The Western Force took on the NSW Waratahs at Cbus Super Stadium today a score their second win in a row with a great 28-8 score-line. Michael Hoopers 150th game celebrated in style.
The first twenty minutes the Waratahs just had the upper hand in the territorial battle with the scoreboard reflecting a one-point lead (6-5) for the Waratahs. The Western Force scored a try while the Waratahs converted two penalties.
The Waratahs started to take a bit more control in the second quarter and almost scored their second try of the game at the end of the first half. The Waratahs lead 16-8 at halftime with their dominance growing as the time goes by.
An intercept try by Jack Maddocks four minutes into the second quarter stretch the Waratahs lead to 23-8 with 35 minutes left on the clock. During the last fifteen minutes of the third quarter, the Western Force got their hands more on the ball and managed to put more phases together on the attack. A disallowed try by the Waratahs maybe just reward for the efforts of the Western Force to end the third quarter still at 28-8 behind.
A try by the Waratahs after time was up, had them one try short of earning a much-needed bonus point. The Waratahs continued with their great form to win 28-8 and moved to the second place on the Super Rugby AU log ahead of the Reds. The Reds, however, have a game in hand.
Although the Western Force kept their pressure up in the second half the difference between the two sides were that the Waratahs were able to score almost every time the opportunity presented itself. Two unallowed tries for the Waratahs would have given the Waratahs a 42-8 win that definately would have been an injustice to the Western Force's efforts in the second half.
The Waratahs will hope that their new-found form will help them to a victory over log leaders, the Brumbies next weekend while the Western Force will hope that they can get their first win against the Reds.
Scorers:
Waratahs: Try: Alex Newsome, Jack Maddocks, Harry Johnson-Holmes. Conversion: Will Harrison (2). Penalties: Will Harrison (3).
Western Force: Try: Brynard Stander. Penalty: Ian Prior.
Western Force: 1. Pek Cowan, 2. Feleto Kaitu'u, 3. Kieran Longbottom, 4. Jeremy Thrush, 5. Fergus Lee-Warner, 6. Henry Stowers, 7. Kane Koteka, 8. Brynard Stander, 9. Ian Prior (c), 10. Jono Lance, 11. Brad Lacey, 12. Richard Kahui, 13. Kyle Godwin, 14. Byron Ralston, 15. Jake Strachan. Replacements: 16. Andrew Ready, 17. Chris Heiberg, 18. Tom Sheminant, 19. Johan Bardoul, 20. Ollie Atkins, 21. Nick Frisby, 22. Nick Jooste, 23. Jack McGregor.
Waratahs: 1. Tom Robertson, 2. Ton Horton, 3. Te Tera Faulkner, 4. Tom Staniforth, 5. Rob Simmons (c), 6. Lachie Swinton, 7. Michael Hooper, 8. Jack Dempsey, 9. Jake Gordon, 10. Will Harrison, 11. Alex Newsome, 12. Karmichael Hunt, 13. Lalakai Foketi, 14. James Ramm, 15. Jack Maddocks. Replacements: 16. Robbie Abel, 17. Angus Bell, 18. Harry Johnson-Holmes, 19. Ned Hanigan, 20. Hugh Sinclair, 21. Mitch Short, 22. Ben Donaldson, 23. Joey Walton.