The Western Force overcame a double from Melbourne Rebels winger Marika Koroibete to post a 31-22 win in Super Rugby’s Battle of the Axe at nib Stadium.
The Rebels held a 15-14 lead at half-time thanks to two tries against the run of play from Fijian flyer Koroibete.
But the Force hit their straps shortly after the break, with tries to Richard Hardwick and Chance Peni setting the home side on their way towards victory.
The Force may have won the battle, but it remains to be seen which team will win the fight for survival.
The ARU wants to axe either the Force or Rebels ahead of next season, with both franchises adamant it won’t be them.
Both teams preached unity heading into Friday’s match but tempers threatened to boil over several times in the second half as players fought tooth and nail to secure an elusive win.
A scuffle even broke out as the final siren sounded.
But once everyone calmed down, it was back to being mates, with the two sides forming a big circle together in the middle of the pitch in a touching show of unity.
The result left the Rebels with just one win from 14 matches this season, while the Force (5-9) are still a chance to finish second in the Australian conference.
The Rebels had just 11 seconds inside the Force’s 22 in the opening half – but they made sure it was magical whenever they got there.
Koroibete scored his first in the 22nd minute with a blistering run down the wing.
He scored gain on the stroke of half-time when he opened up the Force defence, offloaded to Mitch Inman, and then got the ball back to touch down.
The Force were left to rue several missed chances in the first half, with handling errors close to the line costing them dearly.
Peni was sent to the sin bin in the sixth minute for a head-high shoulder charge that left Rebels lock Steve Cummins dazed and confused.
Despite being a man down, the Force scored a try in the eighth minute when a great line-out move and a sharp inside ball from Richard Hardwick allowed Billy Meakes to stroll over.
Stand-in skipper Adam Coleman bustled over in the 36th minute to give the Force a 14-10 advantage.
Koroibete’s second try hushed the home crowd, but they were roaring again shortly after the break when Hardwick did a roly poly out of the ruck to touch down.
And when Peni charged over in the 52nd minute as two of his teammates lay injured on the turf, it powered the Force to a 31-15 lead.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Hannes it was mentioned in the initial press release.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Again. Your view comes back to information your side of the argument has told you.
Hannes
Guest
TWAS, please inform us on the clear ARU criteria. As you have all the facts how does the Force, Rebels and Brumbies weigh up? My impression of the real selection criteria. If the ARU can convince Cox to sell the Rebels license they will be a ed. If not they will try to convince the arbitrator that the broadcasting agreement that covers the same parties, broadcasting period by slightly modified schedule is a new agreement instead of a variation of an existing agreement. If they can they axe the Force. If they cannot will they go back to axing the Brumbies? Whatever The original selection criteria it is inconsequential anyway.
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
Really, hilarious twassie now playing the victim when up the page he was blaming the victim... so we should ignore comments WA fans are f.. delusional and other foul mouth comments from twassie... not where where i come from.
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
Yeah but twassie is a queenslander... with nothing in the game... No-one is slagging off Rebels fans from WA, its all about the incompetence of the aru and idiots like twassie supporting the aru against the victims of their incompetence.
Hannes
Guest
Based on what the Force and ARU released and what was explained at the Force member evening it is not too hard to read between the lines that there is an obligation on the ARU to support the Force until the end of the broadcasting deal. The ARU argues that the current broadcasting agreement come to an end when the competition structure is modified while the Force argue that the broadcasting agreement is then only varied. That is the subject of arbitration. The ARU foreseen that they may want to close the Force (therefore purchasing the IP) however they did not make sure ensure that it is elsewhere in the agreement that it is clear that they can do it. That TWAS is commercial incompetence by highly paid officials.
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
Guess what twassie, we don't give a flying f.. what you think, you are just 3rd grade entertainment value..sometimes amusing, most times annoying like a 3 yr old...
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
As do you Twassie and you dont know either Twassie so just shut your mouth and let the parties involved deal with it instead of sniping and obfuscating and postulating from the side lines. You say you are in Brisbane, last time i heard that wasn't in Victoria or WA ....
Hannes
Guest
Exactly! The incompetent ARU executives had no Plan B. SARU exposed the ARU executive's lack of strategic thinking, inability to run a fair process and lack of commercial incompetence to ensure that agreements are c,ear. This mess was created by the ARU Executive not the Force or the Rebels!
Train Without A Station
Guest
I got a chuckle at work also
piru
Roar Rookie
I did laugh at that - sorry TWAS
Bill Pulver's wife
Guest
Can you please remember to pick up milk on the way home dear.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
God Piru clearly I'm Bill Pulver. Derrrrrr.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Great. To follow this textbook where's the ARU NH based competition in the same time zone to send teams to, that's also looking for teams? FYI the ARU also explained the criteria up front. You just insist on continually ignoring that.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Again this is all based on your version of events. In February 2016 the ARU took the unusual step to buy the Force IP rights instead of providing a loan facility to the franchise. Clearly the purpose of this deal was to give the ARU the ability to close the franchise, however the ARU stuffed up by not making it clear in the agreement that they need to option to close the Force prior to the end of the broadcasting deal. How can you say that? You have zero idea what the agreement actually says. You just continue to pick the side that you like, rather than take an objective view. I don't know who is right regarding this. All I know as that we don't know. You've decided your side is right because that suits you, despite the absence of any clear evidence.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
A brilliant summary Hannes. A textbook account of how not to handle a retrenchment situation.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
That's because you consider anybody who doesn't just agree with your version of events as defending the ARU. These are versions of events based heavily on unsubstantiated rumours like supposed assurances and Clarke resigning because of his incompetence when it's been also reported he was offered a CEO role in a different organisation.
piru
Roar Rookie
Does he defend the ARU though?
Hannes
Guest
Can agree with you on most but cannot understand why TWAS still defend the ARU mismanagement. The need to cut a team is one issue, however how you go about it is another.
Hannes
Guest
Just slightly less than the crowd for the Tah and Jaguares game. Interesting that 33,000 spectators was watching AFL next door in the rugby heartland! Makes the 8,000 look good, WA rugby supporters can do better.