The Stormers start their tour with an easy-ish fixture against the struggling Force in Perth.
The boys from the Berg are in top nick, but will be without two stalwarts in Joe Pietersen (fullback) and Wicus Blaauw (prop). The Stormers have never lost to the Force in Perth, though and based on current form shouldn’t see that record challenged in 2010.
That said, the home side played a fair bit better against the Bulls last week and you have the feeling that a maiden win at home for them in 2010 can’t be too much further off. After all, there’s the “Dickinson factor” for the Stormers to overcome as well.
Ref: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
ARs: Ian Smith (Australia), Julian Pritchard (Australia)
TMO: Matthew Goddard (Australia)
Venue: ME Stadium, Perth
Kick-off: 12h05 SA Time, 11h05 BST
Western Force: 5 James O’Connor, 14 Scott Staniforth, 13 Mitch Inman, 12 Ryan Cross, 11 Mark Bartholomeusz, 10 David Hill, 9 Chris O’Young, 8 Matt Hodgson, 7 David Pocock, 6 Ben McCalman, 5 Nathan Sharpe (captain), 4 Tom Hockings, 3 Tim Fairbrother, 2 Ben Whittaker, 1 Pek Cowan.
Replacements: 16 Nathan Charles, 17 Matt Dunning, 18 Richard Stanford, 19 Richard Brown, 20 Justin Turner, 21 Sam Harris, 22 Haig Sare.
Stormers: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Sireli Naqelevuki, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Tim Whitehead, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Ricky Januarie, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 François Louw, 6 Schalk Burger (captain), 5 Andries Bekker, 4 De Kock Steenkamp, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 JC Kritzinger.
Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Eusebio Guinazu, 18 Anton van Zyl, 19 Pieter Louw, 20 Dewaldt Duvenage, 21 Willem de Waal, 22 Frikkie Welsh
Go Force
Go Stormers:!:
LMS
Vodacom Stormers 7
Emirates Western Force 3
One of Force picks is Kette and as with her Reds pick in Rnd 1 it was a finger error that caused the pick
I may have to console here tonight. 
@KSA Shark © (Comment 2) :
how does one make a mistake like that twice 
@JarsonX (Comment 3) :
I was going to ask but then thought “No why would I want to end my life so early on”
I’ve just realised it is Easter weekend in the rest of the world.
Has it started?
@robdylan (Comment 6) :
nope. another 15min
1 from 6 and 1 from 9 for each team under this ref.
Kearns says he is the the Waratahs’ JK for these two teams.
Grant going at goal
slots it
Force 0 – 3 Stormers
5min
10min
Force 0 – 3 Stormers
Cameron Shepherd will be back next week.
Always been a FL stalwart of mine.
David Pocock try!!!!!!
Time out called by Dickinson and he gives Bekker a warning for cheap late tackle.
Try converted.
Force 7 – 3 Stormers
15min
Force 7 – 3 Stormers
20min
I have a bad feeling about my lifeline here. Come on, Stormers!
Let’s remember this comment by Kearns.
“When the Stormers ran onto the field tonight there were a few of the chaps having a giggle, they didn’t look to be taking this seriously”
Force 7 – 3 Stormers
25min
Grant slots a PK
Force 7 – 6 Stormers
27min
Force 7 – 6 Stormers
30min
Force 7 – 6 Stormers
35min
40min
O’connor going at goal
missed
HALF TIME
Force 7 – 6 Stormers
Kalie Woekie knocks on as he reaches for the line
Force 7 – 6 Stormers
45min
Grant slots a PK
Force 7 – 9 Stormers
49min
Force PK
Force 10 – 9 Stormers
55min
The commentators are having a GOOD GO at Kalie Woekie.
“I’ve NEVER seen him run flat out”
“Kalie Woekie!!!!!!! What can he do? NOTHING!!!!” As Kalie gets the ball before being tackled.
“He is so big maybe we just cannot see how fast he is running”
“Force kicking, looking for territory…..No they are looking for Kalie Woekie”
Grant PK
Force 10 – 12 Stormers
61min
STOOOOORRRMMMEEEEEEERRRRRSSSS!!!!!
O’Connor PK
Force 13 – 12 Stormers
65min
As one-eyed as the Aussie commentators are you gotta hand it to them in terms of sticking it to players they think are USELESS!
Turnovers
20 Stormers
20 Force
WTF??????????? How kak is that
@klempie (Comment 31) :
sticking it to ANYONE!!!!!!!!!!!
5 from 5 for Grant
Force 13 – 15 Stormers
68min
How did they cock that up?
bekker makes a GREAT break and then under NO PRESSURE he passes a pass worthy of my 3year old Algerian neighbour
Yaaaaawn! Are the Stormers the most boring team in Super 14?
Force 13 – 15 Stormers
75min
79min
Force attacking scrum 25m out in front of the poles
FK Force
opt for scrum again.
Drop Goal from 35m out
OVER!!!!!!!!!!
FULL TIME
Force 16 – 15 Stormers
1st win for the Force!
Oh man. My lifeline
LMS Kette is smiling, seems I’ll be helping her celebrate and not consoling her.
7 picks for Stormers all got that result wrong
LMAO!! Can’t say Stormers deserved that so well done Force.
Dead players after this
Trinity
Transvaal Walter
Lifelines lost
Dylanators
Heinrich XV
Raggie’s Revenge
LionKing
Rions Lions
Correct Picks
Katvis
The punters
Charlie’s team (kette)
@KSA Shark © (Comment 47) : who’s Charlie?
@robdylan (Comment 48) :
Charlie Chaplin.
Kette’s surname was Chaplin before i appeared on the scene.
1 from 2 for me on SB.
Game 46: Hurricanes v Crusaders: Crusaders by 9
Game 47: Force v Stormers: Force by 8
Game 48: Blues v Bulls: Blues by 6
Game 49: Chiefs v Highlanders: Chiefs by 17
Game 50: Waratahs v Cheetahs: Waratahs by 39
Game 51: Sharks v Reds: Sharks by 4
Wow, Streamers really sucked…..for once voldy’s will be in mourning.
Back down to earth it is then for the Streamers.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 51) :
Blues
Chiefs
Reds
Still to be played on tour
With the crusaders 1st up after they return from Aus.
tough 4 weeks ahead for these guys.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 52) :
Then us in Dbn and the Bulls in Pta to round off the pool games.
if you want a good larf go over to voldy see the stones they are thowing at Dickenson!! Yet when we had Marks and Other dude they were saying stop making excuses!!!!!!
Voldy should be renamed stormersrugby
@Fattmann (Comment 54) :
Picks for Force 3470 (6.43%)
Picks for Stormers 50449 (93.51%)
Can anybody tell me what Bryan Banana has been doing since moving to the Streamers?
He’s gone from bad to worse and even JP Pieterson seems active compared to him. He does a lot of running, but without the ball and always seems to be just too late to be the one making the tackle.
Seems he’s gone on pension, sad for the Boks.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 57) :
He was a hasbeen before moving to the cape I’m afraid. and from the look of the vd Heever kid at the Bulls, Habana is lucky he moved because I would play the kid ahead of him on most days.
If Habana continues with this form he will be going to the WC on past glories.
Anyone see that 18 year old’s hand off on Hanana? Sheesh!