs with rubbish ball.[/b]

Nobody. and i mean NOBODY is worse than Earl Rose.

 

[Haj]

things seem to get worse when holmes came on at scrum half. Very slow to deliver the ball with his backward shuffles he seems to do. phibbs is much better but doesnt really excell either.

fushi - the ref was terrible at the breakdown. some of the brumby fwds got away with murder. Just as well the ref gave em some token penalties to keep em in the game otherwise it wouldve been a flogging!

 

[Fushitsusha]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Haj @ Feb 28 2009, 01:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

fushi - the ref was terrible at the breakdown. some of the brumby fwds got away with murder. Just as well the ref gave em some token penalties to keep em in the game otherwise it wouldve been a flogging! [/b]

That's rubbish... the Brumbies' forwards were simply better... there were actually a few instances were they were penalised when they were clearly in the right... the Force really didn't get their act together in this aspect of the game until quite late... but the Force have always had the worst of the Australian packs...

I felt Holmes did well when he came on... made some really good breaks... unfortunately the Brumbies' attack was an absolute mess by that stage in the game...

 

[aussie1st]

Shepherd was awesome, if he keeps that form up he could be making a serious push for a spot on the Wallabies wing. Cross looked like a handful as did Pelesasa. Giteau gave Lealiifano an absolute schooling. I was annoyed that Friend didn't replace Lealiifano with 30 minutes to go just after he kicked yet another ball out on the full. Seriously I will lose it if he is picked again in round 5. I also reckon we need to get Timani on earlier he causes so much damage but isn't get enough game time to fully show it.

 

[Ickon]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Fushitsusha @ Feb 28 2009, 10:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mackka @ Feb 28 2009, 12:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is Christian Lealiifano the worst flyhalf in the S14? He's somehow managing to make Mortlock and Ashley-Cooper look like rank amateurs with rubbish ball.[/b]

He's at least the worst flyhalf of all the Australian teams... and unfortunately for the kid - he really is the sole reason why the backline is failing to ignite...

They haven't had any decent ball since the Highlanders game...

Basically, he has 3 plays -

1. Keep running sideways until he's gone too far and he misses the inside runner...

2. Keep running sideways until he finds Mortlock who already has 3 defenders against him...

3. Kick the ball out on the full...

Honestly, I think George Smith would make a better flyhalf...

But... yeah... he's making everyone outside him look bad because they can't get any decent ball...

It's a total shame because the Brumbies' forwards looked really solid... turnovers galore... awesome scrum... pretty even in the lineout...

Andy Friend has to make the tough decision to drop him for Toomua... who hasn't really had much Super 14 experience at flyhalf but who played well in the Sydney competition... or make a dramatic promotion for the South African U21 flyhalf we have sitting in the Academy...
[/b][/quote]

Yeah I'm noticing that with some of the young flyhalfs coming up, to use to running around there opponents in there own age group & then they get to super 14 and don't realise that they can't do that anymore. Running sideways & pointless kicks seems to be the most common occurence. They really need to have a couple of seasons in domestic league to practice the little things, like kicking, running lines & controling there runners.

Cooper is probably the best of the young bunch runs nice lines and takes on the line & seems to have more intent in his kicking game.

Yeah Isma-eel Dollie the South Africans on here should know a bit about him, Jake White had really big raps on this kid.

 

[Haj]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Fushitsusha @ Mar 1 2009, 01:30 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Haj @ Feb 28 2009, 01:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

fushi - the ref was terrible at the breakdown. some of the brumby fwds got away with murder. Just as well the ref gave em some token penalties to keep em in the game otherwise it wouldve been a flogging! [/b]

That's rubbish... the Brumbies' forwards were simply better... there were actually a few instances were they were penalised when they were clearly in the right... the Force really didn't get their act together in this aspect of the game until quite late... but the Force have always had the worst of the Australian packs...

[/b][/quote]

Ur just upset that even with 18 players on the field for the brumbies they still couldnt compete with the force. :lol: Brumbies showed nothing in attack and defense wasnt any better allowing 4 tries. Their only highlight was the penalty try for dominating a pack where the loosehead prop was clearly carrying an injury and so was the hooker who also copped a fist to the head from shepherdson. Force could have quite easily removed the prop and hooker and turned to uncontested scrums, but they tuffed it out and i guess gave the brumbies some more charity points.
Im hoping when we play the waratahs we get a kiwi or saffa ref. Its unlikely but the ref last nite was clueless not to mention clearly an eastern australian......
Fancy seeing the young brumby fullback knowing the rules better then the ref. :lol:

 

[Woldog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Mortlock, Ashley-Cooper, Rathbone, Gerrard, Fainifo... God damn I'll be happy when Giteau gets here next year to look after those guys....[/b]

Mortlock will be getting shipped off to an old folks home by then, he has to stop soon, or he will end up brain dead :S