Waratahs and Western Force’s performance at their respective home grounds
Teams foster on their home advantages or playing on their home ground as it always provide them something extra, an edge over the opposition that helps them to achieve best results for themselves.
There are rarest of the occasions that the home teams’ grounds become a good hunting ground for opposite team. Even rarest is the fact the both teams having good records at each other’s home ground. This is most fitting on New South Wales Waratahs and Western
Force’s last five encounters in which the visiting team ending up on the winning side except for one occasion in which both times tied at a draw.
Overall since the Western Force inception in the Super Rugby in 2006, Waratahs and Force have played against each other five times. Waratahs has a winning percentage of 60% by winning three of the matches. Waratahs has conceded the games to Force’s only
once.
This home disadvantage affair started during 2006 when the Waratahs overcome the super rugby new comers’ challenge at Members Equity Stadium, Perth. Waratahs easily won the game with final scorecard reading 32 – 7.
A year later, Waratahs hosted the Western Force at Aussie Stadium, Sydney and the 16 – all draw came as the shock for the hosts who of course were established super rugby power.
In 2008, Waratahs achieved their second win over the Force by beating them 12 – 17 at Perth. In the following year, Waratahs hosted the Force’s for the second time in super rugby history and Western Force record their first win over the Waratahs on their
home turf.
Force defeated the hosts 15 – 14. Last year when Waratahs visited Perth to take on Western Force, they ended up on the winning side by defeating the hosts 10 – 14.
Waratahs second in the Australian Conference are at 5th place in the Super XV combined ranking while Western Force are at the 13th place and last in the Australian conference. Western Force have already lost four games of the six
games they have played included conceding a game to the Super Rugby new comers Melbourne Rebels. Waratahs on the other hand are coming from their victory over the Chiefs during the Super XV round seven.
Western Force recent form shows that they were able to win a game after losing few. They started the season with a fabulous game of Rugby against the Reds, which the Reds eventually won but the contest was worth watching. Later coming after a Bye they seemed
to lose the momentum as they suffered a big defeat at the hands of the Sharks, followed by a draw with Blues and finally winning a game against the lions.
Since then they have suffered another massive defeat from the Stormers 51 – 16 and later conceded the games to Rebels.
Keeping in view their recent form and the past record, Waratahs are the favourites to win again at Perth. Waratahs are expected to secure the victory with 4 – 6 points’ difference. A poor show from Western Force’s defence on the day may allow forces to lose
a Losing Bonus Point.
Tags: