Harry Potter starred with a double as the Western Force opened their three-game South Africa tour with an impressive 38-24 victory over the Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
The Force scored four tries across the 80 minutes, racing to a 25-7 half-time lead with three first-half tries including midfielder Potter dotting twice before the break. Potter was also named as Player of the Match for his display.
Off-season signing Nic Dolly and back-rower Will Harris also scored tries as the Force secured a rare road win in cool conditions on Wednesday night at Toyota Stadium.
Harris’ 48th-minute try settled the Force after the Cheetahs had immediately applied pressure after the break with Michael Annies scoring followed by mounting possession.
The Cheetahs did manage four tries for the game, including a late consolation, but the Force were good value for the win, with four penalties – two each from Max Burey and Coby Miln – underlining the territory advantage.
The Force were dominant from lineouts, but sometimes shaky at the scrum. However, the visitors looked good with ball in hand, led by playmakers Burey and Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, while replacement fly-half Miln impressed in the second half, almost scoring only to be denied by a forward pass in the build-up.
The road victory is the perfect start to the Force’s three-game tour, with the side next up against Emerging Ireland from 7pm WST on Sunday live on Stan Sport.
Force captain Reed Prinsep told SuperSport: “Really proud of the efforts of the boys. I thought we set it up in the first half.
“Second half the Cheetahs came back out, scored first and put us under pressure but our ability to overcome that was something I’m really proud of.”
Potter opened the scoring in the fourth minute after racing on to a clever chip from Burey into the 22, with the fly-half converting for a 7-0 lead.
Will Harris was binned for 10 minutes for a cynical foul and the Cheetahs eventually capitalised on their numerical advantage with Gideon van der Merwe scoring after Munier Hartzenberg’s carry to square it up in the 17th minute.
Burey’s 40m penalty restored the Force’s lead, before hooker Dolly got on the back of a rolling maul from a 10m lineout to make it 15-7.
New signing Sio Tomkinson produced a stellar offload to set free Potter for his second try down the middle in the 38th minute. Burey’s penalty on half-time, after Corne Fourie’s yellow card, meant the Force led by 18 points at the break.
But the Cheetahs came out of the blocks in the second 40 with fire, as Annies burst clear to score. The Force, though, steadied with Burey’s 50-22 setting up possession within range and Harris scored after outstanding newcomer Nick Champion de Crespigny came close.
The cavalry arrived for the Force in the second half, with Wallabies lock Darcy Swain donning the blue for the first time.
Potter kept up his outstanding game with a try-saving tackle on Jooste Nel, holding him up as his body crossed the line in the 53rd minute.
The Cheetahs eventually scored from Carl Wegner before Miln executed a crucial ankle-tap to thwart the rampaging Annies.
Impressive replacement Miln then produced a classy 50-22 and looked to have scored, only for his try to be disallowed for a Henry Robertson forward pass.
Miln then slotted two penalties, the latter from range, to open up a 38-17 lead, before Vernon Paulo’s consolation converted try.
Western Force 38
Tries: Potter 2 (4’, 37’), Dolly (31’), Harris (47’)
Conversions: Burey 3/4
Penalties: Burey 2/2, Miln 2/2
Toyota Cheetahs 24
Tries: van der Merwe (16’), Annies (43’), Wegner (63'), Paulo (80’)
Conversions: Wentzel 1/3, Loubser 1/1
Penalties: Nil
