Western Force opened their Buildcorp Super Rugby Women's campaign with an impressive 36-12 bonus-point win over Melbourne Rebels at HBF Park on Friday.
The Force ran in six tries with Academy product, winger Rosie McGehan, scoring two on debut, fellow winger Haylee Hifo, centre Sheree Hume - both also on debut - full-back Aiysha Wigley, and reserve Saelua Leaula all added five-pointers.
The Rebels crossed twice through Chanelle Kohika-Skipper and Cassie Siataga.
Force coach Dylan Parsons named 11 debutants in his 23-player squad, seven of them in the starting line-up.
"To come away Round 1 with a bonus point win is exactly how we wanted to start," Parsons said.
"Lots of learnings to take from it but the bonus point tops it off. Pretty happy with that.
"The tournament's a sprint. To get those bonus points is really crucial at the end of the competition.
"To set a marker around that just puts us a little space ahead and puts us in a position to take advantage of the next rounds coming."
Both sides probed early with strong salvos, some enterprising play and looking to maintain possession and pressure with ball in hand.
The Force looked to punch through the middle where scrum-half Samantha Wood, who had an outstanding game, was particularly dangerous when she sniped around the ruck.
There was plenty of midfield play but when the Rebels looked to go wide they were met with some stern defence from the home side.
The Force depth was crucial when Parsons went to his bench - known as the "impact squad" - as fatigue set in and they went in search of the bonus point.
Their set piece was solid, particularly the line-out, and turning down three points to opt for a line-out led to their first try as they spread the ball wide to Wigley who crossed on 11 minutes.
From one of their few kicks in the first-half the Force were able to mount a period of sustained pressure and on 27 minutes McGehan scored her first, Wood converted.
Two minutes before the break a strong tackle by Force flanker Anneka Stephens saw the ball pop up and seized by Hifo who raced 40 metres to score. Wood converted.
The Rebels hit back either side of the break.
Two minutes after the siren the Kohika-Skipper forced her way over after the Force were marched 10 metres for backchat, Cassie Siataga converted, to cut the Force lead to 12 points (19-7).
The Rebels edged closer three minutes after the restart when hooker Jayme Nuku crashed over. Unconverted.
Soon after, the Force turned down another three points, took the line-out where the forwards went to work, before a smart Wood pass put McGehan over for her second in the corner.
With the Rebels reduced to 14 after a yellow card to Sydney Niupulusu, Hume increased the Force lead, picking up a neat pass from McGehan. Unconverted.
The home side rounded off a fine performance when reserve Leaula crashed over on the final siren, Wood converted.
Western Force 36
Tries: Wigley (11'), McGehan (27', 48'), Hifo (38'), Hume (67'), Leaula (80)
Conversions: Wood (3)
Penalties: Nil
Melbourne Rebels 12
Tries: Skipper (40+2') Nuku (43)
Conversions: Siataga (1)
Penalties: Nil
