The Blues stop over in Australia on their way back from a reasonably successful trip to South Africa.
The Western Force will be trying to get off the bottom of the Australian conference table with a win.
The Blues have the more attractive goal of getting to the top of the New Zealand conference. This they can achieve with a good win over the Western Force.
The Force have not won a game yet this season. It won’t happen today either.
Ref: Nathan Pearce (Australia)
ARs: Stuart Dickinson (Australia), Julian Pritchard (Australia)
Venue: nib Stadium – Perth
Kick-off: 13:05 RSA Time
Western Force: 15 Cameron Shepherd, 14 Alfie Mafi, 13 Nick Cummins, 12 Gene Fairbanks, 11 David Smith, 10 .James O’Connor, 9 Brett Sheehan, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 Matt Hodgson, 6 Richard Brown, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Sam Wykes, 3 Tim Fairbrother, 2 Ben Whittaker, 1 Pek Cowan.
Replacements: 16 Nathan Charles, 17 Matt Dunning, 18 Tevita Metuisela, 19 Jono Jenkins, 20 James Stannard, 21 Matt Brandon, 22 Pat Dellit.
Blues: 15 Isaia Toeava, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Jared Payne, 12 Benson Stanley, 11 Rene Ranger, 10 Luke McAlister, 9 Toby Morland, 8 Chris Lowrey, 7 Daniel Braid, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Anthony Boric, 3 Charlie Faumuina, 2 Keven Mealamu (captain), 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Tom McCartney, 17 John Afoa, 18 Kurtis Haiu, 19 Luke Braid, 20 Alby Mathewson, 21 Stephen Brett, 22 Sherwin Stowers.
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This will make for better watching than the cricket
Go Blues!!! 😛
Time is passing slowly today 😕
Need Rene Ranger to go big for me here.
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 2) : Its because of the long gabs in between games 😉
Blues by 11
Don’t hold much hope for The Force – hopefully some champagne rugby for spectator value… Last night in Newlands saw me switch over and watch The Godfather, not for a lack of tenacity it must be said, but because I had a long hard week at work and was looking for some escapism – The Stormers game required too much concentration – it was the analytical mans game last night, and I was too tired for that…
Kick off!!!!!!
Kick at goal, straight in front, 32meters out…… and he misses!!!
Blues missing out on early points
@franshark (Comment 4) : Must be
Luke misses another… cooked books 😮
Come on the Blues. Need you by 16+
O conner shows Luke how… 3-0 Force
Anyone playing the NRL on SB? Got 3/5 and 2 margin points thus far, 3 games left tomorrow 😎
6 – 0 to the Force
15mins
6 all
still have to make my pick for snoils and cheatas.cant decide
@juba_fan (Comment 17) : Draw? 😉
nah.one of those teams is gonna make more mistakes than the other
9 all
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 14) : Yes I’m playing, got 2out off 5 but one spot on and other 1 point out 4.3points sofar
16-9 for the force… game about as exiting as cricket 😐
@franshark (Comment 21) : 😎
Force 19 – 12 Blues 😕
Come On Blues!!!
I think there is about 20-25 mins left.
Blues should come back into it from here. Very good bench.
For 22 – 12 Blu
67mins
@Speed7 (Comment 26) : Should, but would they? I think the Force might take this one.
Ja. Its looking that way. Blues handeling is shocking today.
About 8 mins left, Blues need to score twice.
Sa comming back into the game with the cricket. 293/7 3overs to go
22/19 force and 3 min to go
Kick for draw
Its over 22all
Stupid Blues, not even a margin point 👿 and no GSP 👿 👿
So much for my superbru and sportsbetting . . . 😕
FULLTIME
FORCE 22 – 22 BLUES
Try for my Starting XV at the end.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 38) : All my points were scored yesterday 😛
This game cost me my grand slam!!!!
I at least got a margin point from the game…
At least I moved up from 155 last Saturday morning…to 144 this Saturday morning…
a draw… I did not see that coming. This has been a tight tournament to date. No such thing as a gimme… The Force obviously reeling from the blowout against The Sharks, and possibly The Blues suffering what we Saffas hat to endure for years, the travel lurgy… Didn’t watch the game, site meetings… Was it at least good rugby?
I had Force by 2…so I was close to seeing that coming…lol
@Hmmm (Comment 43) : unlucky then, Stephen Brett was the exception. Blues should play him flyhalf and have Luke at inside centre, but think NZRU are wanting Luke to be the backup to Dan the man. Donald too erratic as is well documented…