Waratahs crash to shock Super Rugby loss at Western Force
Last Updated: 09/05/15 2:07pm
The struggling Western Force completed a season double over the Waratahs after grounding out an 18-11 win in Perth.
The Force’s only previous win of the Super Rugby season had come on the first day and against the same opposition, but tries in either half from Ryan Louwrens and Matt Hodgson were enough to end a run of 10 straight defeats.
Taqele Naiyaravoro scored the visitors' only try while both teams' kickers were inconsistent throughout, though the Force's Luke Burton managed eight points and Bernard Foley had six for the Waratahs.
After a low-key opening 10 minutes, both Marcel Brache and Burton missed penalties for Western Force as the score remained blank.
Force fly-half Sias Ebersohn had been off for concussion testing following the first penalty but, immediately upon his return, his team won possession and Louwrens scored the opening try.
Burton converted but Foley cut the gap to a point with two penalties.
Burton responded in kind, finding the target either side of a yellow card to Tahs prop Sekope Kepu for a ruck offence, and it was 13-6 at half-time.
Foley missed a penalty shortly after the interval, a costly miss in what would be a low-scoring second half.
It looked as though the game may swing the Waratahs' way when Burton was similarly off target and Naiyaravoro, having initially fumbled the ball when it came to him, recovered and barrelled through four tackles to score.
Foley's missed conversion meant the Waratahs still trailed 13-11, but the Force hit back 10 minutes later when Hodgson touched down from a rolling maul.
Burton missed the conversion and the hosts had to play out much of the closing stages with 14 men after Hodgson was sin-binned, but they held firm for a rare victory.
