Force Claim 'Slam' as Waratahs Nosedive
SYDNEY—The Western Force completed the Australian derby "slam" and sent the NSW Waratahs' finals hopes into a nosedive with a plucky 15-14 Super 14 victory at the Sydney Football Stadium on Saturday night.
The Force kept their own slim playoff hopes alive with a two-tries-to-one win which capped a 25-16 victory over the Brumbies in round three and a 39-7 mauling of Queensland two weeks ago.
The Waratahs now find themselves out of the top four with a 6-4 record ahead of a bye next week, which will deliver no points, and a tough tour of South Africa, where they now realistically need to win all three games.
The Force's win, in front of a disappointing 22,317 fans, was their first ever over the Waratahs since joining Super rugby in 2006.
"It's a great milestone for the club," Force coach John Mitchell said.
Down 9-3 at halftime, the Perth-based side created the better opportunities and were unlucky to be denied twice by the match officials before crossing twice in the second half through Cameron Shepherd and Scott Staniforth.
The Force appeared to be robbed by an over-zealous touch judge in just the 11th minute when Staniforth was ruled to have put a foot into touch as he kicked for Drew Mitchell to spectacularly regather and cross the line. Replays suggested otherwise.
Four minutes after halftime, Richard Brown crossed the line only to be called back for a forward pass from halfback Josh Valentine which also looked good.
The Force were third-time lucky in the 50th minute when, from a quick tap, Valentine deftly sent through a high-bouncing grubber which Shepherd regathered to dive over.
The Waratahs hit back within three minutes when controversial halfback selection Brett Sheehan set up a try with a wide pass to winger Lachie Turner, who popped a pass back for Will Caldwell to celebrate becoming NSW's most-capped lock.
Staniforth completed a slick backline move in the 66th minute and the Waratahs became the victims of their poor execution in 2009 with dropped balls in attacking positions from Dean Mumm, Kurtley Beale and, after the bell, Tatafu Polota-Nau.
Earlier, NSW five-eighth Daniel Halangahu had booted penalty goals in the 16th, 20th and 28th minutes as the home side went to the break with the steadier showing from their raids into opposition territory.
Bumbies Late Show Sees off Bulls
CANBERRA—Brumbies coach Andy Friend says his side must approach every match for the rest of the season as if it's a grand final after a dramatic Super 14 victory over the Bulls kept their season alive.
The Brumbies won a thrilling encounter at Canberra Stadium 32-31 on Friday, thanks to a try with less than three minutes remaining from flyhalf Christian Lealiifano.
In claiming victory, the Brumbies earned a much-needed bonus point, keeping their 2009 finals hopes alive.
"We definitely needed the win and to get the bonus point was literally that, it was a bonus for us," Friend said.
"If you keep winning you stay in the mix and that's what we've been talking about. Every game now becomes a bit of a grand final for us, we need to win to stay alive."
Mortlock, who shifted to the wing in a reworked Brumbies backline, was crucial to the win, kicking three conversions and two penalties, including the vital extras after Lealiifano's try to win the game.
With their season on the line, the Brumbies looked to spread the ball early and it paid dividends with the home side crossing the line in the fourth minute through a try to blindside flanker Mitchell Chapman.
The Bulls hit back almost immediately when Lealiifano attempted to spread the ball wide, only for it to land in the clutches of winger Bryan Habana, who raced 60 metres to score under the posts.
The Brumbies were in again five minutes later after outside centre Tyrone Smith, kicking from deep in his own half, found touch just five metres from the South African side's tryline.
Lock Peter Kimlin then crossed for a try after the hosts won the subsequent Bulls lineout.
Mortlock, on fire with the boot, again added the conversion, taking the score to 17-7.
But the Bulls weren't done, and responded by exposing the Brumbies defence out wide, giving fullback Zane Kirchner the space to cross the line for the visitors' second five-pointer.
Brumbies captain Stephen Hoiles then scored in the corner on the stroke of half-time to help the home side take a 22-17 lead following a pulsating first half and the drama continued right until the final whistle.
The Bulls took the lead for the first time in the match 20 minutes from full-time when centre Wynand Olivier crossed and Morne Steyn kicked the extras to take the score to 24-22.
The visitors then scored their fourth try with just over 10 minutes to go and looked like they would hold on for the win.
Mortlock kicked a penalty in the 72nd minute to cut the Bulls' lead back to six, ensuring a thrilling finish to the match, before kicking the winning points.
Mortlock said the Brumbies lost concentration for periods of the match, adding that it was something the team would look to address as they push for a finals berth.
"For long periods of time we defended really well, but for some reason we let it slip and let the opposition in for cheap points. In this tournament, you really can't afford to do that."
