Often overlooked, the Western Force produce a statement win in Super Rugby
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The Perth-based Western Force produced one of the upsets of the Super Rugby season when they beat the Queensland Reds 42-19 in the weekend’s shortened eighth round. The Force, based on Australia’s west coast, are the most remote and often the least acknowledged of Australia’s four teams and wins over its east coast rivals have been rare. Saturday’s win was an inflection point in an inconsistent season.
The Force began the season with losses at home to the ACT Brumbies and the Auckland-based Blues, had an away win over Moana Pasifika before a run of narrow losses to New Zealand teams the Highlanders, Hurricanes and Chiefs. With a win on Saturday, they move up to ninth place on the table, still 10 points behind the sixth-placed Reds. The win still provides an affirmation that they may be on the right track.
“It keeps our fire going inside of us,” Force captain Nick Champion de Crespigny said. “We’ve got that belief of where we want to go. We want to be the first team from the Force to be in the finals.
That’s our objective. ” “We’ve been in a lot of games and haven’t been able to seal it out. Key moments kept letting them back in.
We wanted (Saturday) to have the complete performance. ” No Lomax The match against the Reds was expected to be the first for the Force by former rugby league star Zac Lomax but he was pulled from the teamsheet at the last moment. “Sorry about that,” coach Simon Cron said.