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The Western Force have snapped an 11-match Australian losing streak against New Zealand opposition in 2023, defeating the Highlanders 30-17 in Perth.
On a wild night, where five yellow cards were shown by Australian referee Nic Berry, the Force ran out to a 24-3 lead at half time before the Highlanders came storming back.
Two second half tries allowed the Highlanders to turn the screws, but two penalties to Bryce Hegarty, who started off the night by scoring the opening try, saw the home side make a winning return to HBF Park after four weeks on the road.
Manasa Mataele scored a first half try to help the Force to an important win over the Highlanders at HBF Park, on April 22, 2023. Photo: Paul Kane/Getty Images
Hooker Tom Horton, who finished the evening in the back-row, summed up the Force’s second half dig.
“F–k, I was gassed,” he told former Wallaby Justin Harrison on Stan Sport.
Not only did the victory see Simon Cron’s men move back inside the top eight, but it also gave them some much-needed belief after four straight defeats, three of which came across the ditch.
It also came after losing flanker Ollie Callan and flying winger Toni Pulu early to concussions.
“It’s massive,” returning captain Michael Wells said.
“I don’t think we can understate how important, first, at home, but also recuperating after a few losses in a row.”
After conceding a try four minutes into the second half, the match was in the balance for much of the final 40 minutes.
Horton’s yellow card for collapsing a maul in the 50th minute looked like proving crucial, especially after his opposite, Andrew Makalio, scored to cut the deficit to seven points.
But Force recruit Manasa Mataele, playing his 50th Super Rugby, proved to be the home side’s hero on a number of occasions. Not only did he bag a first half try, he freakishly saved two in the second half, too.
Both defensive efforts proved telling, as the Highlanders failed to properly capitalise on all the momentum and territory they had.
Hegarty’s assured boot helped push the margin out beyond a converted try in the 62nd minute.
But it was his next three-pointer, which came after a scrum penalty against the feed in the 75th minute, that Wells was most delighted with.
“Obviously we got out to a good start, which has been rare for us, then we saw the momentum taken away and we managed to wrestle it back,” Wells said.
“I think our finishers did a great job, particularly our front-row. To get a scrum penalty 5m out really clinched the game. That’s massive from guys like Marley [Pearce] and Sio [Amone], they’re young boys, that’s huge for their development. That game’s there’s.”
Force coach Simon Cron addresses his players after defeating the Highlanders at HBF Park on April 22, 2023, in Perth. Photo: Paul Kane/Getty Images
Highlanders skipper Billy Harmon lamented his side’s slow start, which saw them pinged around the fringes of the ruck and by Berry, who sent three of the visitors off in the first half, including two in two minutes.
“It was a tough break,” the back-rower said.
“It showed when we don’t get things quite right how hard we can make it for ourselves.”
After Hegarty’s excellent finish following some lovely feet from Toni Pulu and penalties to both sides, the match turned to a comedy show midway through the first half.
With Berry in a no-nonsense mood, lock Pari Pari Parkinson and prop Ethan de Groot were sent to the sin bin in the space of two minutes after penalties inside their own 22m line.
But despite holding a two-man numerical advantage, the Force made an absolute meal of capitalising on it.
They bombed three opportunities on the Highlanders’ line in five minutes, before Mataele showed why he spent years at the Crusaders by showing the class to score.
A questionable penalty try saw the Force skip further ahead and saw No.8 Marino Mikaele-Tu’u sent to the bin, too.
But the Force squandered the momentum by losing Hamish Stewart to the sin bin on the stroke of half-time after cynically slowing the Highlanders’ linebreak.
Initially, it looked like paying off as the Force managed to keep their line intact.
The Force celebrate defeating the Highlanders in Perth. Photo: Paul Kane/Getty Images
The Highlanders quickly seized the momentum in the second half to ensure the Force had a nervous 40 minutes.
But the Force’s developing mental fortitude under Cron was once again was on display, with the home side sealing an important win to move into eighth spot on 13 points – one less than the Highlanders.
It sets up a cracking contest next weekend, with the Force once again forced to travel across Australia to take on the sixth-placed Reds in Brisbane. The Highlanders meanwhile travel to Sydney to play the Waratahs.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.