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As the West held on for its last hopes, Simon Cron’s men absolutely decimated the Waratahs with a 27-7 win in Perth on Saturday night.
Despite conceding an early try, the Force scored 27 straight points and caused little trouble against a scrappy Waratahs side.
The win came courtesy of Ben Donaldson’s starring role in the first half, with the former Waratahs playmaker returning to torment his old side.
The incumbent Wallabies fly-half scored 17 points, including his side’s second try to open the game and score midway through the second half when he fired off Will Harris.
“I don’t know what he’s eating for breakfast, so I might have to eat that,” said roommate and troop leader Jeremy Williams.
Ben Donaldson scored a try and scored 17 points in the Force’s win over the Waratahs at HBF Park on 18 May 2024. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
His excellent performance came behind a forward pack that gained complete dominance in the scrum.
In fact, the Force won on penalty count 15-9 after replacement tighthead prop Bradley Amituanai was shown a yellow card shortly after coming on the field for Waratah debutant and Argentina international Enrique Pieretto in the 65th minute.
But it wasn’t just the Waratahs’ poor discipline that ruined their chances, as the visitors were guilty of turning the ball over 18 times.
Waratahs coach Darren Coleman could only sit back in his chair and pat his head as he witnessed his team’s 10th defeat of the year which left them bottom of the standings.
“I thought the force was good and we put a lot of heat into the breakdown,” Waratahs captain Jake Gordon said after completing his 100th Super Rugby game.
“We were not clinical at all. There’s just not enough time for us to turn the ball over in the first and second phases.”
The game started quickly, with three successful attempts in the first 20 minutes, before the game devolved into a forgettable, error-riddled second half as both teams struggled to progress from set pieces.
Despite the Force’s scrum having a clear advantage, both hookers struggled to throw and both sides turned the ball over regularly.
However, with the home side’s backline clicking once the game started, it was the Force who showed plenty in the first half and took the bull by the horns.
After Mark Nawaqanitawase scored his first try of the year after seven minutes, the Force responded quickly through Bayley Kuenzle with the versatile back finishing off neat work from Donaldson and Beale.
Donaldson gave the Force the lead in the 17th minute and scored on a nice pass exchange between Izack Rodda and Harris.
Coleman was sent to the bench early by introducing hard-running Langi Gleeson at a pricey price for Miles Amatosero, but the move did not result in a point.
Donaldson then scored a penalty kick at halftime to extend the home side’s lead to 13 points.
The Waratahs put together more than a dozen phases to start the second half, but the visitors barely got a shot on target as the Force’s defensive line held firm.
It was the only time the Waratahs were able to find continuity in the second half. Because the longer the first half of the season went on, the more it exploded in smoke.
After wasting several chances, Reed Princep eventually scored for the Force in the 69th minute, giving the home side a chance to secure a bonus point victory.
Kuenzle came close to scoring his second with a stroke at full time, but the outside center failed to ground the ball.
Nonetheless, the win brought the Force into line with eighth-placed Drua, who had previously beaten the Reds in Suva and put pressure on the seventh-placed Highlanders.
That means the Force (19) trail Drois (21) by two points and the Highlanders by two points ahead of the final two games of the regular season.
The Force conclude the regular season by taking on the Reds in Brisbane before hosting the Brumbies.
Next week Drua travel to Dunedin to face the Highlanders.
