A three-try, 24-point burst in the first 15 minutes proved the critical passage of Saturday night’s Super Rugby Pacific fixture in Perth, as NSW Waratahs ran out 41-24 winners over Western Force.
On a dry and mild evening at HBF Park, perfect for running rugby, the Force were blown away early. Yet they ran hard, competed for the remainder of the game and ‘won’ long passages of both halves.
Yet the Waratahs’ early points blitz was too much to claw back for the home team, the Force left to rue their lack of defensive rigour early, and their lack of penetration given their later glut of possession.
“Seems to be the same story for us, unfortunately,” 150-game Force captain Kyle Godwin said.
“We have to find out what’s going wrong. You can’t win a game giving up 20 point leads. We have to take a good hard look at ourselves. We have to look at our training and the mental side of things.”
Asked if it was getting on his nerves to be conceding leads so readily, Godwin conceded it was ‘very frustrating’.
“We threw some attacking punches at the Waratahs but couldn’t quite penetrate their line. Credit to NSW,” Godwin said.
NSW captain Jake Gordon said defence was a pleasing element of his team’s win.
“Coming to Perth is always a tough one. We came out of the blocks really well. We got down their end and made the most of our opportunities.
“Our defence then held up against some incredible attack by Force. And we’re really, really happy with our defence,” Gordon said.
The Waratahs welcomed back their talisman, Michael Hooper, who took the No.7 from his fellow openside scavenger Charlie Gamble, who wore No.6.
Tane Edmed, a cross between Ed Sheeran and Tane’s dad Steve who played 136 games for Balmain Tigers, opened the scoring with a penalty goal from in front in the 5th minute.
Force then went successfully long over the back of a lineout before halfback Ian Prior went longer again – straight into the hands of Waratahs wingman Mark Nawaqanitawase, who bolted 60 metres to score.
Edmed turned provider when he scythed through a hole on the Force 40m line and picked up Lalakai Foketi, who positioned himself beautifully and crashed over under the posts.
By minute fifteen it was all the Force could do to hang on. Hooper picked up the Gilbert from the base of a ruck and trotted over under the posts, untouched, his body language suggesting that it was almost too easy.
Angus Bell was a factor in the tight, his big body like a mighty piston. His flat, hard, aesthetically-pleasing yet ultimately extremely forward pass was his sole aberration.
Force hit back with a fine and bustling backline play featuring the dynamic wing Manasa Mataele, fly-half Reesjan Pasitoa touching twice and doing plenty to plant the ball in traffic.
Byron Ralston of the Force tries to break through the Waratahs defence. (Photo by Will Russell/Getty Images)
Force found momentum. There were 26 phases. Waratahs defended like Spartans. Won a penalty for hands in a ruck. Exulted.
Not going down without a fight, the Force came again and again. They owned the second half of the first half. Richard Kahui ran straight angles, popped tidy pill, cleaned out. Gamble – Cheech Marin crossed with George Smith – denied them with a classic snaffler’s turnover.
And the Force still went to the sheds trailing by 17 points.
Minutes into the second half Tim Anstey crashed over for the Force from a lineout that begat a rolling maul.
Waratahs hooker Dave Porecki – a back of the rolling maul specialist – matched it up the other end. Edmed coverted and Prior did not.
Another lineout, another rolling maul that Force hooker Andrew Ready hid behind prior to peeling off and ploughing over. Prior made the goal and energised the local people.
But when Pasitoa was sin binned for a professional, if extremely blatant, foul for hands in the ruck, Tahs fullback Alex Newsome ran in two fine team tries and the match was sealed with 15 minutes to play.
“Force really struggled to execute off set piece,” Stan Sport analyst Emily Chancellor noted following the match.
“They really did rely on Mataele. But Izaia Perese was there every time and stopped him.”
Former great Tim Horan agreed.
“Force had 65 per cent of possession but had no line breaks,” he said.
“That’s what you need: guys to stand up and bend the line. Force lacked that pressure.”
