[2017 Super Rugby] Round 13: Force vs. Highlanders (20/05/2017)

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: nib Stadium​

Time: 11:45 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

 

[Ground We Won]

Aaron Smith on the bench, gets a breather. Sopoaga back on the bench and Rob Thompson. The bench should get them over the line. The Force will have their tails up though and confidence from their Argentinian result, should be a tight game.

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

Damn still no Bender. The Landers should take the W, especially with that bench, but the Force have been showing a lot of fight lately so I don't think it'll be easy.

 

[Captain_Az]

Picking a close one. Glad the Force are traveling back for the Highlanders sake.

The Highlanders are just getting home each game and I can see this one being the same.

Force are going to be tough so much to play for this year.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

I'm hoping the trip back from agentina negates a bit of the travel factor

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Sounds like the Jaguares lost it last week more than the Force won it, so as much as I think the Force are a credible side in the comp this year I can't see them doing something special here.

 

[ReddFelon]

Sounds like the Jaguares lost it last week more than the Force won it, so as much as I think the Force are a credible side in the comp this year I can't see them doing something special here.

In what world did the Jaguares lose it instead of the Force winning it? When Naiserani powered straight through two defenders for a try was that the Jaguares losing it? Or the line break and support that allowed prior and Newsome to double up on the far side of the field to score as well was the Jaguares fault? Oh I know, when the Force scored a completely legitimate try at the opening of the second half and then it was disallowed because a Jaguares player threw himself into the back of Cowan and flopped on the ground like a soccer player was the Jaguares failing as opposed to the Force being the better team. Yes, I do suppose the superior scrum, lineout and scoring ability of the Force had nothing to do with it.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

In what world did the Jaguares lose it instead of the Force winning it? When Naiserani powered straight through two defenders for a try was that the Jaguares losing it? Or the line break and support that allowed prior and Newsome to double up on the far side of the field to score as well was the Jaguares fault? Oh I know, when the Force scored a completely legitimate try at the opening of the second half and then it was disallowed because a Jaguares player threw himself into the back of Cowan and flopped on the ground like a soccer player was the Jaguares failing as opposed to the Force being the better team. Yes, I do suppose the superior scrum, lineout and scoring ability of the Force had nothing to do with it.

I did say "sounds like", I haven't seen the match. Perhaps it was the best pefirmance in Argentina this year, truly dominant on all fronts and the Jagaures, despite putting in a peak performance could not compete with the sheer majesty of the Force!

I'm not ragging on the Force. I've been tipping them as in with a shout for topping the Oz conference since day 1 of the season after their solid displays last year. I've been saying that binning a franchise from a city of near 2 million folk just as it is finding its feet and showing the local talent it has nurtured is idiotic. I just think it sounds like a unusually poor performance by a tryless Jaguares last week and we shouldn't draw firm conclusions from the Force from that result.

If the Force still have significant injuries over and above DHP then I think it's fair to make them significant injuries for this match. They won't have the same squad depth as Kiwi sides.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

In what world did the Jaguares lose it instead of the Force winning it? When Naiserani powered straight through two defenders for a try was that the Jaguares losing it? Or the line break and support that allowed prior and Newsome to double up on the far side of the field to score as well was the Jaguares fault? Oh I know, when the Force scored a completely legitimate try at the opening of the second half and then it was disallowed because a Jaguares player threw himself into the back of Cowan and flopped on the ground like a soccer player was the Jaguares failing as opposed to the Force being the better team. Yes, I do suppose the superior scrum, lineout and scoring ability of the Force had nothing to do with it.

You've come in just A little hot there...

 

[SomeOke]

To be fair on ReddFelon their is nothing more infuriating than having a win cheapened by people saying "Your team didn't win, the other team lost." I'm not taking shots at anybody just trying to put some context on the man's pain.

I imagine the Highlanders will be too strong, but it's definitely a winnable game for the Force if they can someone gain set-piece dominance over the Highlanders and keep it scrappy it's possible that they could win an arm wrestle.

On the other hand you'd imagine if the talented highlanders backs can engineer 2 or 3 tries the force will be out of it. Highlanders should look to strike hard and fast and they could blow them out.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

No hard feelings from my end. Lord knows I've posted my fare share of impassioned and/or grumpy posts (not something I'm proud of). Anyway, sounds like the Force are getting back to fitness (excluding DHP).

http://www.superxv.com/force-stars-return-to-face-highlanders/

That certainly helps the chances of this turning into a real contest. Maybe a 15-20% chance of the first Aussie win vs a Kiwi side? I'll be rooting for the Force.

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

Shout out to this Japanese ref, I reckon he's been excellent. Far cry from some other reffing performances of late....
I hope he gets a few decent international fixtures, he's to be very competent.

 

[Captain_Az]

Man here's to most people (including me) thinking this could have been a close one.

Highlanders rout them. Counting down to the Crusaders game need to see where this team is really at.

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

Biggest win in Landers history, wow..... what a performance. Complete. I too thought it might be close, but the Force just didn't show up in the 2nd half... kinda like the Cheetahs.

 

[Ground We Won]

Shout out to this Japanese ref, I reckon he's been excellent. Far cry from some other reffing performances of late....
I hope he gets a few decent international fixtures, he's to be very competent.

Outstanding performance from the referee, he barely missed a thing tonight and has great rapport, putting the officials from the previous games in South Africa to absolute shame.

What a clinical performance from the Landers. Tevita Li kicked some ass and Seuili had a great game.

How good is Marty Banks? 8/9 kicks, most of them tough, great punting and an excellent option taker. He's not the flashest Harry, but he's incredibly consistent.

Try of the round, was the nearly Rob Thompson try and Hunt scrambled over, all coming form that amazing Halanukonuka goose step! Play of that week that one.

The Highlanders are a very underrated team, they fly under the radar and play with a lot of heart and it disheartens me when people say they don't rate guys like Fekitoa who do a hard job week in week out for them and consistently plays with effort and heart, while flash Harry's like Moala and SBW get praised for doing minimal stuff, I think people need to check their judgement.

Quarterfinals in 2014, champions in 2015 and semi-finalists in 2016 and this season they have had horrific injuries and won 8 on the trot, what a team. A full strength Highlanders is possibly the best team in the competition, very close anyway.

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

Yes, I was very pleased with Li's performance, justified my decision to pick him in my fantasy team lol.

 

[Captain_Az]

Highlanders are always underrated.

Most people forget that the Highlanders had the Crusaders well and truly done in game 2 then they got some pretty harsh refereeing.

They haven't had a fit team yet. If they can get healthy by the end of the lions tour they're going to be a tough team.

 

[Ground We Won]

Just to add a bit more.

It's no coincidence the Highlanders have conceded only 1 try in their last 2 matches since Richard Buckman has been back, that guy is tackling machine and a great option taker.

Hunt has been superb and Evans, two guys stepping up and have done a hell of a job.

Tom Franklin would make any international side in the world, he's great.

 

[Ground We Won]

Highlanders are always underrated.

Most people forget that the Highlanders had the Crusaders well and truly done in game 2 then they got some pretty harsh refereeing.

They haven't had a fit team yet. If they can get healthy by the end of the lions tour they're going to be a tough team.

I felt Sopoaga literally kicked that game away as well.

I won't be a happy man if he walks back into the team and Marty loses his spot. Sopoaga should be back up until Marty is having a bad game.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

The Force were fairly even in the first half, they should have gone ahead when they botched an early move in the 22 (easy pass not going to hand) - disappointing to hear they capitulated. Marty Banks was meant to play for Treviso this year and mentor my avatar, but it fell through. I am not happy!