Force suffer more Super Rugby Blues, Chiefs edge Highlanders
SATURDAY WRAP: The Western Force’s quest for a maiden finals berth seems forlorn after just two rounds of the Super Rugby Pacific season.
Another mighty effort from freakish flanker Carlo Tizzano was not enough to stop the Force from suffering a 32-42 defeat to the Blues in a see-sawing nine-try affair in Perth on Saturday.
After collapsing in the searing heat against the Brumbies last Saturday, the Force relinquished a three-point half-time lead to suffer a second-straight home defeat and slump to the bottom of the ladder.
The victory extended the Blues’ winning streak over the Force to 14 matches and consigned Simon Cron’s Perth side to a sorry eighth successive Super Rugby Pacific defeat stretching back to Round Eight last year.
The Force had snatched an unlikely 17-14 half-time lead when Tizzano – the competition’s top try-scorer last season – forced his way over after the siren had sounded.
Despite prop Harry Johnson-Holmes barging over for an 11th-minute try and three goals from the flawless boot of flyhalf Ben Donaldson, the Force had trailed after two first-half strikes from goal-kicking No.10 Stephen Perofeta and prop Josh Fusitu’a.
Alas, the Blues ran in four tries to two after the interval to follow up a hard-fought 23-26 loss to the Chiefs last week in their season opener.
“It’s important. We had a tough one in Round One,” Blues fullback Zarn Sullivan told Stan Sport.
“So to come over here to tick off the first one, and then go down to Canberra next week and hopefully get another one.
“You know, it’s not easy to come over to Perth. It’s lovely – the boys can clock off and get lost in paradise.
“So it’s that mentality of being here for a job, get the job done, and let’s get back home.”
Chiefs edge Highlanders
In Saturday’s early game, the Chiefs edged the Highlanders 26-23 in their showdown in Dunedin.
The visitors outscored the home side by four tries to three with hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho getting a brace.
Leroy Carter and Kaylum Boshier scored the other five-pointers for the Chiefs.
The Highlanders kept in touch in the second half after being 7-14 down at half-time.
See below for Saturday’s scores and scorers!
Highlanders 23-26 Chiefs
The scorers:
For Highlanders:
Tries: Nareki, Tangitau, Lasaqa
Con: Millar
Pens: Millar 2
For Chiefs:
Tries: Taukei’aho 2, Carter, Boshier
Cons: Jacomb 3
Teams:
Highlanders: 15 Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, 14 Caleb Tangitau, 13 Jonah Lowe, 12 Timoci Tavatavanawai (captain), 11 Jona Nareki, 10 Cameron Millar, 9 Folau Fakatava, 8 Lucas Casey, 7 Sean Withy, 6 Te Kamaka Howden, 5 Mitch Dunshea, 4 Oliver Haig, 3 Rohan Wingham, 2 Jack Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot.
Replacements: 16 Henry Bell, 17 Josh Bartlett, 18 Sosefo Kautai, 19 Will Stodart, 20 Veveni Lasaqa, 21 Adam Lennox, 22 Reesjan Pasitoa, 23 Tanielu Tele’a.
Chiefs: 15 Etene Nanai-Seturo, 14 Kyren Taumoefolau, 13 Daniel Rona, 12 Quinn Tupaea, 11 Leroy Carter, 10 Josh Jacomb, 9 Xavier Roe, 8 Luke Jacobson (captain), 7 Jahrome Brown, 6 Kaylum Boshier, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Josh Lord, 3 George Dyer, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Jared Proffit.
Replacements: 16 Tyrone Thompson, 17 Benet Kumeroa, 18 Reuben O’Neill, 19 Seuseu Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20 Simon Parker, 21 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 22 Tepaea Cook-Savage, 23 Emoni Narawa.
Referee: Angus Mabey
Assistant referees: Michael Winter, Ben Wollerton
TMO: Aaron Paterson
Western Force 32-42 Blues
The scorers:
For Western Force:
Tries: Johnson-Holmes, Tizzano, Kuenzle, Donaldson
Cons: Donaldson 3
Pens: Donaldson 2
Blues:
Tries: Beehre, Forbes, Barnes, Sullivan, Perofeta, Fusitu’a
Cons: Perofeta 6
Teams
Western Force: 15 Mac Grealy, 14 Divad Palu, 13 George Bridge, 12 Hamish Stewart, 11 Bayley Kuenzle, 10 Ben Donaldson, 9 Nathan Hastie, 8 Vaiolini Ekuasi, 7 Carlo Tizzano, 6 Jeremy Williams (captain), 5 Darcy Swain, 4 Franco Molina, 3 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 1 Tom Robertson.
Replacements: 16 Leonel Oviedo, 17 Sef Fa’agase, 18 Misinale Epenisa, 19 Lopeti Faifua, 20 Kane Koteka, 21 Henry Robertson, 22 Max Burey, 23 Kurtley Beale.
Blues: 15 Zarn Sullivan, 14 Cole Forbes, 13 AJ Lam, 12 Pita Akhi, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Stephen Perofeta, 9 Finlay Christie,8 Hoskins Sotutu, 7 Dalton Papali’i (captain), 6 Anton Segner, 5 Josh Beehre, 4 Laghlan McWhannell, 3 Marcel Renata, 2 Bradley Slater, 1 Joshua Fusitu’a.
Replacements: 16 Kurt Eklund, 17 Mason Tupaea, 18 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 19 Che Clark, 20 Torian Barnes, 21 Sam Nock, 22 Xavi Taele, 23 Codemeru Vai.
Referee: Damon Murphy
Assistant referees: Jordan Way, Jeremy Markey
TMO: James Leckie
