Force stun Crusaders, Chiefs go top

SATURDAY WRAP: Former NRL star Zac Lomax has produced a series of highlights as the Western Force overcame a 0-19 deficit to stun the Crusaders 31-26 in Perth.

Lomax, making his first Super Rugby Pacific start following last week’s 20-minute cameo off the bench, was a key figure in several important moments during Saturday night’s match at HBF Park.

After trailing 0-19 by the 22nd minute, the Force stormed back into the contest, with Lomax’s try in the 54th minute levelling the scores and sending the 6,659-crowd wild.

On three occasions when the Force launched a box kick, Lomax sprinted forward to nab it.

His best effort came on the stroke of halftime, when he not only caught the high bomb but was also able to dish it off before he landed, almost leading to a try for the Force.

Lomax also showed calmness under pressure for the Force’s only try of the first half.

After Dylan Pietsch’s burst of speed and no-look pass broke open the Crusaders’ defence, Lomax dished off an inside pass to Mac Grealy, who found Henry Robertson for the first of his two tries.

The Force held up the Crusaders over the line three times in the first half, with Tizzano playing a key role two times, and Lomax running in to play his part on one other occasion.

But the Crusaders still managed to score three first-half tries, with the visitors opening up a 19-0 lead by the 22nd minute when fullback Johnny McNicholl beat Force scrumhalf Robertson in a race for the dribbling ball.

Lomax couldn’t help but chuckle after being involved in a heated scrap with McNicholl in the 52nd minute.

And just two minutes later, Lomax was screaming in pure joy after a Ben Donaldson long pass allowed the former NSW State of Origin star to dive over in the corner.

That moment of magic levelled the scores, and although the Crusaders hit back shortly after, the Force notched tries through Pietsch and 100-game milestone man Harry Johnson-Holmes while the visitors were down to 14 men to take a lead they never surrendered.

Brumbies shellshocked

Fijian Drua have pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Super Rugby Pacific history and ruined Tom Wright’s return in the process, downing the Brumbies 33-28 in a Canberra boilover.

The Drua entered Saturday night’s match at GIO Stadium having won just one of their past 33 matches on the road.

But they put that horrible record to the side, opening up a 22-7 lead by half-time before holding off a fast-finishing Brumbies outfit.

Drua players celebrated wildly when they stopped the Brumbies’ after-the-siren efforts to win the game, with the emotional toll of Cyclone Vaianu still playing on their minds.

“The boys showed a lot of ticker and a lot of heart,” Drua captain Temo Mayanavanua told Stan.

“These boys decided to come even though Cyclone Vaianu was affecting the country.

“Even throughout the cyclone, people were huddling in their homes.

“Some of the boys had mango trees falling on their roofs, but they decided to show up to training and put in the hard work.

“We wanted to create something special. We talked about creating history through the week.”

Brumbies players looked shellshocked as they attempted to digest the loss.

Drama in Hamilton

*The Chiefs climbed to the top of the Super Rugby Pacific standings with a dramatic 22-17 win over the Hurricanes in Hamilton on Friday.

With the scores tied after 80 minutes, Wallace Sititi became the hero with his “Super Point” try in the 84th minute to seal the win for the hosts.

It came after Warner Deans charged down Damian McKenzie’s drop goal attempt, and with everyone onside, the ball landed in the No.8’s hands before he powered over for the winning score.

The result also ended the Hurricanes’ five-game winning streak in the tournament.

Simon Parker and Daniel Sinkinson were the Chiefs’ other try-scorers in regular time, while Josh Moorb, Peter Lakai and Asafo Aumua were on the scoresheet for the Hurricanes.

Saturday’s other matches see the Brumbies up against Fijian Drua, while the Crusaders are in Perth for a showdown against the Force.

Chiefs 22-17 Hurricanes

The scorers:

For Chiefs:
Tries: Parker, Sinkinson, Sititi
Cons: McKenzie 2
Pen: McKenzie

For Hurricanes:
Tries: Moorby, Lakai, Aumua
Con: Love

Teams:

Chiefs: 15 Liam Coombes-Fabling, 14 Leroy Carter, 13 Quinn Tupaea, 12 Reon Paul, 11 Kyren Taumoefolau, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Cortez Ratima, 8 Simon Parker, 7 Luke Jacobson (captain), 6 Samipeni Finau, 5 Seuseu Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 4 Josh Lord, 3 George Dyer, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Ollie Norris.
Replacements: 16 Brodie McAlister, 17 Jared Proffit, 18 Reuben O’Neill, 19 Fiti Sa, 20 Kaylum Boshier, 21 Wallace Sititi, 22 Xavier Roe, 23 Josh Jacomb.

