The Western Force have opened the 2024 Super Rugby Men’s U16 Championship with a thrilling 19-18 road victory over the ACT Brumbies on Sunday.
The Force triumphed by the finest of margins, hanging on at the end after ACT reserve Tyler McCudden’s last-minute try, with Tomas Jensen unable to take the conversion to put the hosts ahead.
From there, the Force regained the ball from their restart after Southern Lions lock Bareek Kleine-Deters Ausage’s intercept allowing Cottesloe full-back Ashton Williams to kick it out to seal victory in fine but breezy conditions at Viking Park.
The Force were led by an outstanding performance from the forward pack with Kalamunda front-rower and captain Dozion Laupama dotting twice.
In a tight and see-sawing contest, there were four lead changes throughout the 70-minute contest.
The Force went behind early, not helped by Rhymen Tusi’s fifth-minute yellow card, with Brumbies full-back Aidan Wunsch’s try opening up an 8-0 first-half lead.
But the visitors rallied with Laupama’s try right on half-time, before two second-half tries to claim an important win to kickstart their U16s campaign.
The Force’s forward power was critical to victory along with excellent scrambling defence when they came under Brumbies’ pressure.
Laupama’s try on half-time came from a pick and go after Joondalup Brothers hooker Ben Ridgewell went close.
The Force took the lead from a penalty try from another maul following a lineout after ACT’s Oscar Dossetor was binned for collapsing the maul and preventing a probable try.
Jensen’s power led to his 46th-minute try, enabling the Brumbies to regain the lead but Kalamunda front-rower Laupama restored the Force’s advantage in the 52nd minute.
Replacement fly-half Archie Elton improvised well after his conversion twice fell off the tee due to wind, slotting a critical drop-goal conversion for an 18-13 lead.
The Force repelled ACT’s pressure in the remaining 20 minutes but Jacob Scoon’s late yellow card for repeated high tackles created problems. ACT capitalized with McCudden scoring, after Jensen’s carry down the middle threatened.
But Jensen couldn’t convert and the Force held on from the resumption for a winning start to the campaign.
Western Force 19
Tries: Laupama 2 (35’, 52’), Penalty Try (39’)
Conversions: Williams 0/1, Elton 1/1
Penalties: Nil
ACT Brumbies 18
Tries: Wunsch (28’), Jensen (46’), McCudden (70’)
Conversions: Jensen 0/3
Penalties: Jensen 1/1
