Force v Samoa 25 January 2007
My match report, free of charge
by RICK BOYD
An undermanned and outgunned Manu Samoa was crushed 59-10 by an effervescent Western Force in tonight's Super 14 trial at Members Equity Stadium, East Perth.
A crowd of 9051 braved the 35 degree heat (95 deg fahrenheit) and blazing 7pm daylight saving sunshine to watch the Force overcome the occasional pre-season jitters and mixed passing with set piece dominance and periods of sparkling attacking rugby.
Samoa started and ended with a flourish but saw little go forward ball and turned over or dropped too much ball.
Elusive fullback Cameron Shepherd was man of the match, wing Haig Sare scored a hat trick and imported trio inside centre Matt Giteau, centre Ryan Cross and wing Drew Mitchell all made their mark in what promises to be a dangerous back line.
Samoa opened strongly and ran ten phases of attack in the Force's 22 but a pair of penalties took the home side downfield for a series of attacking scrums on the line. The Force drove over the line but the ball went loose. Sare cleaned up and burrowed over for the try. Shepherd converted from a moderate angle and the Force led 7-0 after 9 minutes.
The Force were guilty of misdirected passes early but looked sharp running the ball, while Samoa conceded a string of penalties for offside, culminating in captain Ulia Ulia spending ten minutes in the bin.
The Force went straight onto attack and after several phases blindside flank David Pusey rushed over for the try. Shepherd added the extras after 14 minutes.
More was on the way when Samoa were penalised for deliberately knocking down, and from the penalty lineout the Force forwards drove ten metres and number eight Richard Brown crashed over for the try and a 19-0 lead after 25 minutes.
A couple of in-goal howlers by the Force gave Samoa attacking opportunities but they failed to capitalise. The Force went back on attack, Mitchell went blind and fed Shepherd who beat two tacklers and scored in the corner in a dazzling display of individual running skill. Shepherd converted a boomer from the sideline with minutes to play in the first spell.
The Force declined a penalty kick right in front in favour of a lineout, and spun the ball wide for Cross to cut through the midfield. Shepherd converted for a lead of 33-0.
Samoa didn't take the same option with a penalty in the last play of the half, and flyhalf Doug Sanft kicked a 40 metre penalty to put points on the board, 33-3 at half time.
Samoa again opened with a strong five minutes but it didn't last, replacement wing Digby Ioane coming into the back line to receive a little pop pass from steady flyhalf Scott Daruda for a clean try. Shepherd converted and the Force went ahead 40-3 12 minutes into the second spell.
Cross scored his second try from a tap penalty four minutes later and Shepherd kicked the sitter to lead 47-3.
Play slowed down in the mid stages of the half but after another penalty lineout, Sare scored his second in the corner after a width of the field backline sweep 25 minutes in. Sare gained his hat trick 9 minutes later as the Force kept attacked despite multiple changes, for an impressive 59-3 lead.
Sanft made a couple of late breaks for Samoa and came close to scoring twice, but lacked the pace and the support to cross the line. But just before the final whistle Ulia scored peeling off a 5 metre scrum, and fullback Lolo Lui kicked the conversion for a hint of respectability at 59-10.
