The Force host the Waratahs in the first of two Australian derby matches this weekend, with both teams hovering in mid table, with a win able to boost their chances of catching up to the Brumbies, currently leading their conference.
The Force come off a home loss to the Chiefs, who have surprised a lot of people in the competition so far, but will look to regroup and gain valuable points against conference opposition.
The Waratahs had a bye last weekend, and the last time spent on the field also sees them losing to the Chiefs. The Tahs have named an unchanged line-up though, and with Brendan McKibbin being one of the form players in their squad at the moment, will look to him for the necessary spark to win this match.
Western Force: 1. Pek Cowan,2. Nathan Charles,3. Salesi Ma’afu,4. Toby Lynn,5. Nathan Sharpe,6. Richard Brown,7. David Pocock (Captain),8. Matt Hodgson,9. Brett Sheehan,10. Ben Seymour,11. Alfie Mafi,12. Winston Stanley,13. Nick Cummins,14. Rory Sidey,15. David Harvey
Reserves:,16. Elvis Taione,17. Kieran Longbottom,18. Phoenix Battye,19. Ben McCalman,20. Josh Holmes,21. Cameron Shepherd,22. Patrick Dellit
Waratahs: 15. Bernard Foley , 14. Tom Kingston , 13. Rob Horne , 12. Tom Carter , 11. Adam Ashley-Cooper , 10. Berrick Barnes, 9. Brendan McKibbin , 8. Wycliff Palu , 7. Chris Alcock , 6. Dave Dennis , 5. Kane Douglas , 4. Dean Mumm , 3. Sekope Kepu , 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau , 1. Benn Robinson
Replacements, 16. John Ulugia , 17. Paddy Ryan , 18. Sitaleki Timani , 19. Lopeti Timani , 20. Jono Jenkins , 21. Sarel Pretorius, 22. Daniel Halangahu
Referee: Glen Jackson
Assistant Ref 1:Ian Smith
Assistant Ref 2:Julian Pritchard
TMO:George Ayoub

Insomniacs tune in… Should be about as exciting as two fat blokes wrestling in a boggy marsh…
@The Quirk (Comment 1) : to make it interesting pick one of them on LMS…….
@Franshark (Comment 2) : I think i went for the Rebels because the Brumbies are probably one of the few teams they can actually beat on purpose…
@The Quirk (Comment 3) : about 80% of the picks gone the way of the bulls, what a awesome day it would be if the lions pull out a win tomorrow 🙂
@The Quirk (Comment 3) :
I also backed the Rebels for the game, think the Brumbies bubble will burst..
Correction this game is:
Franshark vs Rekinek
@Franshark (Comment 6) : Are you watching?
Franshark 0 – 0 Rekinek
5 min
@lostfish (Comment 7) : nope, working, following on twitter
Franshark 0 – 0 Rekinek
10 min
Franshark 0 – 3 Rekinek
12 min
@Franshark (Comment 9) : They are both playing like crap.
Franshark 0 – 8 Rekinek
Franshark 0 – 10 Rekinek
27 mins
Franshark 3 – 10 Rekinek
31 mins
@lostfish (Comment 15) : oooo . Wake up Tahs.
How’s the game. Anything interesting?
Franshark 3 – 10 Rekinek
30 min
@rekinek (Comment 17) : Just been a yellow card to the Force 3 for a scrum infringement. Tahs have the ascendancy in the scrum.
Force gets a Yellow 🙁
The gane is really scrappy from both sides. Tahs had an attacking scrum on the Force 5m line and just put too much toe on the ball and the Force pounced on the ball to turn it over and deny the Tahs. Tahs have turned down about 3 kicks at goal.
@rekinek : don’t smile so big 😉
Waratahs by 3. All the teams I’ve picked is by a 3 point margin 😛
Wow, I just found out that the Force hooker has CF. It is amazing that he was able to get to this level of rugby with that disease.
@lostfish (Comment 21) : stupid so early in the game.
@Franshark (Comment 22) : i am too scared to do so yet. Maybe once Tahs are up by like a 100 points 😉
@lostfish (Comment 24) : CF?
time ? score?
CF? Congo Fever? 🙂
Cystic Fibrosis?
@rekinek (Comment 28) : Half time, relax the force wil win, don’t worry 😯
@JarsonX (Comment 27) : @JustPlainSHARK (Comment 29) : please let’s concentrate on this important game. 😆
@Franshark (Comment 30) : 😯
@JarsonX (Comment 27) :
@JustPlainSHARK (Comment 29) : Cystic Fibrosis
Franshark 3 – 17 Rekinek
42 min
@Franshark (Comment 34) : 😎
@rekinek (Comment 35) : Force have a lineout on the Tah’s 5m line
@lostfish (Comment 36) : 😐
TMO for a try to the Force
Try Force by Sheehan.
@lostfish (Comment 38) : 🙁
Franshark 8 – 17 Rekinek
Missed the conversion
@lostfish (Comment 33) : Oh, good for him then 😎
@lostfish (Comment 42) : small consolation…
@rekinek (Comment 31) : Go Force!!! 😈
@JarsonX (Comment 45) : go Rekinek 😈
@lostfish (Comment 41) : slowly the comeback is on …..
The Force have woken up a bit.
