FORCE RUN IN SIX TRIES TO BEAT HIGHLANDERS

[RugbyWA]

The Emirates Western Force has won its second straight Investec Bank Super 14 match by running in six tries to beat the Highlanders 41-27 in beautiful Queenstown on Saturday.

Taking confidence from the thrilling home win over the Stormers, the Emirates Western Force recorded a bonus-point for four or more tries for the first time this season on the way to the impressive 14-point win.

Ryan Cross and the returning Cameron Shepherd scored two tries each, with James O'Connor and Justin Turner adding five-pointers for the Emirates Western Force.

Emirates Western Force captain Nathan Sharpe was delighted with the victory as his team got better the longer the game went.

"We started a little bit slowly and it was an adjustment to play against a New Zealand side again. We did that towards the end and got the result for it," Sharpe said.

"We knew that if we could hold onto the ball we would put some points on the board and that's what we did towards the end of the game. We are now looking forward to playing the Bulls in Auckland.

The Highlanders opened the scoring with a Matthew Berquist penalty and looked likely to score the game's opening try until a brilliant defensive play from David Pocock.

Highlanders' winger Fetu'u Vainikolo looked certain to score as he had nobody in front of him, but Pocock came from nowhere to lay the tackle and knock the ball free.

O'Connor missed a penalty attempt to give the Force a chance to level the scores before Berquist made no mistake for the Highlanders to extend the home team's lead to six.

However, the game turned when Highlanders captain Jimmy Cowan was penalised with a yellow card for getting involved from an offside position to lay a professional foul. Just minutes later, Shepherd made the perfect return to the game after a frustrating injury run.

From a scrum, Richard Brown got the ball to Chris O'Young and Shepherd went straight for the line and in a tackle was able to ground the ball and get it over the line.

It was the 31st try of his Super Rugby career as he racked up 350 points in the competition. O'Connor then converted to record his 100th point as well as the Emirates Western Force led 7-6.

The fireworks continued before half-time when Emirates Western Force prop Pek Cowan and Highlanders big man Clint Newland got involved in a scuffle. Both were then yellow-carded with five minutes to go in the half.

Emirates Western Force hooker Ben Whittaker appeared to cross for a try at the 38-minute mark as well, but was denied as the replay revealed he didn’t properly ground the ball.

The Force again took advantage of some indiscipline from the Highlanders to earn a penalty after 40 minutes. O'Connor nailed it to see the Emirates Western Force deservingly lead 10-6 at the half.

The Highlanders started the second half strongly with a penalty conversion to Berquist and then try to prop Chris King to lead 14-10 before the Force got back in front with a second try for the match.

A clever grubber kick from David Hill was collected by O'Connor who scored the try. He missed the conversion, but the Emirates Western Force still led 15-14.

The Highlanders had flicked a switch at half-time, though, and No. 8 Steven Setephano scored another try at the 51st minute to see the home side lead 19-15.

The Emirates Western Force was striving hard, though, and after applying huge pressure on the Highlanders through nine phases, their defence broke as Cross stormed through for the Force's third try of the game. O'Connor missed the conversion as the Emirates Western Force led 20-19.

After another penalty for the Highlanders to Berquist, the Emirates Western Force broke through for a bonus-point try after a great play from the lineout. The ball ended up with Sam Harris who made a great run, he dished off to Pocock who made a big break and then got it to Turner for his first Super 14 try.

O'Connor converted to put the Force up 27-22 and then the win was sewn up when Cross waltzed through for his second try after a good play from the scrum in the 75th minute.

Shepherd then capped off the win nicely with his second try set up from a brilliant pass from Hill. O'Connor converted and the 41-22 victory was secured before a late try for the Highlanders to Vainikolo.

The Emirates Western Force remain in New Zealand to face the Blues in Auckland next Saturday before returning to ME Bank Stadium to play the Crusaders in the final home match before a three-week tour to South Africa.

BY THE CLOCK

10th min – Penalty goal to the Highlanders' Matthew Berquist. Highlanders lead 3-0.
16th min - James O'Connor misses penalty attempt for Emirates Western Force. Highlanders lead 3-0 still.
20th min - Matthew Berquist penalty goal. Highlanders lead 6-0.
22nd min - Highlanders captain Jimmy Cowan yellow carded for professional foul from offside position.
27th min - Emirates Western Force winger Cameron Shepherd grounds ball for the first try of the game. O'Connor converts to see the Emirates Western Force lead 7-6.
30th min - Matthew Berquist misses penalty for Highlanders. Emirates Western Force lead 7-6.
35th min - Emirates Western Force prop Pek Cowan and the Highlanders' Clint Newland receive yellow cards for exchanging punches.
41st min - Emirates Western Force fullback James O'Connor nails a penalty to see the Force lead 10-6.

HALF TIME: Emirates Western Force 10 Highlanders 6
41st min – Matthew Berquist kicks a penalty for the Highlanders. The Emirates Western Force still lead 10-9.
44th min - Try for the Highlanders to Chris King. Matthew Berquist misses the conversion as the Highlanders lead 14-10.
48th min - Emirates Western Force try to James O'Connor. He misses the conversion and the Force leads 15-14.
51st min - Try to the Highlanders for Steven Setephano. Matthew Berquist misses the conversion as the Highlanders lead 19-15.
56th min - Matt Dunning replaces Tim Fairbrother for the Emirates Western Force.
57th min - Ben McCalman replaces Tom Hockings, Nathan Charles replaces Ben Whittaker and Justin Turner replaces Chris O'Young for the Emirates Western Force.
59th min - Sam Harris replaces Mitch Inman for the Emirates Western Force.
61st min - Ryan Cross scores a try for the Emirates Western Force. James O'Connor misses the conversion as the Force lead 20-19.
64th min - Penalty conversion for the Highlanders to Matthew Berquist. The Highlanders lead 22-20.
69th min - A bonus-point try for the Emirates Western Force to Justin Turner. Conversion by James O'Connor and the Force lead 27-22.
75th min - A second try for Ryan Cross for the Emirates Western Force. James O'Connor converts and the Force lead 34-22.
79th min - Cameron Shepherd scores his second try for the Emirates Western Force. O'Connor converts and Force lead 41-22.
80th min - Dane Haylett-Petty replaces James O'Connor, Sam Wykes replaces Nathan Sharpe.
81st min - Try for the Highlanders to Fetu'u Vainikolo.
FULL TIME: Emirates Western Force 41 Highlanders 27

