Force edge Lions in arm-wrestle

The Western Force moved up to second place in the Australian conference with a 29-19 win over the Lions.

The bonus-point victory in Perth on Saturday allowed the Force to move past the Brumbies, who had lost to the Bulls in Pretoria the day before.

On the back of a record eighth win in their most successful season, the Force moved up to fourth place on the global standings – one point ahead of the Brumbies, who dropped out of the top six.

The conditions did not help matters, the rain starting to bucket down early in the match. However, the Lions attempted, bravely, to continue playing ball-in-hand rugby.

In the end it was this bravery – or perhaps naivety – that cost them a possible win.

Mistakes by match officials aside, the Lions cost themselves a possible try and gifted the Force another through mistakes that came as they ran at a time when the situation called for them to kick.

While the Force were much quicker in putting boot to ball, they had their moments. Unfortunately their accuracy was not always what it should have been.

The turning point in the match was undoubtedly when Australian TMO Peter Marshall, in the 35th minute,  decided to inject himself into the game and issued a yellow card against Lions prop Corne Fourie.

It may not have influenced the outcome, but it certainly influenced the game in a very negative way – just as some of referee Steve Walsh's calls did.

It robbed the visitors of any momentum they had gained, with a 9-3 lead to the Lions becoming a 15-9 lead to the Force in the last five minutes before the break.

Despite the odds stacked against them – and the Force's dominance of field position and possession – the Lions put up a brave performance.

Their defence was heroic beyond measure.

Sias Ebersohn (second minute) and Marnitz Boshoff (fourth minute) exchanged early penalties.

The Lions, despite spending 70 percent of the time in their own half and seeing very little of the ball, took the lead with a second Boshoff penalty as the first quarter came to an end. And that became 9-3 in the 28th minute, after yet another Force player was caught interfering on the Lions' side of a ruck.

Then came what can only be described – as Reds captain James Horwill so accurately said it – a STUPID decision, by a TMO. Australian Peter Marshall ruled that Lions prop Corne Fourie had shoulder-charged a player, when in fact the Force prop dove head first into the Lions No.1, who was attempting to make a low tackle.

The resulting yellow card – with referee Steve Walsh pleading ignorance – allowed the Force to exploit their numerical advantage with two quick tries in succession.

Matt Hodgson barged over from close range and then Jayden Hayward went over in the right corner as the Force took a 15-9 lead into the half-time break.

Credit must go to the Force for upping the ante when the Lions seemed to lose concentration – pondering the sheer lunacy of the match official's call.

The Lions managed to hold on for 20 agonising minutes in the second half, in the face of some powerful surges by a Force team enjoying 80 percent of the possession.

And, in their first foray into Force territory, they came away with a penalty after what was no less than a professional foul – 12-15.

The Force continued to dominate possession and territory, with the Lions' defence holding out till the 74th minute – when Chris Tuatara-Morrison bust through in midfield for the third try. Zack Holmes added the conversion for a 10-point lead – 22-12, with five minutes remaining on the clock.

Elton Jantjies, after coughing up a try, got five points back soon afterwards when Nick Cummins failed to clear  a kick from inside his in-goal area. Boshoff added the conversion to make it a three-point game again – 19-22, with two minutes left on the clock.

However, the Lions – in their desperation to score the winner – turned the ball over and after a few quick rucks  and Matt Hodgson went over for his second try, although questions can be asked about the flank crawling illegally towards the line. The conversion gave his team a 10-point (29-19) win.

Man of the match: Nic Cummins was always a threat with ball in hand. Ben McCalman and Matt Hodgson were monsters on defence and strong with bal in hand. However, the Lions' forwards, hunting as a pack, wins our award for keeping their team in the hunt with some incredible defence. It is a pity a game should be spoilt by match officials and Australian TMO Peter Marshall gets our award as PLONKER OF THE WEEK for his ridiculous ruling that gifted the Western Force momentum and two tries.

The scorers:

For the Western Force:

Tries: Hodgson 2, Hayward, Tuatara-Morrison

Cons: Ebersohn, Holmes

Pens: Ebersohn

For the Lions:

Try: Jantjies

Con: Boshoff

Pens: Boshoff 4

Yellow card: Corne Fourie (Lions, 35 – foul play, shoulder charge)

Teams:

Western Force: 15 Jayden Hayward, 14 Dane Haylett-Petty, 13 Chris Tuatara-Morrison, 12 Luke Burton, 11 Nick Cummins, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Ian Prior, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 Matt Hodgson (captain), 6 Angus Cottrell, 5 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 4 Sam Wykes, 3 Kieran Longbottom, 2 Nathan Charles, 1 Pek Cowan.

Replacements: 16 Heath Tessmann, 17 Tetera Faulkner, 18 Ollie Hoskins, 19 Adam Coleman, 20 Brynard Stander, 21 Justin Turner, 22 Zack Holmes, 23 Patrick Dellit.

Lions: 15 Coenie van Wyk, 14 JW Jonker, 13 Deon van Rensburg, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Marnitz Boshoff, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Warren Whiteley (captain), 7 Warwick Tecklenburg, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Rudi Matthee, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Armand van der Merwe, 1 Corne Fourie.

Replacements: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Julian Redelinghuys, 19 Willie Britz, 20 Stephan de Wit, 21 Francois de Klerk, 22 Elton Jantjies, 23 Stefan Watermeyer.

Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)

Assistant referees: James Leckie (Australia), Ian Smith (Australia)

TMO: Peter Marshall (Australia)