@rekinek (Comment 46) : 👿
@JarsonX (Comment 45) : 😛
Force were right at the tryline and the Tahs infringed. Yellow to the Tahs. Force kick for the lineout and are working their way up to the line.
@lostfish (Comment 48) : time?
how long still do I need to stress?
@rekinek (Comment 51) : 58 mins
Try Force.
@lostfish (Comment 48) : 🙂
@lostfish (Comment 50) : nooooo 🙄
I forgot to make my pick for this on Superbru. If the Force win it would be good for me I think.
The conversion attempt is a good one
Franshark 15 – 17 Rekinek
@rekinek (Comment 46) : Go DRAW!!! 😆
Sarel is on the field – the commentator says Sah rill Preetorius.
@rekinek (Comment 55) : how is my voodoo doll coming on?
The Force have a penalty right in front of the posts
@lostfish (Comment 60) : since it may be the last time you can talk to me for the next 10 years we must use the opportunity
so how’s weather on your side?
Some awesome pics here: http://www.sport24.co.za/Galleries/Image/Rugby/Super15/Super%20Rugby%20-%20Blues%20v%20Sharks
Shepard bangs it over
Franshark 18 – 17 Rekinek
@lostfish (Comment 57) : And they are still both Green on LMS.
😆 SOMEone’s going down. 😈
@rekinek (Comment 62) : hahaha, the weather is rubbish. I am making the most of naptime here, watching rugby, blogging on Sharksworld and just taking it easy. How are things on your side?
Barnes gets a penalty
Franshark 18 – 20 Rekinek
@KSA Shark © (Comment 65) : A draw would send them both down 😈
@lostfish (Comment 66) : working , working, working and then there is rugby = stressing and stressing some more 🙄
@lostfish (Comment 68) :
😈
I like the way your mind works. 😆
@lostfish (Comment 68) : would you like to know how many byes we still have 😈
@rekinek (Comment 71) : I am going to be stressing when the Bulls are playing so you can give me a hard time then if you are still talking to me 😉
Kickable penalty to the Tahs
@rekinek (Comment 71) : I see you have a full house. I only have 2. I was going to use one for this weekend but the Beast had other ideas when messing with my mousepad. That will teach me to make my picks with a toddler on my lap…
@lostfish (Comment 73) : Missed
Franshark 18 – 20 Rekinek
@lostfish (Comment 64) : I trust you more, but Supersport says it was Harvey who kicked it.
Tahs have a penalty kick again
@KSA Shark © (Comment 76) : It could be, I am not really watching too closely.
Barnes slots it
Franshark 18 – 23 Rekinek
The Force need an unconverted try to draw here.
@lostfish (Comment 78) : the nappies …
@lostfish (Comment 80) : time 😕
This is ridiculous, how could I….
@lostfish (Comment 79) : Oooooooooh… Frans must be foaming at the mouth round about now. 🙂
@rekinek (Comment 82) : 3 min, Force line out
@rekinek (Comment 82) : 3 and a half minutes left
@lostfish (Comment 74) : i don’t like the bye idea – but I guess after few LMS and LMS reloaded premature finishes 😆
@lostfish (Comment 80) : 😛
Penalty to the Force, they set up the lineout
@Franshark (Comment 85) : in which part of the field?
The Force are creeping towards the tryline
@KSA Shark © (Comment 84) : thanks 🙁
@lostfish (Comment 89) : not straight not straight ….
Force lost the ball forward and Barnes clears, Force lineout in the Tahs half about 15 m in.
Nooooooooooo
@Franshark (Comment 92) : 🙂
Force lose the ball forward and the hooter goes, scrum to the Tahs
Cooooome oooooon force
Reset scrum with the Force to put in now
I smell something…
Its me 😥
Tahs shove the Force back and win the penalty
Tahs kick the ball out
Franshark 18 – 23 Rekinek
Fulltime
@lostfish (Comment 99) : too stressful – which part of the field
LMS after this game.
175 Entered
11 Alive with a lifeline
31 Alive with no lifeline (sorry Frans)
133 Eliminated
@rekinek (Comment 103) : don’t stress it’s over
@KSA Shark © (Comment 104) : There will be a massacre if the Bulls go down.
@Franshark (Comment 100) : well played Sir, but you will forgive me that I don’t hug you now..considering the smell 😉
2 wins and 2 margin points 😎
@lostfish (Comment 105) : and you must be so relieved to have a benefit of conversing with me
@lostfish (Comment 106) : unlikely but stranger things have happend … like the Blues loosing to Rebels 🙄
@JarsonX (Comment 108) : and I am still alive with 3 byes 😈 😎 😉
@lostfish (Comment 106) : Go Lions 😈
cheeriooo – enjoy the weekend 😛
@JarsonX (Comment 112) : That’s just mean, CHICKEN!!
@lostfish (Comment 114) : or are you dead?
@lostfish (Comment 106) : One of which I will NOT be a part of.
GO Lions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 116) : I was heading for a bye but my daughter had other ideas when she slammed her fat little fist on my mouse pad. I hate saying this but GO BULLS!!!
If you want to laugh, go to google translate and translate this – ek is ‘n bloubul into English. Sums it all up for you 😉
@rekinek (Comment 107) : no, very well played by you, Congrats, you’re the deserving winner from our dual 🙂
and to all that supported “your” team to the end, thanks 🙂