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WESTERN FORCE MEDIA RELEASE
Saturday, 9 May 2015
FORCE CLAIMS BACK-TO-BACK TAHS WINS IN 2015
The Western Force has recorded its third successive win over reigning champions, the NSW Waratahs, following tonight’s 18-11 victory at the ‘Force Field’ (nib Stadium).
After claiming the opening round encounter in Sydney, the Force scored two tries to one tonight in Perth, to convert a 13-6 half-time lead into the seven-point victory.
The Waratahs got within two points with 23 minutes remaining, before a storming Force rolling maul from a lineout 20 metres out, allowed captain Matt Hodgson to score his third try in as many matches and round out the final 18-11 score line.
Scrumhalf Ryan Louwrens also crossed for his second try in as many matches, after exploiting a gap in the Tahs defensive line in the first half.
Loping lock Steve Mafi was again highly involved in carrying the ball forward and forcing turnovers in a performance recognised with the Haigh & Hastings Man of the Match, while Ben McCalman also continued his outstanding season.
The Force has the week off for the bye before returning to the ‘Force Field’ (nib Stadium) to front the Highlanders on Saturday, 23 May.
Tickets to Western Force’s next home match against the Highlanders on Saturday, 23 May are now available! Visit www.ticketmaster.com.au.
WHAT THEY SAID… Michael Foley, Western Force Head Coach
“It was fantastic. It’s been a long time coming and the boys deserved it.
“The attitude in that game was what made these guys the best team in the club’s history [last season]. There have been a number of narrow losses or ounces of the ball or calls that have gone against us this year. There’s been one or two times where that [attitude] has been missing and that’s the most disappointing thing out of the year – not the results. Tonight they played through the 80 minutes with wonderful attitude.
“Our thrill is watching our players’ faces when we win and watching our fans. They’re so good to us. So many people were saying to us ‘no matter what, we’re going to be here’ and that’s incredibly motivating. Particularly over the last period when we haven’t been getting the results, you feel very disappointed that you’ve let some of those people down – and if you don’t feel like that then you shouldn’t be doing what you’re doing. The professional and commercial side of the game is one thing but to be able to go out there and honour the support you get is fantastic. We’ve got a very tough, rusted on group of people that just keep coming back for us and they were buzzing tonight. Our players and our fans were buzzing, and that’s fantastic.”
2015 Asteron Life Super Rugby – Week 12
Saturday, 9 May 2015 at nib Stadium, Perth Kick-off: 5.40pm Crowd: 10,115
Western Force 18 (Ryan Louwrens, Matt Hodgson tries; Luke Burton conversion, 2 penalties) defeated NSW Waratahs 11 (Taqele Naiyaravoro try; Bernard Foley 2 penalties)
Half time: Force 13-6
Yellow Cards: Sekope Kepu (33 min), Matt Hodgson (70 min)
Red Cards: Nil
Referee: Rohan Hoffmann
Western Force
1.Pekahou Cowan, 2. Nathan Charles, 3. Tetera Faulkner, 4. Steve Mafi, 5. Adam Coleman, 6. Angus Cottrell, 7. Matt Hodgson (c), 8. Ben McCalman, 9. Ryan Louwrens, 10. Sias Ebersohn, 11. Nick Cummins, 12. Solomoni Jnr Rasolea, 13. Kyle Godwin, 14. Marcel Brache, 15. Luke Morahan.
Res: 16. Heath Tessmann, 17. Chris Heiberg, 18. Guy Millar, 19. Wilhelm Steenkamp, 20. Kane Koteka, 21. Alby Mathewson, 22. Luke Burton, 23. Mitchell Scott
Head Coach: Michael Foley
Waratahs
1. Benn Robinson, 2. Tolu Latu, 3. Sekope Kepu, 4. Will Skelton, 5. David Dennis (c), 6. Jacques Potgieter, 7. Michael Hooper, 8. Wycliff Palu, 9. Nick Phipps, 10. Bernard Foley, 11. Rob Horne, 12. Kurtley Beale, 13. Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14. Taqele Naiyaravoro, 15. Israel Folau.
Res: 16. Hugh Roach, 17. Jeremy Tilse, 18. Paddy Ryan, 19. Mitchell Chapman, 20. Tala Gray, 21. Pat McCutcheon, 22. Brendan McKibbin, 23. Matt Carraro.
Head Coach: Michael Cheika
BY THE CLOCK
Min Score
12 Luke Morahan forces the penalty for Jacques Potgieter not releasing the ball. Marcel Brache misses the penalty. 0-0
15 Tolu Latu knocks the ball on with Sekope Kepu penalised for playing the ball in an offside position. Luke Burton misses the penalty. 0-0
20 Steve Mafi forces the turnover. One phase later Ryan Louwrens finds a gap and scoots through from the 22m to score. Burton converts. 7-0
24 Matt Hodgson is penalised for being offside. Bernard Foley kicks the penalty. 7-3
28 Tetera Faulkner is penalised for collapsing the scrum. Bernard Foley kicks the penalty from 40 metres out directly in front. 7-6
30 Ben McCalman forces a turnover to put the Force on the attack inside the Tahs’ 22m, before Will Skelton and Benn Robinson are caught offside. Luke Burton kicks penalty. 10-6
33
Sekope Kepu receives a yellow card for stomping. 10-6
39 Paddy Ryan penalised for collapsing the scrum. Burton kicks the penalty with 20 seconds remaining in the half. 13-6
40 Ben McCalman is penalised for playing the ball off his feet. Kurtley Beale misses the penalty from just beyond halfway. 13-6
HALF TIME 13-6
41 Matt Hodgson is penalised for being offside at the ruck. Foley misses the penalty. 13-6
47 Robinson is penalised for coming in from the side of the ruck. Burton misses the penalty. 13-6
53 Taqele Naiyaravoro breaks three tackles running down the right-hand wing to score in the corner. Foley misses the conversion. 13-11
57 The Waratahs are caught offside from a knock-on. Sias Ebersohn misses the penalty from beyond the halfway line. 13-11
63 Kepu is penalised for coming in from the side of the ruck. McCalman wins the subsequent lineout from 20 metres out before the Force thunders home a rolling maul for Matt Hodgson to fall over the line to score. Burton misses the conversion. 18-11
70 Matt Hodgson receives a yellow card for not releasing as the tackler. 18-11
77 The Waratahs are penalised at the breakdown. Sias Ebersohn misses the penalty. 18-11
FULL TIME 18-11