On this day, 19 years ago in 2006, the Western Force played their first-ever Super Rugby game with 37,037 fans turning out at a sold-out Subiaco Oval to witness the historic occasion.
Foundation captain Nathan Sharpe led out the Force line-up that included Brendan Cannon, Matt Hodgson, Matt Henjak and Scott Staniforth among others.
They were greeted by a standing ovation and warm welcome from a Sea of Blue.
But it was the opposition, the ACT Brumbies, who struck first with Mark Chisholm intercepting a Matt Henjak pass to race clear to score.
Scott Daruda made Force history with the Club’s first-ever Super Rugby points with a penalty on the half hour.
Down 8-3 five minutes into the second half, the Force had their magical moment with the Club’s first-ever try which saw the Sea of Blue erupt.
Henjak moved play left on the halfway mark with full-back James Hilgendorf’s line break setting clear Digby Ioane, who kept it alive with a pass to Hodgson.
Hodgson flicked it to the supporting Henjak who went inside to set free Scott Fava who galloped ahead from the 22, with tongue out, to score the Force’s first try.
Daruda added the extras for a 10-8 lead, but the Brumbies found another gear to ruin the fairytale.
The Force weren’t helped by injuries to Josh Graham and Lachlan MacKay, as the Brumbies seized control with Stephen Larkham’s cut-out pass leading to Joel Wilson dotting.
Four minutes later, future Force star Matt Giteau finished off a move combining with Larkham and Stirling Mortlock.
