We start our rugby weekend with a bit of a disappointing pop rather than the bang we usually get, when the Hurricanes take on the Force-less Force. The most interesting thing to note from this match is old Chiefs player Glen Jackson refereeing his first Super Rugby match.
In the Hurricanes team we see a new captain in Victor Vito, taking over from Andrew Hore who is dropped to the bench.
The Force have had some seriously bad news this week with James O’Connor, the only real stand out player in the squad, being ruled out through injury, which means a backline shuffle with Stannard playing at ten instead of his usual scrumhalf role.
This game kicks of at 09h40 and I predict a Hurricanes win by 10 or so points.
Hurricanes :1. John Schwalger ,2. Dane Coles ,3. Neemia Tialata ,4. Jeremy Thrush ,5. James Broadhurst ,6. Faifili Levave ,7. Jack Lam ,8. Victor Vito (c) ,9. Chris Eaton ,10. Aaron Cruden ,11. Hosea Gear ,12. Ma’a Nonu ,13. Conrad Smith ,14. Andre Taylor,15. Cory Jane
Reserves :16. Andrew Hore ,17. Jacob Ellison,18. Bryn Evans ,19. Mark Reddish ,20. Piri Weepu,21. Jayden Hayward ,22. Julian Savea
Force :1. Kieran Longbottom,2. Nathan Charles,3. Tim Fairbrother,4. Sam Wykes,5. Nathan Sharpe (Captain),6. Matt Hodgson,7. David Pocock,8. Ben McCalman,9. Mark Swanepoel,10. James Stannard,11. David Smith,12. Rory Sidey,13. Patrick Dellit,14. Nick Cummins,15. Cameron Shepherd
Reserves:16. Ben Whittaker,17. Matt Dunning,18. Tom Hockings,19. Richard Brown,20. Chris Cottee,21. Mitch Inman,22. Alfie Mafi
Match Officials
Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Vinny Munro (New Zealand), Richard Kelly (Australia)
Television match official: Mike Fraser (New Zealand)
This should be interesting..
I hate 1-match Fridays!!
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 1) : And the match onm Sunday pisses me off. that is ONE that I REALLY wanted to see.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 2) :
Its crap.. Bastards who organised that had no idea!
Cameron Shepherd goes 2 from 2 for the SEASON!!!!!
Hurricanes 0 – 3 Force
3min
Mark Swanepoel #9 for the Force. Saffa?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 5) :
Sounds very dutchman?!
Canes 0 – 3 Wors
9min
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 6) :
11min
Hurricanes 0 – 3 Force
Queensland
Halfback Mark Swanepoel made his debut for the Australian Under 20s this season, having previously represented Australia as a Schoolboy in 2007 and 2008.
Mark was born in South Africa and attended The Southport School on the Gold Coast.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 9) : Nonu TRY as I posted that
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 6) : He’s been in Aus for a long time.
They say that every rugby player’s dream is to secure a contract with a Super 14 franchise. Mark Swanepoel did just that and before he turned 17! After playing for the Australian Schoolboys, a very impressive feat in itself, Mark was offered a 2 year contract with the Reds Academy.
Seventeen year old Mark, born in Johannesburg, was only six when he and his family left their home inBoksburg. He wishes dearly that he could have experienced more of the rich South African culture; however, life evidently had other plans for this talented young man. Together with his parents John and Karen and his two siblings Ryan and Jessica, Mark left South Africa and spent five years in New Zealand, finally landing in Australia six years ago.
13 June 2008
@KSA Shark © (Comment 11) : Conversion Over
Canes 7 – 3 Force
13min
Shepherd slots a PK
Canes 7 – 6 Force
19min
Sidey TRY Force
Converted
Canes 7 – 13 Force
22min
ag nee flippen hell!!!
Whens are I ever gona be a SB chemp agains?? 
@KSA Shark © (Comment 16) : Whats the nature of the game – is it scrappy again? Sheesh – The Canes have been abysmal this season.
Squad Cruden PK
Canes 10 – 13 Force
26min
@DarkDestroyer (Comment 18) : Not to bad at all a little loose but that makes for good entertainment.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 20) : Come on Canes! Enjoy watching!
Shepherd misses his 1st kick of the season
3 from 4 for the season
Shepherd TRY!!!!!
11 phases and an inside pass saw him score.
Conversion missed
Canes 10 – 18 Force
34min
Some sustained attack by the Canes and they get stopped short.
HALF TIME
Canes 10 – 18 Force
@KSA Shark © (Comment 26) :
This is not good for my SuperBru..
Need a good start this weekend..
9 phases for the Force and he Canes turn it over. Then Force knock it on at 2nd phase.
Canes stopped just short.
Jackson going to the TMO.
grounded short
Canes scrum 5m from Force line
come on the …. erm…. oh wait.
Just remembered I don’t care who wins
Good to see an ex-player reffing.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 29) :
How is Jackson going KSA?
@McLovin (Comment 32) : Jackson?
@robdylan (Comment 34) :
Glen Jackson, ex Chiefs player turned referee…
@robdylan (Comment 34) : Yip.
NONU TRY!!!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 37) :
Second of the match?!
Wish I had kept him in my Fantasy league..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 33) : Quite well. Not blowing some of the physical stuff (not a lot in this game) that some of the other refs would have blown.
Had a good one where the scrumhalf was bending down to pick up the ball and got hit by a defender. he let it go, but the TJ called it back for an early tackle
Converted
Canes 17 – 18 Force
52min
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 38) : yip his 2nd.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 39) :
That’s good..
Hope to see more of him..
david Smith is THROUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And then fumbles and stumbles and knocks on
Weepu has been hanging with januarie.
Calman try Force
conversion over
Canes 17 – 25 Force
57min
Every Force player trying to help the referee with decisions.
Jackson: “From here on we are going to Penalties, it’s been 3 in a row.” After penalizing Dunning for an early engage
9 phases 2m from the Force line
14 phases and the Canes win a PK
@KSA Shark © (Comment 50) : Mental victory for the Force.
Canes go at goal
Over
Canes 20 – 25 Force
64min
Force PK
Force 28 – 20 Canes
68min
Broadhurst TRY!!!!! canes
Converted
Canes 27 – 28 Force
72min
CORY JANE TRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cruden has had a hand in the last 3 tries.
Conversion over
Canes 34 – 28 Force
76min
Force LO 5m from Canes line
Hooter has gone
Umpteen phases of attack by the Force
16 phases
17 Phases
Canes keep the Force ball off the ground and the ball is unplayable.
FULL TIME
Hurricanes 34 – 28 Western Force
hang in there Canes
@Ice (Comment 61) :
hehehe
I had the canes by a landslide, not a snot skoot
LOL@Frans! I had them by a snot skoot (5)!
This lad Mark Swanepoel impressed me. He reminds me of an inform McLOed. But we got scrum halfs like 5 scum halves that could make any world rugby team.