Super 14 Results and Standings-Round 10
BLUES 26 (Jimmy Gopperth, Taniela Moa, Joe Rokocoko, Isaia Toeava tries Gopperth 3 cons) bt HIGHLANDERS 6 (Matthew Berquist 2 pens) at Eden Park. Referee: Stuart Dickinson (AUS).
BRUMBIES 32 (Mitchell Chapman, Stephen Hoiles, Peter Kimlin, Christian Lealiifano tries Stirling Mortlock 3 cons 2 pens) bt BULLS 31 (Bryan Habana, Zane Kirchner, Wynand Olivier, Pierre Spies tries Morne Steyn 4 cons pen) at Canberra Stadium. Referee: Chris Pollock (NZL).
HURRICANES 34 (Ma'a Nonu 2, Tamati Ellison, Jeremy Thrush tries William Ripia 4 cons 2 pens) bt STORMERS 11 (Dylan Des Fountain try Peter Grant 2 pens) at Westpac Stadium. Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (RSA).
LIONS 31 (Henno Mentz 3, Ernst Joubert tries Andre Pretorius 4 cons pen) bt QUEENSLAND REDS 20 (Quade Cooper, Will Genia, Scott Higginbotham tries Berrick Barnes con pen) at Suncorp Stadium. Referee: Keith Brown (NZL).
WESTERN FORCE 15 (Cameron Shepherd, Scott Staniforth tries Matt Giteau con pen) bt NSW WARATAHS 14 (Will Caldwell try Daniel Halangahu 3 pens) at Sydney Football Stadium. Referee: James Leckie (AUS).
CHIEFS 28 (Michael Delany, Hikawera Elliott, Serge Lilo tries Delany, Stephen Donald cons Donald 3 pens) bt CHEETAHS 10 (Jongi Nokwe try Jacques-Louis Potgieter con pen) at ABSA Park. Referee: Nathan Pearce (AUS).
CRUSADERS 13 (Richard McCaw try Stephen Brett con pen Andrew Ellis drop goal) bt SHARKS 10 (Steven Sykes try Rory Kockott con pen) at ABSA Stadium. Referee: Mark Lawrence (RSA).
Super 14 Ladder P W D L PF PA PD BP Pts
- Chiefs 9 6 0 3 257 174 83 7 31
- Sharks 10 7 0 3 221 181 40 3 31
- Bulls 9 6 0 3 217 169 48 5 29
- Hurricanes 9 6 0 3 234 201 33 5 29
- Blues 9 5 0 4 260 241 19 8 28
- NSW Waratahs 10 6 0 4 169 157 12 4 28
- Brumbies 9 6 0 3 208 211 -3 3 27
- Crusaders 9 5 1 3 139 133 6 4 26
- Western Force 9 4 1 4 187 176 11 5 23
- Highlanders 9 4 0 5 178 168 10 6 22
- Lions 9 3 0 6 200 272 -72 7 19
- Stormers 9 2 0 7 150 164 -14 7 15
- Queensland Reds 9 2 0 7 174 235 -61 5 13
- Cheetahs 9 1 0 8 141 253 -112 3 7
Top point scorers (tries, conversions, field goals, penalty goals, points):
Morne Steyn (Bulls) 1 15 3 18 98
Rory Kockott (Sharks) 2 21 1 14 97
Stephen Donald (Chiefs) 1 24 - 11 86
Mark Gerrard (Brumbies) 3 6 1 14 72
Jimmy Gopperth (Blues) 2 18 - 8 70
Matt Giteau (Force) - 14 1 12 67
Andre Pretorius (Lions) - 14 3 8 61
Jacques-Louis Potgieter (Cheetahs) 1 12 - 10 59
Peter Grant (Stormers) 1 10 - 9 52
Stirling Mortlock (Brumbies) 3 10 - 5 50
Daniel Bowden (H'landers) 3 7 - 7 50
LEADING TRYSCORERS
6: JP Pietersen (Sharks), Henno Mentz (Lions), Sitiveni Sivivatu (Chiefs)
5: Isaia Toeava (Blues), Anthony Tuitavake (Blues), Pierre Spies (Bulls), Jaque Fourie (Lions), Joe Rokocoko (Blues)
4: Casey Laulala (Crusaders), Wynand Olivier (Bulls), Lachlan Turner (NSW Waratahs), Christian Lealiifano (Brumbies), Jongi Nokwe (Cheetahs), Ma'a Nonu (Hurricanes), Cameron Shepherd (Force), Lelia Masaga (Chiefs), Dwayne Sweeney (Chiefs), Digby Ioane (Reds)
