@Mr-Fish said in Force v Crusaders:

I would argue that the Crusaders might actually do better playing away from home in the finals. They benefit from stodgy winter weather, which will be mitigated somewhat by playing under the roof.

I don't have much fear of playing away at NZ venues. I don't want to go to Brumbieland.

Aside from Big Tamaiti, who we definitely won't have (and is a major loss), we could go:

Bower, Taylor, Newell, SBarrett, Shalfoon, Grace, Blackadder, Lio-Willie, Hotham, Faingaánuku, Reihana, Havili, Ennor, Reece, Jordan.

Which is, to my mind, our best XV - and almost totally different from this week.

We're better off playing at home, though. But, we won't have much of that this year.

Oli Mathis also in for a debut off the bench (along with Bell)

Good to see Springer back eh @canes4life

@bellsgeorg what a run.

Kemara is really coming into some form

@Bones said in Force v Crusaders:

Good to see Springer back eh @canes4life

Another 5 tries incoming

Force aren't very smart, guys lying all over the show trying to play the ball

Hannah held up by a halfback

Fire-anger-are-nookoo

Have the Force had the ball on attack yet in the Saders half?

I can't decide if Bell has had a haircut or is growing his hair

Man McNicholl is great value for an old bastard.

Unreal finish

@Bones said in Force v Crusaders:

Unreal finish

Fair play Johnny, bravo!

Deft kick by Macca. More often than not those kicks bounce out of bounds.

Old man thumb is a bitch

I do like how both Peach and Tizzano always attack the ball hard when it hits the deck.

Gardner goes the wrong way.

Heck of a try that.

The comeback is on

That was very very nice.

How on earth did Johnny McNicholl score that!

Force a bit flat in the first half but finished strong. Sadly got a bit of white line fever at the end there.

@African-Monkey how good! That's the Johnny we know

Fuck that's rough, Lancaster's career over?

Geez Lomax was in

Aussie commentator "oh he's so strong" about Lomax...as he gets absolutely manhandled by Bell

Crusaders a completely different team after about the 30 minute mark. Where's the fizz?

Came out at a million miles an hour and now look to be on the plane already.

There it is.

Pass from Springer to Hotham was dodgy as

Oh unlucky....

Pretty awful string of plays from Hotham and Reihana, pedestrian stuff.

said in Force v Crusaders:

Interested in how Lee goes vs Tizzano

Underwhelming

First win at home for the Force.

AUA$5M losses per year buy you a lot of journeymen and has beens.

@Tim said in Force v Crusaders:

a lot of journeymen and has beens.

The Crusaders?

@KiwiMurph Just as long as them and their Chiefs equivalents don't make the ABs

said in Force v Crusaders:

@KiwiMurph Just as long as them and their Chiefs equivalents don't make the ABs

Last year you had four Chiefs blindside flankers in the ABs. All of them were absolute shit

Great comeback from the Force. Surprised at the Crusaders fading like they did on one of the more cooler nights we've had. Robertson makes a difference at 9, he's got a very good running game, and yes it gets overdone a bit, but the high ball is a strength for the Force. The balance of the side is looking a lot better for maybe a late finals push (optimistic I know).

Two of the more maligned Crusaders players Gardiner and Letiu off the bench were good I thought. McNicholl should have been dragged off earlier as he could barely walk from about 55 onwards.

@African-Monkey agree on Nicholl, he should have come off earlier, his 2nd half was poor he slowed down alot of the attack.

@vonniebee said in Force v Crusaders:

@African-Monkey agree on Nicholl, he should have come off earlier, his 2nd half was poor he slowed down alot of the attack.

Should have had a YC for the cheap knees to the ribs on the second Force try

said in Force v Crusaders:

said in Force v Crusaders:

@KiwiMurph Just as long as them and their Chiefs equivalents don't make the ABs

Last year you had four Chiefs blindside flankers in the ABs. All of them were absolute shit

Just immortalising one of my best posts:

Actually got a bit excited at this game.
Usually not like that at all; cool, calm, analytical.

Thought the saders actually went quite well.
Great effort by the force to run them down after giving them a 20 pt start.
Force saved their dumb shit for the start of the game this time, usually its at the end, when it really matters.

The referee heavily favoured the team in possession, which i'm ok with, but the force kicked all theirs away in the first period and allowed the saders to build lots of momentum, and get points and YCs.
Once force started holding onto the ball the game evened up.
And the saders didn't really even score again.

The Stringer pass to Hotham was definitely forward.
Stringer was just about stationary when he passed it, no forward momentum in that pass.
But the ref was favouring the attacking team, so that's ok.

Force kicked away possession a bit early at the finish, and just invited the saders to have a good crack at them, which they did.
Force D did well tho, didn't even let them into the red zone.

McNicholl still goes pretty good.
He had a nice cuddle with Zac too!

I know it's all about the rugby, and I dont wanna sound like one of those 6N F wits who just show up for a beer and a chit chat with their mates, but the sax player at the half-time break was sooooo cool.
Even Georgie Bower was havin a bit of a jive at the restart; until he realized what he was doing.

@mohikamo 6n fuckwit

@mohikamo said in Force v Crusaders:

Actually got a bit excited at this game.
Usually not like that at all; cool, calm, analytical.

Thought the saders actually went quite well.
Great effort by the force to run them down after giving them a 20 pt start.
Force saved their dumb shit for the start of the game this time, usually its at the end, when it really matters.

The referee heavily favoured the team in possession, which i'm ok with, but the force kicked all theirs away in the first period and allowed the saders to build lots of momentum, and get points and YCs.
Once force started holding onto the ball the game evened up.
And the saders didn't really even score again.

The Stringer pass to Hotham was definitely forward.
Stringer was just about stationary when he passed it, no forward momentum in that pass.
But the ref was favouring the attacking team, so that's ok.

Force kicked away possession a bit early at the finish, and just invited the saders to have a good crack at them, which they did.
Force D did well tho, didn't even let them into the red zone.

McNicholl still goes pretty good.
He had a nice cuddle with Zac too!

I know it's all about the rugby, and I dont wanna sound like one of those 6N F wits who just show up for a beer and a chit chat with their mates, but the sax player at the half-time break was sooooo cool.
Even Georgie Bower was havin a bit of a jive at the restart; until he realized what he was doing.

Yeah was easily the best atmosphere last night. Crowd seemed to be a bit bigger, a bit more pre match entertainment, and when Lomax scored, the place erupted. It really was 'party at the park' which was advertised before the game. Had a few loudmouth Crusaders fans behind me who were very chirpy when 19-0 up, they were much quieter as the night went on. A good night all round.