The Western Force bid farewell to retiring flanker Matt Hodgson in grand style, thumping the NSW Waratahs 40-11 in Saturday night’s Super Rugby clash in Perth.
The Force ran in five tries to one in the bonus-point blitz, with Hodgson joining in on the fun with a 44th-minute try.
Hodgson put the icing on the cake by kicking a penalty on the fulltime siren to send the 10,384 crowd into raptures.
NSW simply had no answers to an emotion-charged Force in wet conditions.
The result was a sad end to the career of Waratahs lock Dean Mumm, who made a low-key exit to little fanfare in the 55th minute.
But it was party time for the Force and their favourite son Hodgson, who ended his 140-game Super Rugby career on a high.
Hodgson broke into tears as he addressed the crowd after the match, thanking everyone for their support.
“When Hodgo scored that try, it was the highlight of the season,” Force coach Dave Wessels said.
“I’m very proud of the boys for the effort they put up.
“It was quite an easy week to be a coach, because the boys played for Hodgo. It was all for him, which was great.”
The result meant the Force finished second in the Australian conference with a 6-9 record.
For the Waratahs, 2017 will be remembered as one of their worst seasons, with the franchise finishing with a woeful 4-11 record.
“It’s fair to say we’re pretty low,” Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson said.
“It’s been a season of lows. To finish off like that is incredibly disappointing.”
The Force made a perfect start with a try to winger Alex Newsome inside 54 seconds.
And, when Waratahs scrumhalf Jake Gordon was ordered to the sin bin in the 11th minute for a blatant offside, the visitors were in trouble.
Force hooker Tatafu Polata-Nau crashed over in the 12th minute through a rolling maul, and the scoreline read 19-6 in the 35th minute when a sliding Marcel Brache was awarded a try when the TMO ruled he had grounded the ball correctly with his body.
Things went from bad to worse for the Waratahs on the stroke of halftime when they turned the ball over to gift Jono Lance a runaway 65m try.
But the biggest applause of the night arrived when Hodgson pounced on a Waratahs fumble to touch down shortly after halftime.
The scoreline read 31-6 at that stage, with the game effectively over.
The Force received a huge boost after the match when mining magnate Andrew Forrest pledged he would support the franchise in their fight for survival.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
For those of us not involved or interested in the Sydney suburban competition when is that?
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
Fortunately I acquired a Springbok cap and drum when at Ellis Park.
Keith from WA
Guest
Actually it was a 'majority' vote according to Pulver....and the Rebels also voted for it according to Wayne Smith... I wasn't there but enough has leaked out to say that QLD/NSW were on board for the reduction to four teams right from the outset of the meeting.... and the rebels and brumbies also voted for it.... Kinda says it all really...... the fix was in....
MitchO
Guest
Yeah you gotta chase em down coz every so often someone trips over their boot laces and if you were following you could make up the metres and get there. To not do so is very poor rugby. Hooper probably wasn't expecting to catch him but he did the right thing. Hooper for all his sins is a good rugby player. It is those simple things and the failure to do them every time is a real problem in Aus now. They just seem to want to go straight to the part where they score more tries than the other team.
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
Hey Timbo, Well your first criteria was goal kicking, touch finding and tactical kicking. To me the fly-half role encompasses more than that. And I don't particularly see why goal kicking is part of the fly half role. I don't remember Stephen Larkham being a great goal kicker (or any kind of kicker really) yet I'd rate him as one of the best to ever wear 10. Now I see you've added to your criteria creative play maker and tackler. And apart from goal kicking I'd be curious as to how you rate Foley as proficient ?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Indeed it is. Accidentally doubled up on 3. It's not to demean WA rugby. WA Rugby is clearly developing talent. I just find it frustrating that people can't outline the virtues of the Force without resorting to propaganda levels of lies. Look at the Rebels team that just went down to the Jaguares on Friday night. They contained 4 locally developed players so it's hardly night and day in difference. In 10 years that number would only increase for both as well.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
And? I noted the Haylett-Petty brothers as WA developed. Not sure if Dane was WA born but it doesn't change that they were both developed by WA rugby. Likewise the Namibian born Hardwick who despite where he was born, came through WA rugby systems to get to elite level. What I strongly disagree with is saying that Shambeckler Vui, who was recruited from the Reds 20s as an 18 year old, is WA developed.
piru
Roar Rookie
TWAS by your own list it's 5, not 4
ken
Guest
404 test caps in that Waratah team against the Force ?.Cant be true. I don't believe a team with that may test caps can get flogged by 40-11. Surely Michjael Cheika cannot pick any of those Tahs for The Rugby Championship.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
DHP, brother Ross and Kyle Godwin all played their junior and club Rugby at Associates in Perth.
