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Force topple Blues in Auckland
Posted 4 hours 50 minutes ago
Updated 3 hours 13 minutes ago
The Western Force scored 20 unanswered points in a superb second half display to record a 27-17 Super 14 upset over the Blues in Auckland this afternoon.
Cameron Shepherd, Richard Brown and Tamaiti Horua all crossed the line for the Force at North Harbour stadium, with playmaker Matt Giteau kicking three conversions and two penalty goals.
The Blues battled hard after losing Nick Evans through injury, and managed tries from Tony Woodcock and Anthony Tuitavake.
But a superior second 40 minutes from the Western Australians ensured their maiden Super rugby win in New Zealand, leaving Force captain Nathan Sharpe to praise the courage of his team-mates.
"It was a tremendous second half for us, right from the outset we knew we had the structure and the skill to play the Blues, we just lacked the physicality in the first half," he told Fox Sports following the match.
"The guys were quietly confident during the week, but we were disappointed with that first 40 minutes.
"But the pleasing thing for me... was everyone was disappointed in themselves and we righted that in the second half. I'm just proud of all the boys."
Dejected Blues captain Troy Flavell says he knew at half-time the hosts would be in for a tough battle against the Force, who were desperately unlucky in losing to competition favourites the Crusaders last week.
"We managed to hang on (in the first half) but in the second we were spilling ball and they capitalised," he said.
"The Force played extremely well and you have to take your hat off to them, but we need to bounce back from this pretty promptly."
Force: 27 (C Shepherd, R Brown, T Horua tries; M Giteau 3 conversions; M Giteau 2 penalites)
Auckland Blues 17 (T Woodcock, A Tuitavake tries; N Evans, B Atiga conversions; B Atiga penalty)
Force topple Blues in Auckland - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
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