The Western Force have clinched third spot and an away trip to Fiji in the Buildcorp Super Rugby Women’s semi-finals after a 38-36 victory over the ACT Brumbies at Viking Park on Saturday.
The Force entered the game with their Club-first semi-finals spot locked in, but facing three possible scenarios, potentially finishing as high as second or as low as fourth.
A bonus-point victory would’ve put the Force in with a shot at second spot and a home semi-final – pending the Fijian Drua-Melbourne Rebels result later on Saturday – but fell marginally short thanks to ACT full-back Ashlea Bishop’s late try in an entertaining clash. For the timebeing the Force are level on points with the Drua, but cannot finish higher due to head-to-head record.
The Force triumphed in a six-tries-to-five epic, where the visitors raced to an early 17-0 lead only for the Brumbies to rally back and lead 24-17 at half-time.
Hooker Hera-Barb Malcolm Heke scored a first-half double, while her replacement, Canadian international Sara Cline, also dotted twice. ACT hooker Tania Naden also scored three tries.
The Force’s clear avenue to the try-line was via rolling maul from line-outs, utilising the set-play effectively numerous times, while half-backs Sammy Wood and Nicole Ledington pulled the strings.
The WA side raced to a 17-0 lead inside the opening 16 minutes, started by Malcolm Heke who barged over on the back of a rolling maul.
The Kalamunda stalwart, elevated back into the starting XV, added a second in the 13th minute from another rolling maul, after Ledington’s line break initiated the move, before winning a penalty. Wood converted for a 12-0 lead.
It was one-way traffic and soon 17-0 after the Force turned defence into attack led by back-rower Lucy Dinnen, who gathered brilliantly after a clever improvised soccer, offloading for makeshift winger Brooklyn Teki-Joyce to use her pace to score.
But the home side rallied, firstly with fly-half Faitala Moleka’s 20th minute penalty goal, as the Brumbies started to demand more possession while the Force made errors and gave away penalties.
In-form Naden crossed under the sticks despite 10-plus phases of strong Force defence. Moleka’s conversion made it 17-10.
Full-back Renae Nona made a good tackle to deny Biola Dawa with the try-line in sight but scores were level in the 30th minute after Alapeta Ngauamo was yellow carded for a dangerous tackle at a 5m defensive lineout, with Naden dotting on the next opportunity from a rolling maul. Moleka converted.
The Brumbies took the lead into half-time after Tabua Tuinakauvadra’s break, with the Force knocking on at a defensive line-out, leading to Sally Fuesaina scoring. Moleka added the extras for a 24-17 lead at the interval.
The second half turned into a see-sawing battle, with Teki-Joyce making a critical defensive steal after Siokapesi Palu’s line break.
The Force squared the game up in the 55th minute with the injection of Cline from the Impact Squad, with the Canadian hooker crossing on the back of a maul with Wood adding the extras.
Brumbies scrum-half Kolora Lomani was yellow car for a hair pull on Teki-Joyce and the visitors capitalized on their numerical advantage with Ngauamo scoring with a pick and go. Wood converted for a 31-24 lead.
ACT replied immediately after a Force mix-up from the kick-off with Naden scoring her third after Palu barged her way through. The Force stayed ahead after Moleka missed the conversion.
Cline scored the seventh try for a hooker in the game, crossing patiently on the back of a rolling maul with Wood converting to open up a bonus-point lead.
Anneka Stephens launched a big run as the Force chased another but the Brumbies cut the gap with Ashlea Bishop picking off Force debutant Georgia Cormick’s pass for a 90m converted try.
After ACT bobbled Ledington’s kick-off out, the Force closed out the game, settling for the win and third spot.
Brumbies 36
Tries: Naden (23’, 29’, 62’), Fuesaina (38’), Bishop (77’)
Conversions: Moleka (4/5)
Penalties: Moleka (1/1)
Force 38
Tries: Malcolm-Heke (3’, 13’), Teki-Joyce (16’), Cline (55’, 67’), Ngauamo (58’)
Conversions: Wood (4/6)
Penalties: Nil
