Western Force coach Michael Foley praised his team’s fighting spirit after they overcame two late yellow cards to secure a 31-29 Super Rugby win over the Highlanders in Dunedin on Saturday night.
The Force looked to have the game in the bag when their fourth try of the night gave them a 31-16 lead after 57 minutes.
But the Highlanders finished the game strongly, with Malakai Fekitoa’s try closing the gap to 10 points, before Force duo Adam Coleman and Ben McCalman were sent off in the 72nd minute.
The odds heavily favoured the Highlanders from that point on.
But the Force held on grimly for much of that time, but there was no stopping Hayden Parker crossing in the final minute, with the substitute flyhalf then needing to nail his tricky conversion to secure a draw.
Parker’s kick from six metres inside touch looked good off the boot, but hit the upright and bounced away after fading late.
The result gave the Force successive wins for the first time since April 2011, and Foley was over the moon his team were finally seeing the reward of all their hard work.
“The guys showed a lot of character,” Foley said.
“I’m really proud of these guys. I’ve been proud of them for the past 12 months because I know how hard they’ve had to work to drag themselves up off the floor as a team.
“To again score four tries is pretty special.”
A week after scoring four first-half tries in their 32-7 win over the Rebels, the Force had another three to their name inside 38 minutes against the Highlanders.
Hooker Nathan Charles crossed in the fourth minute, before a brilliant intercept from Sias Ebersohn gave the Force their second in the 26th minute.
Three Lima Sopoaga penalties kept the Highlanders in the match, and a brilliant grubber kick from scrumhalf Aaron Smith set up a racing Shaun Treeby for an eye-catching try.
However, Highlanders hooker Liam Coltman was having a shocker.
Coltman was the player at fault in Ebersohn’s try, and his weak tackle allowed McCalman to cross just before half-time.
The Force secured the four-try bonus point in the 57th minute when centre Junior Rasolea smothered Sopoaga’s clearance and then unleashed a brilliant sidestep in his charge to the line.
But the visitors were forced to defend grimly from that point on, with their task made daunting when Coleman was sent off for a professional foul and McCalman was shown yellow for a spear tackle in the same piece of play.
The Highlanders lacked urgency in the final eight minutes, and it came back to bite them as they slumped to their sixth straight defeat against the Force.
Mitch
Guest
you mean how the wallabies are an extension of NZ, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, PNG? Might as well call it the united pacific nations
@scrumpoacher
Guest
Go Force!
ben
Guest
Tena koe buzzard..you aussie scoundrel tryn to be a kiwi....how many tongan and samoan playeys in either team that werent born n bred in nz or came here school aged? You see nz had a massive PI migration from late 50s on so now we have 2nd and 3rd generation PIs here as opposed to aus who had the whites only immigration up to late 70s early 80s so nz now is the largest PI popn in the world...but you would know that if you were a kiwi....instead of a palagi aus....."ai bro".
Buzzard
Guest
Like the Blues & Canes are Samoa & Tonga?
ScrumJunkie
Guest
Yes, we are using your own powers against you most effectively.
Pattyy
Guest
since when was the Force or rebels an Australian franchise? Its an extension of the Highlanders and the Canes. Just look at the kiwis in those teams
Pattyy
Guest
youre right we are absolutely useless in our chosen sport. Thats why we currently have the super rugby, Rugby Championship, bledislos, WC, WC 7s titles and every other trophy there is to win the sport.
Crazy Horse
Guest
NZ teams lose regularly to the Force Buzzard. The Highlanders do it all the time, now 6 times in a row with the seventh being a 1 point victory to the Highlanders. The Crusaders regularly lose to the Force and even the mighty Chiefs have so too. Given that the Highlanders recently took it right up to the Chiefs, next week will be interesting.
Marty
Guest
ha ha, last year I was at NIB stadium in Perth watching the Crusaders fail against the Force at the business end of the season. WF are the tippers nightmare and just bloody unpredictable. Also loved the way the on fire Brumbies were toppled last year also making their finals route that much harder.
Buzzard
Guest
Really how can a NZ team lose against either the Force or Rebels! For crying out loud NZ is a rugby nation, all 5 provinces are rugby strongholds and they still lose to AFL playing teams. Pretty embarrassing!
Redsfan1
Guest
Glenn Jackson was trying his hardest to make the Highlanders win. He must be disappointed.
Ra
Guest
Agreed, that was an absolute shocker for the Southern Skirt Wearers, but another great scalp for the Westies, good stuff underdogs. ,!!
ScrumJunkie
Guest
You'd think so, but I had the distinct feeling Brad Thorn and his cronies thought it ridiculous the Force had any chance. The look on Brad Thorn's face at full time was priceless.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Ahahaha, love it
jeznez
Roar Guru
Missed the game but can only say Go Force!
Crazy Horse
Guest
I don't think the Highlanders ever under estimate the Force. They'd have to be pretty stupid to do so considering the record.
ScrumJunkie
Guest
Unfortunately the Chiefs are unlikely to underestimate the Force, like the highlanders did. It will be tough, but the Force have a hard forward pack and skilled backs. They can beat anyone on the day, and they are starting to realise it.
Crazy Horse
Guest
Well done boys. The knockers have egg all over their faces. qTipping was pretty easy this week if you had tipped on form. This was the sixth time in a row the Force have beaten the Highlanders. The last time the Highlanders won against the Force it was by only one point. It's way to early to get excited about the ladder but the Force are third in the Australian Conference ahead of the Reds and the Rebels. They are seventh overhall on the same points as the sixth place Bulls. BTW there has always been interest in Rugby in WA ScrumJunkie. It's just that the Sydney centric ARU ignored it. My Premier Grade club was formed in 1929. Next week will be tough against the Chiefs but hey the Force have a reputation as giant killers and are at home in front of the undoubtedly reenergised Sea of Blue.
Shop
Guest
The Force = tippers nightmare.
ScrumJunkie
Guest
Well done Force! The whole of WA must be feeling a little bite of interest in rugby? In your face to all the kiwi's who didn't believe me. Thanks again force, for paying for my beers.