2014 Super Rugby: Force vs Bulls (Round 11)

[Jaguares]

1. Pek Cowan
2. Nathan Charles
3. Kieran Longbottom
4. Adam Coleman
5. Sam Wykes
6. Angus Cottrell
7. Matt Hodgson (c)
8. Ben McCalman
9. Ian Prior
10. Sias Ebersohn
11. Nick Cummins
12. Kyle Godwin
13. Marcel Brache
14. Dane Haylett-Petty
15. Jayden Hayward

15 Jurgen Visser
14 Akona Ndungane
13 J J Engelbrecht
12 Jan Serfontein
11 Bjorn Basson
10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter
9 Francois Hougaard
8 Grant Hattingh
7 Jacques du Plessis
6 Jono Ross
5 Victor Matfield
4 Paul Willemse
3 Werner Kruger
2 Bongi Mbonambi
1 Dean Greyling

 

[TRF_heineken]

Last game for the Bulls on tour. I hope they can at least win this one, although I have my doubts. The Force has been playing some exciting rugby, and have pulled off great wins.

Flip van der Merwe has been cited, and is in doubt to play on Saturday, just to add some more misery to the Bulls stock.

 

[Darwin]

I feel the Bulls will win this. The Force have surprised a few teams, but I think the massive Bulls forwards will to too much for the Force, who look a bit vulnerable up front. Obviously the Bulls players may be a bit fatigued from a long tour so I think they need to play a conservative game-plan - use the lineout drive and/or smash it up around the fringes or in the midfield. If they try to play too expansively they will play right into the Force's hands....

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

I honestly think that the Force may well only win one more game this season, perhaps not even that. Their remaining home games are against the Bulls, Blues, Lions and Reds. They still have a fair few matches to play outside of Australia too.

 

[Gena_ZA]

I think the Force will win this and don't assume cause they suffered up front it will happen again.
They have been a beast of a side at home and definitely on the up where the Bulls are still in trouble with the lack of a balanced loose trio.

Not sure I follow this statement - "Their remaining home games are against the Bulls, Blues, Lions and Reds." these are arguably the weakest/underperforming sides they are facing

 

[Gena_ZA]

"
Vodacom Bulls captain Flip van der Merwe has been suspended for three weeks, ruling him out of this weekend's final Vodacom Super Rugby match against the Western Force in Perth.
Van der Merwe is also sure to miss crucial games against the Toyota Cheetahs and DHL Stormers as he serves his time for striking Waratahs prop Paddy Ryan in his team's 19-12 loss in Sydney last weekend. "

http://www.supersport.com/rugby/super-rugby/news/140423/Flip_suspended_for_three_weeks

 

[TRF_heineken]

Ah Crap! Just what we needed, a guy in the suspension column too!

Oh well, hopefully Paul Willemse will have another big game.

 

[Gena_ZA]

On the positive side for the Bulls I see Wimpie v/d Walt is included on the bench

 

[Jaguares]

Bulls: 15 Jurgen Visser , 14 Akona Ndungane , 13 J J Engelbrecht , 12 Jan Serfontein , 11 Bjorn Basson , 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter , 9 Francois Hougaard , 8 Grant Hattingh , 7 Jacques du Plessis , 6 Jono Ross , 5 Victor Matfield , 4 Paul Willemse , 3 Werner Kruger , 2 Bongi Mbonambi , 1 Dean Greyling

Replacements : 16 Bandise Maku , 17 Marcel vd Merwe , 18 Jacques Engelbrecht , 19 Willem (Wimpie) van der Walt , 20 Rudy Paige , 21 Handre Pollard , 22 Ulrich Beyers , 23 Morne Mellet

Force: 1. Pek Cowan,2. Nathan Charles,3. Kieran Longbottom,4. Adam Coleman,5. Sam Wykes,6. Angus Cottrell,7. Matt Hodgson (c),8. Ben McCalman,9. Ian Prior,10. Sias Ebersohn,11. Nick Cummins ,12. Kyle Godwin,13. Marcel Brache,14. Dane Haylett-Petty,15. Jayden Hayward

Replacements : 16. Heath Tessmann,17. Tetera Faulkner ,18. Ollie Hoskins,19. Wilhelm Steenkamp,20. Brynard Stander,21. Justin Turner,22. Zack Holmes ,23. Chris Tuatara-Morrison

 

[Darwin]

I honestly think that the Force may well only win one more game this season, perhaps not even that. Their remaining home games are against the Bulls, Blues, Lions and Reds. They still have a fair few matches to play outside of Australia too.

I tend to agree with that. They have performed above expectation, but I can't see them keeping it up. I think they will really miss Mathewson at halfback again this week, as he has been a real spark for them this season. Hayward back at fullback adds another dimension to their attack though.

The Bulls are largely as expected. I still can't understand Hattingh starting at 8 ahead of Engelbrecht. Willemse adds even more size to the starting pack, which (if the Bulls play the right style) will be to their advantage. I thought the Bulls looked a bit better with van Zyl at halfback so I feel he is a loss. I actually thought Rudy Paige looked pretty handy off the bench too - he looked very much in the Aaron Smith mould. I'm a bit surprised Visser is back starting at fullback. I've never been that impressed by him, and I thought Beyers looked incredibly dangerous at the back last week (stats show he made 2 clean breaks, beat 6 defenders, and ran an astonishing 161m!).

 

[Jaguares]

Why do you have so little faith in the Force, lads? Come on! This is the Force's year!. Nothing is impossible

:box:

 

[Darwin]

Why do you have so little faith in the Force, lads? Come on! This is the Force's year!. Nothing is impossible

:box:

I think a better question is why would you have any faith in the Force? They have had a good year so far, but aren't exactly a quality side. They have an excellent loose-forward trio, and a couple of reasonable backs (Mathewson, Godwin, Cummins, Hayward), but apart from that they are decidedly average. I think they will struggle to contain the Bulls up front this weekend, and the Bulls also have a pretty clear edge in the backs. The Force also have very little depth. They have a few key players - Hodgson, McCalman, Mathewson, Godwin, Cummins, and Hayward - if one or more of these players gets inured they are in big trouble (Mathewson is injured at the moment which is a massive loss for them). They may continue their winning ways, but considering they have quite a few tough games ahead (including a trip to South Africa) I would be very surprised if they 'revert to type' and aren't even in the top 10 by the end of the season.....

 

[TRF_heineken]

I tend to agree with that. They have performed above expectation, but I can't see them keeping it up. I think they will really miss Mathewson at halfback again this week, as he has been a real spark for them this season. Hayward back at fullback adds another dimension to their attack though.

The Bulls are largely as expected. I still can't understand Hattingh starting at 8 ahead of Engelbrecht. Willemse adds even more size to the starting pack, which (if the Bulls play the right style) will be to their advantage. I thought the Bulls looked a bit better with van Zyl at halfback so I feel he is a loss. I actually thought Rudy Paige looked pretty handy off the bench too - he looked very much in the Aaron Smith mould. I'm a bit surprised Visser is back starting at fullback. I've never been that impressed by him, and I thought Beyers looked incredibly dangerous at the back last week (stats show he made 2 clean breaks, beat 6 defenders, and ran an astonishing 161m!).

I'm with you Darwin.

Why continue with Hattingh at 8 when the evidence is there that our loose trio is not working properly?? Engelbrecht is way better suited at no. 8, and we are already a bit low in lock positions with injuries and suspensions.

As for Visser, he's just plain average. He didn't impress me at Currie Cup level, and IMHO he's trying to be a bit like Casper Steyn. Beyers at least can defend, and has an eye for a gap. He ran the most metres last week of all the players for all the teams. and that was just his second start ever!

 

[Gena_ZA]

Exactly what I told you 2 weeks ago Hein, then you said Engelbrecht only likes the open games and Hattingh is the better option.
On paper and what we know of capabilities the Bulls should win, but the way home side dominate this year and the Bulls under performing displays I wonder if the have the balls to take this last game on tour

 

[TRF_heineken]

Exactly what I told you 2 weeks ago Hein, then you said Engelbrecht only likes the open games and Hattingh is the better option.
On paper and what we know of capabilities the Bulls should win, but the way home side dominate this year and the Bulls under performing displays I wonder if the have the balls to take this last game on tour

yeah I know Gena. but the longer the tour went on, the more flaws I got to see in the loose trio as a combination.

I hope we can pull it off, but the Force are a team to be reckoned with, especially now that half of the team understands Afrikaans!

 

[Gena_ZA]

lol, was thinking of that exact same thing the other day, expect messy line-outs (even for Victor) as his understudy is now playing for the Force!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

This might be the worst game I have ever seen.
I know the weather is bad, but Jesus Christ.

 

[Jaguares]

I told you! We must have faith in the Force, lads.

 

[Gena_ZA]

Thank God weather like this is not the norm as up north, create boring matches

 

[Darwin]

Well done to the Force - I didn't expect them to win that. Doesn't sound like it was a great match though, so I'm glad I missed it.....