Link
Guest
Timbo (L) You lose a massive amount of credibility when you say Foley (He is our least Worst right now) Your Guru status should be revoked until you can come up with a better argument than that .You very well know Cooper has not had a decent go under Chieka, and when he did get a short stint last year at 10 he did better than Foley ever has against the ABS. Give it up mate . Are you cross with QC because he not want to sign your Wallaby jersey as you were acting like a drunken sailor in the crowd ?
piru
Roar Rookie
I don't want to see any teams go, I think it's nuts to try and expand and within 6 or 7 years decide it's not working and start cutting again - there are NFL teams who were created in the 60s who haven't played in a superbowl, no one talks about killing them off! I know it's not the same. I don't think there's anything gained by bagging each other out either, but it has been an extremely rough year for Force fans, and then when we finish with a bang and are rightfully proud of our boys, the spreadsheet brigade runs in to tell us 'actually/you know/as a matter of fact you aren't that great'. Forgive us for getting a bit narky If the worst thing that happens to the Waratahs is that they cop a bit of stick for a rubbish season they've still done better than the team that gets cut.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
20,000 is ground capacity and my prediction of a sellout is for the test match when Perth's South Africn community will turn out in large numbers.
John R
Roar Guru
Fair enough Piru. For what's its worth, I'm in your corner, I don't want to see the Force go, the same I don't want to see the Rebels go.
MitchO
Guest
Be fair Kirky. TWAS takes it upon himself to play devils advocate but he doesn't make a proverbial out of himself. Need a bit of balance. Although I heard a rumour in the pub that Bill Pulver was surprised the Force reacted badly when he told them they were getting cut. Surely that can't be true and he expected some unhappy reaction.
piru
Roar Rookie
Yet when the cupboard starts looking bare, it's fine to attack my team - not with sledges or names, but to actually remove them from the comp. Appreciate and agree with much of your comment, but this is an emotive issue and I will not apologise for being emotional about it. ( re the vote, no, the WA rep was the only one to vote against a team being cut - the Vics were apparently tricked into it when someone told them they were safe)
MitchO
Guest
Rebellion for most of their history the Force journeymen and stars alike have put effort in. It is not just now that their necks are on the line. Too many in the East share your ignorance and that sort of thinking is one of the real problems in Aussie rugby. A bit more team spirit is required. If you actually care about rugby you should watch a few more Force games. The forward pack is the best in the Aussie conference and they'll be better next season even without Hodgo. We must have got Philip because NSW were going with Hanigan, Mumm and Skelton. Arguably fair enough and I still have hope for Hanigan. There is a lot of something there but Philip has some grunt and I read a review of the Shute Shield a couple of years ago which rated Philip when he would have been about 20. Probably a poor reviewer coz they also rated Pete Samu and some other guys who aren't good enough to play for NSW or Qld.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Can't respect that - yes the Tahs are sick but as a New South Welshman I can't just flick allegiance to another team. I kind of hoped the Force would touch us up this weekend past so that it would further expose the issues with the outfit and hopefully act as a catalyst for change but I can't go support a different jersey. And if you switched allegiance 8 years ago then I feel a little sorry for you that you didn't get to experience the high of supporting the team when they finally won the tournament back in '14.
John R
Roar Guru
So I'd start blaming other teams in the competition for my predicament? Unlikely. Go ahead and unleash your wrath on the administrators of the game. But if you think it's justified to attack other players/teams in the comp for those reasons you've just stated, then I reckon you're barking up the wrong tree aye.
jeznez
Roar Guru
The team that is indispensable is the one that represents 42% of all rugby players in this country. Even if the vast majority of those amateur players (and ex-players) are embarrassed of that rep team right now. Tah rugby is incredibly sick at the moment but they aren't an option to cut - sadly the team are playing like they know it. Hope Cheika stops handing out gold jersey's with the sky blue ones, might make some of them a bit hungrier.