The Western Force produced an almighty second-half rally from a 12-point deficit only to fall short in a Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific thriller 24-22 to the Fijian Drua in Lautoka on Saturday.
The Force scored three second-half tries from Dylan Pietsch, Jeremy Williams and Will Harris, but couldn’t find the go-ahead points at the death with the Drua reduced to 14 men in the final 10.
Ben Donaldson missed a tough 78th minute penalty kick from 50m to snatch the lead, while the Force’s final thrust following the siren – after Williams’ steal - came unstuck after losing the 30m lineout.
The Force had earlier scored first, only for the Drua to discover their signature Fijian free-flowing rugby for a 19-7 lead after three tries. But the visitors rallied with a stellar back 40, only to fall short.
The game, played in fine but humid conditions with Tropical Cyclone Vaianu having passed through Fiji in midweek, could’ve gone either way with the Force unable to take late opportunities with a numerical advantage.
Both sides finished with four tries each, with the Force having marginally more possession, with 125 to 101 carries only for the Drua to have more metres gained at 599 to 538. There was little between the sides in the key statistics.
Williams was a standout for the Force, offering attacking threat with one try, one offload and three defenders beaten for 26 metres gained, plus defensive strength with two turnovers won and a lineout steal.
Former All Blacks back George Bridge never stopped on the wing, with 74 metres gained, three offloads and a try assist, while back-rower Will Harris – who replaced the injured Jack Daly in the first half – was industrious, winning two turnovers and adding a try.
New signing Zac Lomax, who came on for his Super Rugby debut on the hour, played a role in Harris’ try to make it 24-22 with a burst out of defence, linking up with Kurtley Beale and Donaldson on a swift counter.
Force skipper Williams said: “Really tough game. Really physical game. I thought we did really well with our set piece. We put ourselves in an opportunity to win it. We nail a few other things, we could’ve won that game.”
The Force remain winless from three visits to Fiji but go home with a bonus point for getting within seven points. The result sees the Drua move past the Force into ninth spot. The Force are 10th on 10 points.
The WA side are next in action against the Crusaders on Saturday 18 April from 7:55pm at HBF Park, with tickets on sale now via Ticketmaster for the Party At The Park.
The Force scored first after an exceptional rebound started by Mac Grealy and Vaiolini Ekuasi which led to a yellow to Drua back-rower Etonia Waqa. From that, Tongan tighthead Misinale Epenisa powered over after Franco Molina came close. Donaldson converted for a 7-0 lead.
The visitors showed defensive resolve under Drua pressure, with a Brandon Paenga-Amosa jackal attempt leading to a penalty win. But the Fijians would score in the 20th minute with a pick-and-go from prop Penaia Cakobau, with the Force defence unable to hold him up.
The Force showed more attacking threat from a scrum set-play only for Harris to knock on under an Issak Fines-Leleiwasa tackle. Paenga-Amosa came close to the line twice without success as the maul pushed the Force forward.
On the half-hour mark suddenly the home side got on top, playing their trademark style, with fly-half Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula dotting from a turnover after Isikeli Rabitu launched a counter.
Drua full-back Rapitu made it 19-7 in the 33rd minute with a try down the left edge after the Fijian backs combined again in another free-flowing move.
Epenisa and Ekuasi both came close to tries early in the second half as the Force mounted a rally, with Pietsch – in his second game back from a foot injury - eventually dotting in the right corner from a long Bayley Kuenzle cut-out pass.
The margin was cut to two when Williams scored, as Kurtley Beale spread play to the left with the captain linking up with Bridge for 19-17.
Lomax was introduced on the hour but after the drinks break Drua debutant Isikeli Basiyalo gave them breathing space with a runaway try from Beale’s pass. Armstrong-Ravula missed the extras, keeping the margin within a converted try.
The Force launched a brilliant break from its tryline, with Lomax linking up with Bridge and Donaldson. That led to Ilaisa Droasese’s cynical tackle on Donaldson and a yellow, with Harris eventually getting over from a lineout maul. Beale couldn’t convert to square it up.
In the 76th minute, Harry Johnson-Holmes produced a huge jackal to start another thrust, but Donaldson couldn’t take a long-range penalty with his kick fading wide.
The Force launched a late push for a game-winner after Williams’ seal and Donaldson’s kick upfield but turned over its own lineout to end the game.
Fijian Drua 24
Tries: Cakobau (20’), Armstrong-Ravula (28’), Rapitu (34’), Basiyalo (61’)
Conversions: Armstrong-Ravula 2/4
Penalties: Nil
Western Force 22
Tries: Epenisa (10’), Pietsch (47’), Williams (58’), Harris (70’)
Conversions: Donaldson 1/3, Beale 0/1
Penalties: Donaldson 0/1
@ Churchill Park, Lautoka