Emirates Western Force 41 (Cross, Shepherd 2, O'Connor, Turner tries; O’Connor 4/6 con, 1/2 pen)

Highlanders 27 (King, Setephano, Vainikolo tries; Berquist 0/3 con, Berquist 4/4 pen)

[WF1964]

Gee, that was posted pretty quick!!

Fantastic result, couldn't be happier

[Fullback]

They've been working hard and the rewards are coming, this time with a 4 try bonus point victory.

[PerthGirl]

Great stuff although the Blues will be harder

[hopep]

Very pleasing to see the team keep their foot on the pedal after they got in front. A wonderful feeling to be off the bottom rung on the ladder, lets hope they continue to improve in teamwork and support play for next week.

The bench players also showed the depth that the team is developing.
Good work all-round chaps!

[normie]

Love the 'Pep and snap' that Justin Turner added when he came on!

[BeeJay]

The silver lining to the dark cloud of all our injuries in the first few weeks of the season has been the blooding and proving of young rookies, many of whom have shown they have the goods at this level, and may even become some of the best in the game.

Turner, Swanepoel, Whittaker, Tyrrell, Charles, Postal, McCalman - the list goes on.

Then there are the not-so-new players who have taken a step up this year - Hockings, Wykes, Stanford.

Suddenly, recruitment for next season for positions like hooker seem less of an issue than retainment of the squad we already have....

[laura]

The silver lining to the dark cloud of all our injuries in the first few weeks of the season has been the blooding and proving of young rookies, many of whom have shown they have the goods at this level, and may even become some of the best in the game.

Turner, Swanepoel, Whittaker, Tyrrell, Charles, Postal, McCalman - the list goes on.

Then there are the not-so-new players who have taken a step up this year - Hockings, Wykes, Stanford.

Suddenly, recruitment for next season for positions like hooker seem less of an issue than retainment of the squad we already have....

Spot on BeeJay, just add Inman to the mix of newbies destined for good things and Hodgo for stepping it up in style. Both have been consistent standouts in most, if not all games.

[travelling_gerry]

[Batto]

Yeah it was a great game and a cracking atmosphere down JB O'Reillys, looking forward to the same again next week, a great moment after Pek and Newland got binned when they had a laugh about it on the sideline !, Quality

[The InnFORCEr]

I was thinking of asking The Publican for "Roast Beef Roll and Pint" deal for this week as the match is 1.30pm. Who would go for that???

[jargan83]

I was thinking of asking The Publican for "Roast Beef Roll and Pint" deal for this week as the match is 1.30pm. Who would go for that???

Sounds like a goer to me

[shasta]

Sounds like a goer to me

Ditto.

[Batto]

Mmmmm, pay day this week, sounds like a plan, can we still get in for 10am ? Only jokin, 6.45PM was the earliest I've been to bed in a very long time, me and the mrs were pretty smashed, great day !

[MI5_Dog]

One critical moment in the Western Force's 41-27 Super 14 win over the Highlanders demonstrated how a match can be turned on its head by a referee's call.

Close to half-time, young Force hooker Ben Whittaker was ruled to have lost control of the ball as he crashed over the line.

Referee Marius Jonker seemed to have awarded the try but then changed his mind and went to the television match official.

The decision could have sent the Force into the break with a bigger lead but importantly it kept the game in the balance until the last 20 minutes when the visitors finally took control.

It led Force head coach John Mitchell to question decisions at crucial times and the often constant referrals to the video referee.

"The try just before half-time by our hooker…that could have been a different situation," he said.

"I'm not sure what's happening in the game when a referee awards a try and then it goes back to the TMO (television match official)

"The TMO are no different to us as human beings. It's all based on circumstance."

Mitchell compared that decision with a second contentious ruling that gave Highlanders winger Fetu'u Vainikolo a five pointer (again after consultation with the video ref) on the final siren.

"That last try by Vainikolo… if that was just before half-time, was there enough reasonable doubt to determine that was a try," he said. "In a different situation in the match it might not have been awarded. Who knows?

"It's all based on circumstance."

Another crucial moment defined the Force attitude in Queenstown.

With 10 minutes gone and the Highlanders just having edged ahead from a penalty, Vainikolo looked set to score after a long-range break from defence.

But as he reached out for the line, Force flanker David Pocock screamed in to make a last ditch tackle, dislodging the ball and saving a certain try.

Mitchell said the side had spoken about reinforcing their defensive efforts.

"That was just another example. Never say never. That was great," Mitchell said. "It was critical."

The Force did produce an error-ridden performance and even Mitchell admitted he was wondering for a while whether his side could put consecutive wins together after beating the Stormers.

"First half we looked a little flat and we really couldn't string long phases together, even though at times we looked tempting," he said.

"Then after half-time the High-landers had all the momentum for 10 minutes. I was questioning whether we would really get ourselves back in the game."

Mitchell was happy that he finally seems to have a strong reserves bench to call on at crucial times.
"It's the second week in a row I've been able to use a bench effectively," he said. "Previously we've had kids on the bench to be fair."


http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...gers-mitchell/