The Western Force were brave but couldn’t handle the free-wheeling, ladder-leading Chiefs in front of a sell-out crowd in Tauranga, going down 56-22 in Friday night’s Anzac Weekend Round game.
The outstanding Harry Potter scored a double for the Force, who led twice in a seesawing first half before the Chiefs asserted their dominance after the break in their SMARTECH Super Rugby Pacific Round 11 game.
There were five lead changes in the first half with the Force crossing through Bayley Kuenzle, making it two tries in two games since returning from long-term injury, and Potter with a clever restart from Ben Donaldson.
Kaylum Boshier’s 34th minute try following a lengthy review afforded the Chiefs’ critical momentum heading into the second half. Chiefs scrum-half Cortez Ratima scored a second-half double as the hosts ran in five tries to one after the interval.
The Chiefs’ triumphed with eight tries to three to secure a bonus point victory, dominating metres gained (597-305) and clean breaks (13-5), constantly looking dangerous on attack.
The Force leave Tauranga without a point, ahead of next Friday’s visit to the Blues in Auckland which rounds out the side’s two-game New Zealand road trip.
The Force weren’t helped by the late withdrawals of captain Jeremy Williams and Atu Moli, with the visitors unable to gain their usual lineout advantage in the skipper’s absence.
Loosehead prop Fatongia Paea, who was a late in for Moli, and 20-year-old scrum-half Doug Philipson both debuted for the Force off the bench.
Force stand-in captain Sam Carter told Sky post-game: “We wanted to come over here and hunt together. We saw that in the first half. But when you come up against a good team like the Chiefs, you’ve got to do it for 80 minutes.”
The Chiefs got the first points from a Josh Jacomb penalty in the first minute, but the Force responded quickly following a Darcy Swain lineout steal, with Kuenzle dotting down the left.
Emoni Narawa put the Chiefs in front again with a try following a perfectly-weighted kick from Shaun Stevenson.
The Force, however, re-claimed the lead immediately with Donaldson taking a quick restart, catching the Chiefs napping with Potter swooping to score in the corner.
Donaldson put a penalty wide before Sio Tomkinson was binned for a foul play. The Chiefs capitalised, with 100-gamer Samisoni Taukei'aho scoring after a fortuitous bounce of Ratima’s shin following a lineout.
Donaldson slotted a penalty to square in up at 15-15 on the half hour, before Jacomb hit back with a three-pointer of his own.
Boshier stretched over to score, albeit after on-field referee James Doleman over-ruled the TMO’s initial decision, with the Chiefs leading 25-15 at the break.
The Chiefs came out firing at half-time, with prop Ollie Norris dotted, followed by Boshier releasing Ratima to score through the inside.
Potter replied in the 54th minute, collecting well and bursting clear after impressive scrum-half Henry Robertson's dribble kick in behind the defensive line.
But the Chiefs kept on finding ways to score with their backs dangerous in space, with Ratima, and winger Daniel Rona crossing, along with captain Luke Jacobson – from a rolling maul.
Force winger George Poolman thought he’d scored a late consolation but upon review it was deemed his foot was out of touch before grounding the ball in the corner.
Chiefs 56
Tries: Narawa (9’), Taukei'aho (20’), Boshier (34’), Norris (43’), Ratima 2x (45’, 58’), Jacobson (69’), Rona (76’)
Conversions: Jacomb 5/8
Penalties: Jacomb 2/2
Western Force 22
Tries: Kuenzle (4’), Potter 2x (10’, 54’)
Conversions: Donaldson 2/3
Penalties: Donaldson 1/2
@ Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
Western Force Match Report, Powered by Altrad
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