Force fall to Rebels in high-scoring Super Round encounter

Western Force slipped to their second Super Rugby Pacific defeat, beaten 48-34 by the Melbourne Rebels in the Super Round at AAMI Park on Friday night.

They were hit by a second-half barrage from the Rebels who were down by 15 points at the 50-minute mark before running in 29 unanswered points.

Both teams were looking to rebound after first round losses and the Force went into the break with a five-point lead.

The Force opened up a 34-19 lead after Michael Wells' try early in the second half, but let in four tries in the next 10 minutes as the Rebels ran away with victory.

The result leaves the Force 0-2 ahead of their Round 3 clash away to the ACT Brumbies in Canberra next Saturday.

The Force were boosted by the return of captain Jeremy Williams while prop Ryan Coxon, the former Crusaders and Chiefs front-rower signed on an injury cover contract, was rushed straight into the starting side.

But their front-row woes continued when he was taken off on a stretcher after suffering a neck injury in a second-half tackle. He was later seen sitting on the bench.

Force scrum-half Nic White said the side could not wait to right the wrongs of last week, adding it would be a good party to crash. But they were not to be party-poopers.

The Force defence was tested early but scrambled well. Their pack was giving away almost 50kg to the Rebels who put them under early pressure but the Force were superior at the line-out and Williams stole two throws to launch their first multi-phase attack.

But they could not finish and Rebels winger Andrew Kellaway made the most of an error on eight minutes with an arcing 50-metre run to score. The Force hit straight back as they gained momentum.

A line-out win saw the ball moved across the backline where fly-half Ben Donaldson made a great break to feed Chase Tiatia in the corner. Donaldson converted.

And they stretched the lead after yet another line-out win, on their own throw, and a well organised rolling maul saw hooker Tom Horton force his way over. Donaldson converted.

Rebels second-rower Josh Canham was yellow carded at the maul.

After a tit-for-tat kicking duel, Harry Potter claimed his own high ball to get his side back on attack with an infringement giving Donaldson the chance to add a penalty.

Potter then made a sensational break but his pass to full-back Max Burey was ruled forward and his "try" ruled out.

At the other end desperate last-ditch defence from White saved what should have been a certain try but he could not stop Rebels No.10 Carter Gordon crossing five minutes before the break.

Again, the Force hit back, and with two minutes of the first-half remaining Burey broke two tackles to reach out and score. Donaldson converted.

As the clock went deep into the red the Rebels had repeated scrums and penalties on the Force line and finally winger Kellaway got on the outside of the defence to cross with Gordon's conversion closing the gap to 24-19 as the whistle went for the break.

Donaldson opened the second-half scoring with an early penalty and a frantic period of end-to-end, side-side play saw flanker Michael Wells go over in the corner. Donaldson added the extras.

But the Rebels crossed four times through Josh Kemeny, Gordon, and two from winger Filipo Daugunu - three converted. Strachan also added a penalty.

Western Force 34

Tries: Tiatia (10'), Horton (15'), Burey (38'), Wells (48')

Conversions: Donaldson 4/4

Penalties: Donaldson 2/2

Melbourne Rebels 48

Tries: Kellaway (8', 48), Gordon (35', 56'), Kemeny (54'), Daugunu (58', 73')

Conversions: Gordon 2/4, Strachan 3/3

Penalties: Strachan 1/1