Round 9: Highlanders v W.Force

[Dumbo]

6th placed Highlanders take on the Force ranked 14th, Force showed last week that when the have the right combinations that they can play good rugby whilst the Highlanders tried to be to tricky against the Chiefs and paid the price. Think the Highlanders will not resort to changing 12 and 13 for this one.

 

[Groen_en_Goud]

It will be close, the Force are improving greatly, however this may be offset by a trip to the "House of Pain", and the intimidation of a stadium with many a drunk student, freezing their anatomy off for the sake of colouring their skin in Highlanders colours. The Highlanders made a couple of cock ups against the Chiefs which I'm sure will be rectified.

It will be close, but my gut says to go with the Highlanders by 4 points.

 

[Dumbo]

Highlanders have to be favourites due to the Force players never being that close to Antarctica and will freeze their balls off.

 

[Groen_en_Goud]

Is that why they call it the House of Pain?

 

[Dumbo]

Yup, little known fact that all people from that part of the world get naturally castrated at birth by having them frozen off, the only ones that get away have testicles the size of a match stick head thus allowing them to be immune from the cold weather...

 

[Groen_en_Goud]

I always knew they were small on balls

 

[Rassie]

Well, perhaps this will be a shocker but Western Force has a chance, a quite big one if you ask me!

 

[Dumbo]

Agree, think the Highlanders since losing Evans are not showing the same potential. The Force however are gaining a bit of momentum... wouldn't EVER put money on it again though.

 

[Kimmy_The_Kiwi]

Im picking the Highlaners for this one.

I really should support them *long story* but..yeh the Canes are cooler

Mind u i dont mind it if the highlanders win..as long as its not against the canes.

 

[Dumbo]

Good girl... it's OK long story's are welcome here (check some of the Northern Hemisphere’s post, specially anything to do with Wales).

 

[Southern man]

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SIZE OF OUR BALLS.

To the Force it will be like playing at 10am, so surely that wil throw them off abit.

 

[esoj]

force although showing promise at times are the whipping boys of the comp. expecting highlander to clean up and force to remain winless lol

 

[Wally]

Originally posted by esoj@Apr 5 2006, 06:01 PM
force although showing promise at times are the whipping boys of the comp. expecting highlander to clean up and force to remain winless lol

You can't really get off calling them the whipping boys. They may not have won a game, but they've also never been whipped, not seriously anyway. I think this could be the one for the Western Force, everything just feels right for it - they're coming off their best game of the season and the Highlanders are a little out of form.

 

[Southern man]

HIGHLANDERS: 15 Ben Blair, 14 Vilimoni Delasau, 13 Neil Brew, 12 Seilala Mapusua, 11 Roy Kinikinilau, 10 Callum Bruce, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Craig Newby ©, 7 Tim Boys, 6 Josh Blackie, 5 Filipo Levi, 4 Tom Donnelly, 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Jason Macdonald, 1 Nick White. Reserves: 16 Anton Oliver, 17 Clarke Dermody, 18 James Ryan, 19 Hale T-Pole, 20 Chris Smylie, 21 Willie Ripia, 22 Ben Smith.

 

[Wally]

Any particular reason why Anton is on the bench, is he coming back from injury?

 

[Southern man]

To give him abit of a rest, if the game is in any doubt we can just chuck him on and he will fix it up. Otherwise expect him to spend the whole game on the bench.

For mine the most fasinating aspect about the Highlanders team is that we are playing three genuine fetchers in the loose, thee guys coiuld create alot of problems for the Farce at the breakdown.

 

[Dumbo]

Head to Head:
Highlanders: 1 - Nick White, 2 - Jason Macdonald, 3 - Carl Hayman, 4 - Tom Donnelly, 5 - Filipo Levi, 6 - Josh Blackie, 7 - Tim Boys, 8 - Craig Newby (Captain), 9 - Jimmy Cowan, 10 - Callum Bruce, 11 - Roy Kinikinilau, 12 - Seilala Mapusua, 13 - Neil Brew, 14 - Vilimoni Delasau, 15 - Ben Blair.
Reserves: 16 - Anton Oliver, 17 - Clarke Dermody, 18 - James Ryan, 19 - Hale T-Pole, 20 - Chris Smylie, 21 - Willie Ripia, 22 - Ben Smith.

Western Force: 1 - Gareth Hardy, 2 - Brendan Cannon, 3 - David Fitter, 4 - Rudi Vedelago, 5 - Nathan Sharpe (Captain), 6 - David Pusey, 7 - Matt Hodgson, 8 - Scott Fava, 9 - Matt Henjak, 10 - James Hilgendorf, 11 - Digby Ioane, 12 - Scott Staniforth, 13 - Josh Graham, 14 - Gavin DeBartolo, 15 - Cameron Shepherd.
Reserves: 16 - Tai McIsaac, 17 - Angus Scott, 18 - Luke Doherty, 19 - Tim Davidson, 20 - Chris O'Young, 21 - Scott Daruda, 22 - Brock James, 23 - John Welborn
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I predict that the Force will lose due to Matt-can't catch-can't pass-can't tackle-get a hair cut you disgrace Henjak playing way below his standard low performance.

 

[Wally]

Why would both Scott Daruda and Brock James be on the bench? The Force actually have some advantages over the Highlanders in the backline.

 

[The TRUTH]

I think we have the advantage in most positions, we should win ........ but knowing the Force's luck .....if they fell into a barrel of nipples they'd come out sucking there thumbs.

 

[Dumbo]

Think your both on drugs..

9 - Jimmy Cowan vs Matt Henjak... as much as Cowans a tool he's no where as much of a tool as Henjak.
10 - Callum Bruce vs James Hilgendorf... ok things could be a little even here.
11 - Roy Kinikinilau vs Digby Ioane... why? check the try count
12 - Seilala Mapusua vs Scott Staniforth... why? cause it's obvious
13 - Neil Brew vs Josh Graham... see above
14 - Vilimoni Delasau vs Gavin DeBartolo... check the try count
15 - Ben Blair vs Cameron Shepherd... um ANOTHER obvious one here...