Fantastic Force clinch much-needed bonus-point win away to Reds

Argentina international Franco Molina scored a hat-trick as the Western Force secured a much-needed 42-19 bonus-point win over the Queensland Reds at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.

The Force’s defence and discipline was outstanding, combined with attacking spark highlighted by a team total of 42 defenders beaten compared to Queensland’s 17, along with 514 metres gained and 180 carries.

The triumph was the Force’s first win in Queensland since Round 14 2017, snapping a six-game losing run away to the Reds.

Purchase tickets to our next home game on Saturday 18 April with a 7:55pm kick-off at HBF Park - Force vs Crusaders - tix from $28

Molina got the trio of tries but there were stand-out performances across the board, including scrum-half Henry Robertson with his control and fly-half Ben Donaldson with his creativity.  

Winger Darby Lancaster plus ex-Reds Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Mac Grealy also dotted as the Force scored six tries to three to secure a bonus point and move up to ninth on the Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific ladder.

The win snapped the Force’s three-game losing run, all defeats within 10 points or less. It was the second time from five games this season the Force has won after leading at half-time.

The Force led 21-12 at the break, following a seesawing first half, rallying after the Reds led 12-7 after 25 minutes with the next four tries of the game.

Force head coach Simon Cron said: “We’ve put 60-65 minute performances together but we needed to play for 80. I think the boys did that tonight.”

The Force will remain in Brisbane for the next few days before flying to Fiji to face the Drua in Lautoka from 12:35pm WST on Saturday.

The game was due to be new signing Zac Lomax's debut but he was a late withdrawal due to hamstring tightness, with the Force opting for a precautionary approach with him.

Lancaster was a spark early, with a brilliant take from Robertson’s box kick, before a line break, but it was Los Pumas lock Molina who opened the scoring with a smart finish from close.

The Reds replied in the 17^th minute with Hunter Paisani’s clever lay-off for Tim Ryan to burst through and score, before Queensland won a full-arm scrum penalty, allowing Kalani Thomas’ quick tap to set up Joe Brial for a 12-7 lead.

The Force re-claimed the lead after Donaldson’s line break allowed the forwards to go to work, as Molina forced it over for his second. Donaldson converted for a 14-12 lead.

Donaldson almost created another with an inventive chip, before Paenga-Amosa eased pressure down the other end with a steal on opposite rake Matt Faessler.

The Force found the next score with a brilliant running team try down the left edge, with stand-in captain Nick Champion de Crespigny combining with ex-Red Mac Grealy for a 21-12 half-time lead.

Paisami almost gave the Reds a perfect start to the second half with a break following Harry Wilson’s decoy line but the Force scramble defence kept them at bay.

Bayley Kuenzle also came close, but lost the ball over the try line, before the Force went 28-12 up from Donaldson’s inch-perfect kick under advantage for Lancaster to rise and dot in the corner. Lancaster landed awkwardly and was helped off the field.

Reds skipper Wilson was binned for a head-high tackle and the Force scored with their numerical advantage via Paenga-Amosa. Donaldson maintained his perfect record off the tee.

Bayley Kuenzle produced a critical turnover before Robertson thought he’d joined the try scoring list only to be denied by the TMO for a knock on in the scrum, before the Reds got one back through Filipo Daugunu.

But, with a bonus point at stake, Molina barged his way over in the 80^th minute to secure the full five points to cap an excellent evening for the men in blue, with Donaldson going six from six.

Queensland Reds 19

Tries: Ryan (17’), Brial (23’), Daugunu (76’)

Conversions: Campbell 1/2, McLaughlin-Phillips 1/1

Penalties: Nil

Western Force 42

Tries: Molina (12’, 32’, 80’), Grealy (39’), Lancaster (49’), Paenga-Amosa (58’)

Conversions: Donaldson 6/6

Penalties: Nil

Purchase tickets to our next home game on Saturday 18 April with a 7:55pm kick-off at HBF Park - Force vs Crusaders - tix from $28