Western Force bounced back to return to the SMARTECH Super Rugby Pacific top six with a record-breaking 52-15 win over Fijian Drua at HBF Park on Sunday.
The bonus-point, Round 6 victory, was set up by a powerful forwards display and after three losses they jumped two spots on the ladder and into sixth.
Their eight tries equalled the most they have scored in Super Rugby and the 33 first-half points were the most scored in an opening 40-minutes.
The Force produced early points, scoring three tries in 12 minutes, adding two more before the Drua got onto the scoreboard at half-time
Hooker Nic Dolly scored a first-half hat-trick with one each coming from flanker Carlo Tizzano, his seventh of the season, and a fine individual effort from winger Harry Potter.
Tizzano added a second after the break, Potter also grabbed a double with a fine chip and chase and fly-half Ben Donaldson went over to finish with 17 points.
The Fijians put their only first-half points on the board on the siren through full-back Ilaisa Droasese and added two more tries from winger Taniela Rakuro and Etonia Waqa in the second-half.
The early points rush allowed the Force to seek space and use the ball, but they had to be wary of losing structure against a free-running Drua.
They kept their defensive contact, not allowing the Drua to isolate defenders, and put on plenty of pressure at the breakdown and at the line-out forcing the visitors into errors.
Donaldson had plenty of options, given time by a dominant pack both at the breakdown and set piece, allowing players around him to put in some big carries.
The Force made a perfect start after just two minutes.
Turning down three points in their first visit to the Drua 22-metres they headed to the line-out and mauled their way over with Dolly the beneficiary. Donaldson converted.
Five minutes later they went to the same weapon and this time it was Tizzano who went over for his seventh try of the season.
They were denied a third try when winger George Poolman, a late replacement for Dylan Pietsch who failed a fitness test on his knee, was pushed into touch as he dived over after a sweeping 60-metre handling move.
But Dolly was not denied his second after 12 minutes when he grabbed a Fijian overthrow at the back of a line-out to force his way over. Donaldson converted.
Potter then produced some wizardry, with some brilliant side-stepping, weaving his way on a 55-metre run to the line. Donaldson converted.
After Potter's dancing feet came the brute force of the forwards and yet again it was Dolly at the back of a rolling maul from a line-out. Donaldson added the extras.
The Drua finally got on the scoreboard on the siren, when a break-out was foiled by some great Force defence but a cross-kick bounced nicely for full-back Droasese.
The visitors were first to score after the break when Rakuro sliced through but the Force went out to a 30-point lead when the Force hit the line at pace through the centre and Tizzano followed up to drive over. Donaldson converted.
Waqa added a third for the Drua before Potter's second, converted by Donaldson, who then added his own five-pointer.
Western Force 52
Tries: Dolly (2',12', 35'), Tizzano (7', 45'), Potter (28', 67'), Donaldson (75')
Conversions: Donaldson 6/8
Penalties: Nil
Fijian Drua 15
Tries: Droasese (40'), Rakuro (42'), Waqa (56'),
Conversions: Muntz 0/3
Penalties: Nil
Crowd: 6,011 @ HBF Park
Western Force Match Report, Powered by Altrad
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