Western Force celebrated the start of their 20-year anniversary in dramatic style, snatching a 45-44 win over Moana Pasifika with a sensational after-the-siren try at HBF Park on Saturday.
They went 26 phases and 70-metres, with fly-half Ben Donaldson carving through the defence to sprint 50 of them, and score in the 84th minute of the opening round of the 2025 SMARTECH Super Rugby Pacific competition.
He iced the birthday cake with the conversion and brought the Sea of Blue to their feet.
The Force staged a fantastic comeback from 13 points down with 10 minutes to go.
Hero Donaldson battled an injury for almost 40 minutes after he rolled his ankle and looked like being forced off.
But he carried on and reaped the rewards, adding 15 points in a perfect kicking display.
Homegrown flanker Carlo Tizzano crashed over for a double from well-constructed line-out moves, fullback Mac Grealy and winger Dylan Pietsch both scored on their Force debuts. Another local product Marley Pearce added a five-pointer.
The game opened at a high tempo in searing temperatures and developed into a 51-point frenzy in the first 40 minutes.
Both sides spent the opening minutes testing each other with kicks.
There was good line speed from the Force, particularly the forwards to the breakdown, but a couple of penalties spoiled some good-looking attacks.
Pasifika winger Kyren Taumoefolau was on the end of a swift passing move to get first points on the board. William Havili converted.
Pasifika then found a gaping hole in defence and fly-half Jackson Garden Bachop went over. Converted by Havili.
Force fly-half Ben Donaldson finally put his side on the board with a penalty, but that was quickly wiped out by a Garden-Bachop drop-goal.
The Force closed the gap to seven points when Tizzano went over from a well-constructed line-out maul. Donaldson converted.
Then, after a good forward build up the ball was moved to Grealy who crossed wide. Donaldson converted.
Still the points flowed.
The visitors caught a lucky break when a kick bounced off Pearce into the hands of flanker Miracle Faillagi who fed Pepesana Patafilo to score. Havili converted.
Tizzano crashed over after an identical line-out move with three minutes of the half remaining. Donaldson converted to lock the game up at 24-all.
However, Havili added three more points on the whistle to give his side a lead at the break.
Despite the heat and fatigue setting the scoreboard kept rolling over in the second period.
Scrum-half Nic White launched a sensational 25-metre pass on the half-way line to a rampaging Pietsch in his first touch in Force blue.
He was caught short of the line but the forwards went to work and Pearce crashed over on 49 minutes.
Donaldson added the extras to give the Force the lead for the first time but Taumoefolau grabbed his second and the lead changed hands.
Pasifika then turned down two easy penalties and took two scrums in front of the posts with the Force pack under warning.
They were held up after the first and prop Tom Robertson was yellow-carded after the second.
Pearce returned from the bench, Grealy was sacrificed, and a 14-man Force were unable to hold back the Pasifika pack at the third attempt.
Tito Tuipulotu went over and it was not long before scrum-half Jonathan Tauamateine chased a chip to add more. Both converted.
The Force battled to the end with Reed Prinsep held up before Pietsch stepped his way through.
Donaldson converted to narrow the lead to six points before his dramatic solo effort.
Western Force 45
Tries: Tizzano (22', 36'), Grealy (26'), Pearce (49'), Pietsch (75) Donaldson (84')
Conversions: Donaldson 6/6
Penalties: Donaldson 1/1
Moana Pasifika 44
Tries: Taumoefolau (12',61), Garden-Bachop (16'), Patafilo (29'), Tuipulotu (70'), Tauateine (71')
Conversions: Havili 4/6
Penalties: 1/1
Drop goal: Garden-Bachop Field 1/1
Crowd: 5,328 @ HBF Park
Western Force Match Report, Powered by Altrad
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