The Waratahs have gotten their 2017 Super Rugby campaign off to the right king of start, bettering the Force by six points on Saturday night.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
Waratahs 19
Force 13
The Force are travelling to Sydney to play the Waratahs in the the first Australian Super Rugby derby match for 2017. Join The Roar from 7:45pm (AEDT) for all the live action.
With both sides failing to make the playoffs last season, a strong start to 2017 is high on the list of priorities.
The Force will be extra motivated after a lot of talk and rumours swirling around the future make up of Super Rugby and their place within it.
The Waratahs have suffered a minor setback to their starting side this week, with Bernard Foley pulling out due to injury, replaced by Bryce Hegarty.
The Force have named a workman-like pack that looks set to struggle against a Waratah eight boasting six current Wallabies. A lot will rest on Adam Coleman, in the Force second row, to lead from the front, along with former Waratah Tatafu Polata-Nau from the bench.
Assuming the Force pack can gain parity, the pressure will then flow to Jono Lance and Dane Haylett-Petty to create and nail any opportunities that come their way.
For the Waratahs, most eyes will be on how Hegarty performs, but also the exciting, new midfield partnership between the up-and-coming Irae Simone and Israel Folau. Can they gel and spark the Waratahs attack?
Prediction
With too much strike power to ignore, the will Tahs pull away in the last 20.
Waratahs by 15.
Join us from 7:45pm (AEDT) as we cover all the action live on The Roar, and join in with your own observations in the comments below.
northerner
Guest
Well....North American, anyway. It's certainly common usage in Canada. I think it's actually an older form of English that has dropped out of use elsewhere.
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
And a penalty for playing the ball when lying on the ground ?
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
Another juvenile comment from zg -
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
Interesting to see a mid field back (Curtis Rona) manhandle a tight forward in Mumm, a disgrace to tight forwards the world over...
ScottD
Roar Guru
Yes, I agree. he also got a bit confused about the actual rules a couple of times. Still, the young prop from the Force (Ainsley) was very impressive for a 20 year old. If that kid keeps improving he'll play for Australia.
Blackfish
Roar Rookie
I got a wet backside and a head full of frustration getting to this game. Here we go again is all I could think at the end. And....why is it that when someone plays OK, eg Latu, it is a massive positive. Players are supposed to play well, thats why mugs like me pay cash to watch professionals play this game. The Kiwi sides get it! We accept drivel. Maybe should stay home and just enjoy Diggers blog.
Boonzie
Guest
Ref was taking far too long between his calls at the scrum.. there's only so long 16 piggies can stay set before someone engages...
Boonzie
Guest
Wet weather and first game handling combined with a ref who just didn't seem to want to be there... Certainly wasn't pretty
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Guest
Editors- "The Waratahs have gotten their 2017 Super Rugby campaign off to the right king of start," gotten"? Is our nernacular American now?
Redstar
Guest
The crowd was that small you could hear kids coughing.
Reverse Wheel
Guest
I'm a Tahs fan and it was hard to find much to like to be honest. But we always play the Force ugly, we'll take the win and first spot on the ladder (on PD) and head off over to Africa....
LifestyleSpecialist
Roar Rookie
Jesus this sounded like a diabolical game. Kind of glad I missed it running a half marathon over here in London. Watched some highlights and Latu's name kept coming up again and again. Playing a bit like Bismark Du Plessis - fourth back rower.
Harry Jones
Expert
Ball was only in play 27 minutes; and Tahs committed 28 handling errors. Really hard to enjoy this game; except for Digger's beautifully bearded banter.
Blinky Bill of Bellingen NSW
Guest
Surely our 14 slotting those goals is worth a mention too?
Daveski
Guest
Not much to get excited about out of that game. Both sides made the weather more of a factor than it should have been plus two scrappy, spoiling forward packs and a ref who didn't really communicate in a way to try and get the game flowing. Pretty bland and frustrating stuff to watch. Positives for the Tahs: good games from Skelton and Latu, Robinson's kicking and an improved line out showing. Negatives were plentiful and include poor exit strategies ( again), ineffective and excessive box kicking, poor scrummaging effort from reserve front row, Folau not involved at all, neither halfback impressing. The Force have a semblance of a decent back line there, I think Rona and Peni will do alright this year, Meakes is solid across all aspects and Lourwens outplayed Phipps.
carrlam
Roar Rookie
Thanks Digger. The Tah was rusty. Scrappy game. Need to improve several notches to face the NZ teams. Or it will be a long season.
Internal Fixation
Guest
In France/UK and Japan :)
Die hard
Roar Rookie
Do you think Foley was missed that much ZG? I was disappointed in the attitude rather than the aptitude. There was no desire to go wide with the ball or find space other than plugging it up the middle. I wonder what it is they are training for. Fair win but like the Crusaders they could have so easily lost it at the death.
Ray
Guest
Whilst accepting this was the first game of the season, you can't lay blame on the weather for everything. The Tahs got home on the back of a very scrappy game. Their performance will have to improve immeasurably if they hope to match it with the top Kiwi sides.
Reverse Wheel
Guest
Barely a scrum completed in the second half, it was pretty much just a force penalty immediately on engage.