Force let down by 'ordinary' display

Western Force coach Michael Foley and captain Sam Wykes bemoaned the team's lack of enthusiasm in their 6-18 loss to the Reds on Saturday.

With the match in Brisbane threatened by tropical cyclone Marcia, the Force was unable to cross the tryline, with their six points coming from two penalty goals to flyhalf Sias Ebersohn.

The Queenslanders held an 11-6 lead at the break, with Lachie Turner having finished the Reds' first try, following an 80-metre team effort, while the second was a penalty try – following a tighthead penalty on the Force's five-metre line.

Turner added one conversion and two penalties to complete a solid performance at fullback.

The Force return home for their first home match of the season against the Wellington Hurricanes in Perth this coming Friday, February 27.

"It was a disappointing performance," the coach, Foley said.

"We got out-enthused at the breakdown and we got beaten at the set piece.

"If you can't get the core elements of the game right, you're not going to get a result.

"[Next week] we need to put in a performance that does the support we get justice."

The captain, Wykes, also did not hide his disappointment in his post-match reaction.

"Our set piece was ordinary," Wykes said.

"We turned over ball at scrum time and line-out time.

"It's just wasn't good enough.

"The Reds stepped up and they were quality.

"They were in there for the fight and we didn't match that.

We'll review this and we'll be ready for the Hurricanes next week.

"We'll review [this game], we'll flush it and move on."