Wallabies_Larkham
Roar Rookie
Piru..it is frustrating to see how force do not finish of their opportunities..you make a lot of play and sometimes your movements look slick..also like that Sampson is pairing the experience Prior with the rookie Pasitoa to help with decion making
piru
Roar Rookie
Strachan, Ralston and Pulu are all dangerous runners when they get the ball WL. Kahui still has pace beyond (or is that before?) his years, Godwin and Pasitoa are both capable of finding gaps for themselves and others. We've got good ball runners in the forwards in Stander, Lee-Warner and Anstee, we've really go no excuse these days.
piru
Roar Rookie
Hooper always has a big game in Perth. Difference this time was the rest of the team backed him up
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
I had been critical of his appetite for defence. He missed Mataele once but was otherwise excellent. The highlight being the aforementioned hit. And he was direct and aggressive with his carries.
Tooly
Roar Rookie
Gus gave the Tahs a flying start with two dodgy penalties . Gus loves the Tahs north shore front row. Ooops was offside most of the night , he spent some time looking like road kill. He certainly didn’t miss his two camera men or giving friendly advise to Gus as they stood together in Force territory. A few more have personal camera men. To’omua, Hodge, McDermott, McReight , Tupou, Wilson , Petaia, JOC , Harry Hunters Hill , Nawaquacka and only Brumbies who make mistakes. The Force need to get Fines out there and find a 15 . The team of the week on performance. Hodge, Kelloway, Nawaquaka, Tahs centres and props, Toomua 10 , McDermott, Wilson , McReight , Gamble, Phillip, Blyth , Ready . Ooops water boy and Gus referee. Frightening really they wouldn’t beat Italy.
Wallabies_Larkham
Roar Rookie
"In what world, except one where mindless anti-Tah child rule" Hehehe
Wallabies_Larkham
Roar Rookie
Mk..i think the force only have an x crusader aka mataele as a striker runner..that is way too few to challenge many teams especially against your kiwi teams
Jezdexter
Roar Rookie
I’m merely saying what I think is best for the Tahs and the 3 guys we have. Totally agree that's what's best for the Tahs, however disagree that's what's best for the guys. FWIW I think the Brumbies stuffed up big time with betting it all on Lolesio and letting Pasitoa and Kunzele go I don't disagree, but I always got the feeling Kuenzle and Pasitoa signed at basically the same time as each other and the Brumbies were left a bit blindsided, thinking they would lose 1 but then losing both.
Laurence King
Roar Rookie
I think fitness has been an issue. He's certainly a good player
Laurence King
Roar Rookie
Lol, a lot of imagination required there. Cheers
Paul D
Roar Rookie
Exactly. It’s like being on a scrum warning then getting a yellow for offside.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Could be, but strange to yellow someone for a chop tackle when the warnings were for ruck infringements, offside etc.
Morsie
Roar Rookie
Imagine if that was the super rugby final against the Blues and there was one minute to go and the Tahs were 6 points behind........... At this level that just should not happen. It probably won't happen again but...........
Paul D
Roar Rookie
“yet we rely on Lolesio to lead a super rugby team and have for 2 years.” The Brumbies can make their own decisions on their squad. I’m merely saying what I think is best for the Tahs and the 3 guys we have. FWIW I think the Brumbies stuffed up big time with betting it all on Lolesio and letting Pasitoa and Kunzele go
Jezdexter
Roar Rookie
Brumbies are going to need a starting 12 and a backup 10/12 with better prospects than Iona next year. Simone likely leaving would mean one of these guys would get serious game time at 12 or even 10 with Lolesio shifting to 12 where he played in u-20s. I'm not saying that they're going to be game breaking world cup winning 10s next week, but with a choice between fighting among 3 good prospects for the odd game or getting decent time on the pitch I'd say Waratahs will struggle to keep them all. Harrison and Donaldson are both older than Lolesio, Edmed only 6 months younger, yet we rely on Lolesio to lead a super rugby team and have for 2 years.
EqualityStreet
Guest
Thanks for sharing dazell. I seeee you :stoked:
Paul D
Roar Rookie
When talking about the three young pups, DC has said that while Harrison is a ten, he is more a 15 than the other guys. He’s pegged as the versatile one. Even at 12. 12 sounds weird for someone who looks so small, but he’s a tough bigger and the same dimensions as Giteau. Higher honours are unlikely to come at 12 though.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Still TBC https://nsw.rugby/news/jake-gordon-and-will-harrison-return-for-waratahs-against-the-force-2022413
dazell
Roar Rookie
Aaagh i get it now, thanks for taking the time again to explain it. :stoked:
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Fair enough