VIDEO: Another Aussie team end losing streak in New Zealand

FRIDAY WRAP: Just a week after the Brumbies ended their 26-year hoodoo with a win over the Crusaders in Christchurch, the Western Force halted their four-year wait with a victory over Moana Pasifika on New Zealand soil.

The 35-19 win over a disappointing Moana Pasifika outfit was also the Western Force’s first victory of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season.

After losing their first two games in Perth, the Force not only crossed the country but also the Tasman to finally taste success emphatically in Pukekohe.

The Force ran in five tries to three to drag themselves off the bottom of the ladder and consign Moana to a disappointing defeat in front of home fans at Navigation Homes Stadium.

The WA franchise’s welcome breakthrough snapped a nine-match winless run stretching back to April last year.

The win was also their first in New Zealand since beating the Pacific Islanders four years ago.

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And a former All Black was fittingly among the stars on Friday night.

After bombing what should have been a certain try on the half hour, George Bridge atoned just two minutes later when, first, he went within centimetres of forcing his way over.

Lock Darcy Swain instead strolled over from the very next phase before Bridge burst through the Moana defence to score his maiden try for the Force.

The classy centre might have been embarrassed after butchering a try earlier when he was caught out while casually about to put the ball down when Moana winger Denzel Samoa forced possession free over the line.

After needing to pass a last-minute HIA to play, Force flyhalf Ben Donaldson also returned to torment Pasifika once again.

After scoring in the 85th minute, then slotting the winning conversion in a heart-stopping 45-44 win for the Force in the corresponding fixture last year, Donaldson set up the first try on Friday.

Winger Darby Lancaster swooped on Donaldson’s left-foot cross-field kick to touch down after just five minutes.

Hooker Mills Sanerivi bagged the home team’s only try of the first half as the Force enjoyed a 21-7 lead at the break.

And unlike in heavy losses to the Brumbies and Blues to start the season, the Force went on with the job in the second half.

Prolific flanker Carlo Tizzano, the competition’s top tryscorer last year, typically finished off a driving maul from the Force in the 61st minute to put the game beyond the hosts’ reach.

Replacement hooker Leonel Oviedo joined the party with the Force’s fifth try as the Perth outfit recorded only their second win in 25 Super Rugby matches in New Zealand.

Late consolation tries to replacement half Melani Matavao and second-rower Jackson Garden-Bachop denied the Force a bonus point.

But the victory was otherwise the perfect start to a three-game road trip in NZ for Simon Cron’s side, with the Force to also face the Highlanders and Hurricanes before returning home.

While the Force were left to celebrate, Moana – who also suffered a 52-10 loss to the Hurricanes last week – have well and truly crashed back to earth after starting their season with a 40-26 win over Fijian Drua in Suva.

While, the Reds produced some razzle dazzle offence and a series of brave defensive plays to withstand the improved Highlanders 31-14 at Suncorp Stadium on Friday.

Victory was important for a Reds side fresh off a second-round bye that had followed a limp season-opening loss to the NSW Waratahs.

The Highlanders, who had beaten reigning champions the Crusaders in the first round, threw plenty at the Reds but the hosts were clinical at both ends.

The highlight came early when a Jock Campbell cut-out pass found Harry Wilson, who shovelled a no-look pass between his legs to Josh Flook.

Flook put boot to ball and Tim Ryan regathered and kicked ahead for new Reds captain Fraser McReight, who won the race to the ball.

The Reds led 12-0 and 19-7 before the Highlanders surged behind captain Timoci Tavatavanawai to bridge the gap to five points.

The hosts got creative though and Hunter Paisami played on quickly from a line-out that led to impressive second-rower Lukhan Salakaia-Loto bulldozing over for a deserved try.

Impressive backrower Vaiuta Latu then scooped up the crumbs from a Filipo Daugunu grubber for the match-sealer.

Te Kamaka Howden twice came close to stealing the bonus point off the Reds, but was firstly judged to have been held up over the line by Joe Brial and then spilt it as he reached for the chalk.

Centres Josh Flook and Hunter Paisami were able to straighten up the attack and find holes in the Highlanders’ defence.

Winger Tim Ryan was busy on both sides of the ball and was rewarded with a try while Jock Campbell had his dancing shoes on at fullback, routinely beating the first man.

Carter Gordon, in his Reds debut after returning to rugby from an NRL stint, mixed quality moments with unforced errors as he shakes off rust from some preseason leg niggles.

Western Force 35-19 Moana Pacifika

The scorers:

For Western Force:
Tries: Lancaster, Swain, Bridge, Tizzano, Oviedo.
Cons: Donaldson 5

For Moana Pasifika:
Tries: Sanerivi, Matavao, Craig
Cons: Pellegrini, Garden-Bachop

Moana Pasifika: 15 Glen Vaihu, 14 Tevita Ofa, 13 Lalomilo Lalomilo, 12 Ngani Laumape, 11 Solomon Alaimalo, 10 Patrick Pellegrini, 9 Jonathan Taumateine, 8 Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa, 7 Semisi Paea, 6 Miracle Faiilagi (captain), 5 Allan Craig, 4 Tom Savage, 3 Chris Apoua, 2 Millennium Sanerivi, 1 Tito Tuipulotu
Replacements: 16 Samiuela Moli, 17 Abraham Pole, 18 Lolani Faleiva, 19 Ola Tauelangi, 20 Tupou Afungia, 21 Melani Matavao, 22 Jackson Garden-Bachop, 23 Tevita Latu

Western Force: 15 Mac Grealy, 14 Darby Lancaster, 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 Nic Dolly, 1 Tom Robertson
Replacements: 16 Leonel Oviedo, 17 Sef Fa’agase, 18 Misinale Epenisa, 19 Lopeti Faifua, 20 Kane Koteka, 21 Agustin Moyano, 22 Max Burey, 23 Kurtley Beale

Referee: Paul Williams
Assistant referees: Angus Mabey, Michael Winter
TMO: Aaron Paterson

Queensland Reds 31-14 Highlanders

The scorers: 

For Queensland Reds:
Tries: McReight, Faessler, Ryan, Salakaia-Loto, Latu
Cons: Werchon 2, Campbell

For Highlanders:
Tries: Lennox, Casey
Cons: Millar 2

Reds: 15 Jock Campbell, 14 Lachie Anderson, 13 Josh Flook, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Tim Ryan, 10 Carter Gordon, 9 Louis Werchon, 8 Harry Wilson, 7 Fraser McReight (captain), 6 Joe Brial, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 4 Josh Canham, 3 Zane Nonggorr, 2 Matt Faessler, 1 Aidan Ross
Replacements: 16 Josh Nasser, 17 George Blake, 18 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 19 Hamish Muller, 20 Vaiuta Latu, 21 Kalani Thomas, 22 Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, 23 Filipo Daugunu

Highlanders: 15 Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, 14 Caleb Tangitau, 13 Jonah Lowe, 12 Timoci Tavatavanawai (co-captain), 11 Jona Nareki, 10 Cameron Millar, 9 Adam Lennox, 8 Lucas Casey, 7 Sean Withy (co-captain), 6 Te Kamaka Howden, 5 Mitch Dunshea, 4 Will Stodart, 3 Rohan Wingham, 2 Jack Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot
Replacements: 16 Soane Vikena, 17 Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18 Sosefo Kautai, 19 Oliver Haig, 20 Veveni Lasaqa, 21 Folau Fakatava, 22 Reesjan Pasitoa, 23 Tanielu Tele’a

Referee: Paul Williams
Assistant referees: Angus Mabey, Michael Winter
TMO: Aaron Paterson

Source: SuperRugby