Tahs blitz Force for Super win
The Waratahs produced the hottest of starts to set up a 41-24 win over a depleted Western Force in their Super Rugby Pacific clash in Perth.
The Force trailed 0-24 in the 14th minute on Saturday night after conceding three quick tries.
It followed on from similar early flops against the Rebels and Brumbies in recent weeks – with both of those matches ending in one-point losses.
Force stand-in skipper Kyle Godwin said the team needed to fix their poor starts.
“It seems to be the same story for us, unfortunately,” Godwin said.
NSW was forced to defend for long periods after their early onslaught, but the foundations they laid were enough to secure the six-tries-to-four victory.
The Force was dealt several late blows before the match, with captain Feleti Kaitu’u (calf), Jeremy Thrush (soreness), Bayley Kuenzle (gastro) and Toni Pulu (concussion) all ruled out before kick-off.
Their withdrawals compounded the losses of Wallabies enforcer Izack Rodda and scrumhalf Issak Fines-Leleiwasa to the COVID-19 health and safety protocols, with coach Tim Sampson also forced into isolation after being deemed a close contact.
The Force certainly started the match like a team in disarray.
Waratahs wing Mark Nawaqanitawase picked off an attempted cut-out pass from Force scrumhalf Ian Prior before sprinting 58m to the line for the first try.
Inside centre Lalakai Foketi crossed for the team’s second try in the 10th minute following a smart break from Waratahs flyhalf Tane Edmed.
And the Force’s ineptitude was clearly on display in the 14th minute when Waratahs flanker Michael Hooper picked the ball up from a breakdown and waltzed through two defenders for the easiest of tries.
Trailing 0-24, the Force finally clicked into gear.
A barging run from Force wing Manasa Mataele in which he took on three tacklers before popping up a pass while lying on the ground helped set up a try to flyhalf Reesjan Pasitoa in the 20th minute.
The Waratahs defended 26 consecutive phases during a tiring three-minute period to deny the Force a second try before half-time.
But Force forward Tim Anstee crossed four minutes after the restart to reduce the margin to 12 points.
The teams traded rolling maul tries, but a yellow card to Pasitoa for a cynical foul proved to be the final nail in the coffin for the Force.
Waratahs speedster Alex Newsome crossed twice in the space of four minutes while Pasitoa was off, extending the margin to 41-19.
NSW was reduced to 13 men when Mahe Vailanu and Foketi received yellow cards in quick succession, with a try to Pasitoa meaning the Waratahs needed to score another try themselves in order to regain the bonus point.
Nawaqanitawase thought he achieved it after picking off a Force pass and racing towards the line after the final siren.
The wing dropped the ball during the intercept, but instead of it hitting the ground, it struck his boot.
However, the referee ruled it was a knock-on.
“That’s tough for us, we thought it came off the foot,” Waratahs forward Charlie Gamble said.
“We lost that crucial bonus point. Hopefully, it doesn’t come back to bite us in the end.”
The scorers
For the Western Force
Tries: Pasitoa 2, Anstee, Ready
Cons: Prior 2
For the Waratahs
Tries: Nawaqanitawase, Foketi, Hooper, Porecki, Newsome 2
Cons: Edmed 4
Pen: Edmed
Yellow cards: Reesjan Pasitoa (Western Force, 67 – cynical foul), Mahe Vailanu (Waratahs, 73 – repeated infringements), Lalakai Foketi (Waratahs, 76 – repeated infringements),
Teams
Western Force: 15 Jake Strachan, 14 Toni Pulu, 13 Kyle Godwin, 12 Bayley Kuenzle, 11 Manasa Mataele, 10 Reesjan Pasitoa, 9 Ian Prior, 8 Brynard Stander, 7 Kane Koteka, 6 Fergus Lee-Warner, 5 Ryan McCauley, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Santiago Medrano, 2 Feleti Kaitu’u (captain), 1 Harrison Lloyd.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Ready, 17 Bo Abra, 18 Greg Holmes, 19 Jackson Pugh, 20 Ollie Callan, 21 Michael McDonald, 22 Jake McIntrye, 23 Richard Kahui.
Waratahs: 15 Alex Newsome, 14 Mark Nawaqanitawase, 13 Izaia Perese, 12 Lalakai Foketi, 11 Dylan Pietsch, 10 Tane Edmed, 9 Jake Gordon (captain), 8 Will Harris, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Charlie Gamble, 5 Hugh Sinclair, 4 Jed Holloway, 3 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 2 Dave Porecki, 1 Angus Bell.
Replacements: 16 Mahe Vailanu, 17 Tetera Faulkner, 18 Archer Holz, 19 Geoff Cridge, 20 Rahboni Warren-Yosayaco, 21 Jack Grant, 22 Will Harrison, 23 Jamie Roberts.
Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant referees: Graham Cooper, Matt Kellahan
TMO: Kyle Burnett
