Force win basement battle

 

The Force had over 90% of possession and the same amount of territory and managed just two bash-bash tries. That says a lot about the quality of the rugby played, and the Lions, having done little that was good, ended with a bonus point. It was not a great advert for Super Rugby.

 

The Lions played well in the first four minutes and then again 76 minutes later. In between they defended. One would give them lots of praise for their defence had it been against a more creative side. Men who run one at a time do not make for great rugby or demanding defence. Not even when they had an overlap on the outside did they deviate from their one-at-time policy.

 

The Lions scored the first try and it was in their halcyon period – the first four minutes. The won their kick-off and right from the start passed, finding each other and giving promise of success and entertainment. They attacked down the left where Callie Visagie fooled a defender with a dummy before giving to Andries Coetzee on the touchline. Coetzee played inside to Michael Killian who scored in the left corner. 5-0 after 4 minutes.

 

They attacked again, Nathan Sharpe rumbled off side and Jantjies kicked the easy penalty. It was not the only happening at the time for Toby Lynn of the Force complained that CJ van der Linde had bitten him. The referee put it on report with a white card. It was clear that Lynn had an arm in contact with Van der Linde's mouth. Who put what there and did what?

 

The Lions tried a quick throw-in which David Pocock blindsided and left the Lions trying to extricate themselves from a mess. That was the start of the Force attack which lasted until 80 minutes were up, just before the Lions' next good passage of play,

 

Jaco Taute was penalised at a tackle and the Force scored. The Lions were much penalised in the match, 8-2 in the first half and 13-5 over all. In addition they had Derick Minnie sent to the sin bin – but then he was much penalised at the tackle.

 

The Force came close to scoring when Lynn lost the ball near the line, as he did again early in the second half.

 

For the Lions it was bad news when Jaco Taute, their best back, went off with his shoulder in a sling.

 

The Lions led 8-3 at half-time.

 

Alfie Mafi took the Force close to the Lions line where Pocock picked up and, shunted by team–mates, scored next to the posts. There was a bout of scrapping after this, sparked, it seemed, when Mafi used his head as a battering ram after the try had been scored, but the referee found only the Lions' captain needing a talking to. 10-8 after 57 minutes.

 

After Minnie was sent to the sin bin, the Force attacked again,  Richard Brown charged close and Napolioni Nalaga plunged over from near the line. 17-8 with 8 minutes to play.

 

The Lions had a good moment just after this when they had a three-on-one situation but Lionel Mapoe threw an apologetic pass past his two team-mates into touch. He really does not seem to have anything like the confidence for rugby at this level.

 

The Force stayed on the attack until the siren went. Then the Lions started running from their own line and did wonderfully as they went running upfield. The Force went offside and Ruan Combrinck goaled the penalty which gave them a bonus point, the same outcome a try would have had.

 

Man of the Match: David Pocock. He was head and shoulders a class above all others on the field.

 

 

Tries: Pocock, Nalaga

Cons: Seymour 2

Pen: Seymour

 

Try: Killian

Pens: Jantjies, Combrinck

 

Yellow card: Derick Minnie (68th minute – repeated infringements at the breakdown)

 

 

Western Force: 15 Alfie Mafi, 14 Nick Cummins, 13 Will Tupou, 12 Rory Sidey, 11 Napolioni Nalaga, 10 Ben Seymour, 9 Brett Sheehan, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 David Pocock (captain), 6 Matt Hodgson, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Toby Lynn, 3 Salesi Ma'afu, 2 Nathan Charles, 1 Pek Cowan.

Replacements: 16 Elvis Taione, 17 Salesi Manu, 18 Phoenix Battye, 19 Richard Brown, 20 Lachlan McCaffrey, 21 Josh Holmes, 22 David Harvey.

 

Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Deon van Rensburg, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Jaco Taute, 11 Michael Killian, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Joshua Strauss (captain), 7 Grant Hattingh, 6 Derick Minnie, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Franco Van der Merwe, 3 Patric Cilliers, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 CJ Van der Linde.

Replacements: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 JC Janse van Rensburg, 18 Cobus Grobbelaar, 19 Jaco Kriel, 20 Ross Cronje, 21 Ruan Combrinck, 22 James Kamana.

 

Referee: Garratt Williamson (New Zealand)

Assistant referees: James Leckie (Australia), Matt O'Brien (Australia)

TMO: Matt Goddard (Australia)