Western Force's finals hopes have been dealt a blow after their 33-14 loss to leading Australian side the Brumbies in Saturday's Round 13 SMARTECH Super Rugby Pacific clash at HBF Park.
In their 20th anniversary game in front of more than 50 ex-players and staff the Force were left in ninth spot, four points out of the top six with two games remaining.
Force coach Simon Cron was forced into a late change when star flanker and Super Rugby top try scorer Carlo Tizzano was ruled out after failing to recover from a pectoral injury picked up in the previous game.
He was replaced by another homegrown player Kane Koteka who scored the Force's first five-pointer in his second start of the season.
Koteka's try was the game's opener, but the Brumbies hit back with the next three either side of half-time, before Mac Grealy's response to make it a converted try the difference, only for the visitors to pull away late.
Cron had called for focus and urgency in the opening minutes of the game.
The Brumbies punched hard through the middle but were met with solid defence from the Force showing great line speed.
They were awarded a couple of early penalties but failed to take advantage and after the initial assault went into a kicking duel with the home side.
In a game of attrition, the Brumbies had 68 per cent of possession and by the end of the game the Force had made 299 tackles - 219 more than the Brumbies.
But it was the Force who scored first.
After a ruck on the Force line Wallabies playmaker Noah Lolesio twisted awkwardly and was stretchered from the field.
Following a long delay the Force forwards went to work from a line-out and Koteka went over. Donaldson converted.
The Brumbies responded and after 11 phases centre Len Ikitau found a gap. Declan Meredith, who came on for Lolesio, added the extras.
Both sides were guilty of mistakes in a disjointed game and it was a Force line-out error that eventually saw the ball swung wide and Corey Toole trotted over. Meredith converted on the half-time siren.
After the break the Force needed to rule out errors, keep more ball in hand, stay patient and connected at the breakdown.
They needed to find rhythm and cohesion and had a couple of early chances spoiled by mistakes.
The Force went a player down when Nick Champion de Crespigny was yellow-carded with the side on a team warning for repeated penalties.
The Brumbies continued to play a narrow game, battered the Force defence and finally the dam wall broke with Tom Hooper judged to have touched the line with the ball. Meredith converted.
The Force hit back and after some swift, clever hands Mac Grealy went over in the corner.
Donaldson added the extras from the touchline but the Force again slipped 14 points behind, unable to stop reserve Ollie Sapsford crossing. Meredith converted.
The visitors scored their bonus point try that saw them move into second place when Liam Bowron went over.
The Force are next in action away to the Fijian Drua in Lautoka on Saturday from 11:30am WST live on Stan Sport. The team flies out on Monday.
Western Force 14
Tries: Koteka (21’), Grealy (66')
Conversions: Donaldson 2/2
Penalties: Nil
Brumbies 33
Tries: Ikitau (27’), Toole (40'), Hooper (63'), Sapsford (70'), Bowron (80')
Conversions: Meredith 4/5
Penalties: Nil
Crowd: 8,153 @ HBF Park
Western Force Match Report, Powered by Altrad
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