Hurricanes: 15 Callum Harkin, 14 Josh Moorby, 13 Billy Proctor, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Fehi Fineanganofo, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Peter Lakai, 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 6 Devan Flanders, 5 Warner Dearns, 4 Isaia Walker-Leawere, 3 Pasilio Tosi, 2 Asafo Aumua, 1 Xavier Numia.
Replacements: 16 Jacob Devery, 17 Pouri Rakete-Stones, 18 Tevita Mafileo, 19 Caleb Delany, 20 Brad Shields, 21 Brayden Iose, 22 Ereatara Enari, 23 Jone Rova.

Referee: Ben O’Keeffe
Assistant referees: Todd Petire, Warwick Lahmert
TMO: Richard Kelly

Brumbies 28-33 Fijian Drua

Scorers:

For Brumbies:
Tries: Frost, Sapsford, Edmed, Toole
Cons: Lonergan 3, Edmed

For Fijian Drua:
Tries: Mataele 2, Fines-Leleiwasa, Kuruvoli
Cons: Armstrong-Ravula 2
Pens: Armstrong-Ravula 3

Teams:

Brumbies: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Ollie Sapsford, 13 Kadin Pritchard, 12 David Feliuai, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Declan Meredith, 9 Ryan Lonergan (c), 8 Tuaina Taii Tualima, 7 Luke Reimer, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Lachlan Shaw, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 James Slipper
Replacements: 16 Lachlan Lonergan, 17 Blake Schoupp, 18 Darcy Breen, 19 Toby MacPherson, 20 Rory Scott, 21 Klayton Thorn, 22 Tane Edmed, 23 Andy Muirhead

Fijian Drua: 15 Isikeli Rabitu, 14 Isikeli Basiyalo, 13 Tuidraki Samusamuvodre, 12 Virimi Vakatava, 11 Manasa Mataele, 10 Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, 9 Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, 8 Isoa Tuwai, 7 Kitione Salawa, 6 Etonia Waqa, 5 Isoa Nasilasila, 4 Temo Mayanavanua (c), 3 Samuela Tawake, 2 Zuriel Togiatama, 1 Emosi Tuqiri
Replacements: 16 Kavaia Tagivetaua, 17 Penaia Cakobau, 18 Mesake Doge, 19 Mesake Vocevoce, 20 Joseva Tamani, 21 Simione Kuruvoli, 22 Kemu Valetini, 23 Inia Tabuavou

Referee: James Doleman
Assistant Referees: Marcus Playle, Fraser Hannon
TMO: Glenn Newman

Force 31-26 Crusaders

The scorers:

For Force:
Tries: Johnson-Holmes, Pietsch, Lomax. Robertson 2
Cons: Donaldson 3

For Crusaders:
Tries: Hotham, McNicholl, Fainga’anuku, Bell
Cons: Reihana 3

Teams:

Western Force: 15 Mac Grealy, 14 Zac Lomax, 13 George Bridge, 12 Bayley Kuenzle, 11 Dylan Pietsch, 10 Ben Donaldson, 9 Henry Robertson, 8 Vaiolini Ekuasi, 7 Carlo Tizzano, 6 Nick Champion de Crespigny, 5 Darcy Swain, 4 Jeremy Williams (captain), 3 Misinale Epenisa, 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 1 Tom Robertson.
Replacements: 16 Nic Dolly, 17 Sef Fa’agase, 18 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 19 Franco Molina, 20 Will Harris, 21 Nathan Hastie, 22 Hamish Stewart, 23 Kurtley Beale.

Crusaders: 15 Johnny McNicholl, 14 Chay Fihaki, 13 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 12 Dallas McLeod, 11 Macca Springer, 10 Taha Kemara, 9 Louis Chapman, 8 Christian Lio-Willie (captain), 7 Johnny Lee, 6 Dom Gardiner, 5 Jamie Hannah, 4 Tahlor Cahill, 3 Seb Calder, 2 George Bell, 1 Finlay Brewis.
Replacements: 16 Manumaua Leitu, 17 George Bower, 18 Kershawl Sykes-Martin, 19 Will Tucker, 20 Corey Kellow, 21 Noah Hotham, 22 Rivez Reihana, 23 Sevu Reece.

Referee: Reuben Keane
Assistant referees: Nic Berry, Louis Trisley
TMO: Brett Cronan

Additional source @AAP