The Western Force remain winless after six rounds but skipper Nathan Sharpe believes the Super 14 team has turned the corner and will give the unbeaten Bulls a run for their money on Saturday night.
The Force led NSW 10-8 at halftime on Saturday night but two second-half penalties from Waratahs five-eighth Daniel Halangahu lifted the visitors to a 14-10 win despite the Perth-based franchise dominating possession and territory in the final 20 minutes.
Sharpe praised his side’s dogged performance and said the Force would embrace the challenge of taking on the ladder-leading Bulls in Perth.
“The ultimate form of redemption is to win a game and we didn’t do that,” Sharpe said.
“But I think our level of performance went up and if we can build on that, then that’s going to turn the season around for us.
“We’ve got a great opportunity next weekend with the Bulls at home.
“It’s a big challenge and I know all the guys who had a bit of a taste tonight of playing some good attacking football and good defence are looking forward to it.
“The Bulls are on top of the table still, they’ve been the benchmark over the last year or two and it’s a great opportunity for us to get them on their first trip away.”
Force coach John Mitchell said the loss to the Waratahs was “tough to swallow”.
“I think the boys did deserve to win that in the end,” Mitchell said.
“They hung in there for a long time, got plenty of possession towards the end without getting conversion for that pressure.
“We gave ourselves a chance of winning more than once.”
The Force will assess the fitness of flanker Sam Wykes (corked thigh) and Scott Staniforth (quad) during the week, while prop Matt Dunning (concussion) and hooker Pek Cowan (shoulder) are a chance to return against the Bulls.
Bulls will do well to beat these okes as they should on form, but like we saw this past weekend, nothing is as clearcut as that. But I back them to take the match by 15 points.
The Stormers will be down to third if the formbook is true.
I fear for the Sharks this weekend. They must simply step up.
The Cheetahs are also looking down the barrell of a gun vs the Reds.
The Lions have been on a hiding to nothing, but they have to come good sometime,but somehow I don’t yet see that happening this weekend.
The 13 Super 14 teams and the Lions are all very closely bunched and anything can and will happen on a given weekend….
One game at a time… that is the approach followed by the Bulls…. and let’s hope as South Africans that the Bulls can make this 1st game on tour a memorable one.
I also have Bulls by 15 on my Superbru
3@ Mako – Welcome at Rugby-Talk, hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Solank hul ons nie “by the balls” vat nie, is ek gelukkig.
If I were Ludeke I’d have my team revert to the high-intesity gameplan we employed against the Cheetahs, Waratahs , Brumbies and Highlanders. I would rest as many of my senior players as possible. I would play Potties at 8 with Steggies and Kuun as flankers as they have already rested through rotation, and P3 on the bench as usual. I would start with Flip vdM and Danie Rossouw and rest Victor- bring him off the bench if needs be. If we don’t do it this week, he will end up having to play all 15 games if we go all the way and that cannot be good. Same with FdP, but I would play Morne Steyn and rest him vs the Reds eg when FdP is playing.
My team would be:
15. Zane
14. Shaddow
13. Jaco Pretorius
12. JL Potgieter
11. Jaco Pretorius
10. Morne Steyn
09. Hougie
08. Potties
07. Kuun
06. Steggies
05. Pakslae
04. Flip vdM
03. Bees Roux
02. Bandise Maku
01. Jaco Engels
Bench
16. Gary Botha
17. Gurthro
18. Werner Kruger
19. Fudge Mabeta
20. P3
21. FdP
22. WO
Against the Blues and Chiefs we then play our full team.
15. Zane
14. Shaddow/Jaco P (one game each)
13. Jaco P/ Dippies(one game each)
12. WO
11. Hougie
10. Morne Steyn
09. FdP
08. Spies
07. Potties
06. Stegmann/Kuun (one game each)
05. Victor
04. Flip vdM/Danie Rossouw (one game each)
03. Werner Kruger
02. Gary Botha
01. Gurthro
And vs Reds we rest Morne Steyn and start with Jl Potgieter, and also maybe rest Big Vic again and start with Jaco vdW at fullback.
The idea is to have our senior guys fit and ready, and rested after the flight accross, against the NZ teams, and basically look at resting some guys vs the Reds again if we have won all three by then by bringing them from the bench for a 30- 35 minute full onslaught only if needs be.
And then we come back for the Sharks, Saders and Stormers. Pushing the seniors all the way would in my opinion be a bridge too far and could bite us in the semis and finals if we get there.
6/7/8
Bluebeard, i like your thinking. I said so earlier, we must rest Victor. We will have to use a bulldozer to pull him away from the team but rest we must. Force is the right team for a rest.
Your ideas is great and i agree we must rest FdP and Morne in alternative weeks.
Also the Lose-forwards must be rested. a great chance to try some variations too.
I think that HM and FL will do it.
#6 Just as long as they still win the game. The Force game is one of those the Bulls HAVE to win.
I almost feel they must pick a game to lose, lets say against the Chiefs, and rest all their stars and allow the second stringers to show their worth.
Rather lose a game we have a small probability of winning anyway, than lose a game we are supposed to win (e.g home games and away games against weak teams)
Resting players is OK… BUT…. do not make wholesale changes, make 2 or at most 3 changes at a time…. do not totally disturb the core and rhytm of the team, that would be a recipy for disaster.
… and above all, do not underestimate any team….. NEVER!
If the Bulls remain on form this will be more like Pamplona that Perth …
12@ R_P – The Waratahs found the going difficult in Perffffffffff on Saturday, hope the Bulls find it easier…
GBS
Are *YOU* putting the Bulls & the Tahs in the same boat ? Goodness me ! 😯
BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLLLLSSSSSSSSS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
14@ R-P – No, I’m stating that the Force is not THAT shitty!
Bulls can NEVER travel on the same boat as Shrek and his misfits!
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