If Super Round in Christchurch was a three-day, sold-out festival of rugby that will live long in the memory, the Force’s 20-17 win over the Waratahs was the disappointing after-party in Sydney.
The quality of rugby on display may have been poor, but the Force will not care; their finals hopes are still alive, while the Waratahs must now win in Dunedin against the Highlanders to have any chance of a top-six finish.
A heavyweight match-up between two former NSW Origin teammates, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Zac Lomax had been promised. The Ferrari was ready and revved up against the Australian muscle car and 10,096 fans had arrived to see it. Ultimately, both men were underutilised. Suaalii particularly only managed three carries all game, Lomax managed 10.
If right winger Lomax gets the majority of the headlines for the Force, it is Dylan Pietsch who provided the story of this game, scoring two tries in an outstanding performance. The Waratahs almost stole the game with a 74th-minute try from hooker Folau Faingaa, but a subsequent Teddy Wilson knock-on ended that brief and small hope.
The first 30 minutes of the game only yielded three points through a Ben Donaldson penalty. The Waratahs have admirably allowed juniors to attend their home games for free this season, but even they could feel short-changed by the action on the field. Both teams were wasteful with possession and attacking opportunities.
Before the game, the Waratahs held the unwanted record of just 27% of entries into the 22 leading to tries, making them the most inefficient team in attack in Super Rugby. After 12 minutes, the Waratahs had an early opportunity to take a kickable penalty, but turned it down. Ultimately, the ball was turned over by Force hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa.
The Waratahs were eventually rewarded for an extended period spent near the Force tryline with a try for five-eighth Lawson Creighton. The playmaker dummied and spun through attempted tackles from the Force to finally get his team on the scoreboard after 33 long and error-strewn minutes. Sid Harvey added a penalty to his earlier conversion to extend their lead.
Force winger Dylan Pietsch scored his third try in three games just before half-time, muscling past the Waratahs defence after 21 phases of patient play from the visitors to level the game at 10-all.
Pietsch spent three seasons at the Waratahs, but it’s in his last two years in Perth that he has established himself as an elite winger. Ten minutes into the second half, Pietsch had his second try, after a great offload from fullback Mac Grealy.
The Waratahs were forced to absorb wave after wave of Force pressure throughout the second half. A Donaldson penalty extended the Force’s lead to 10 points with 12 minutes left.
With five minutes left of the game in their first visit past the Force 22-metre line, the Waratahs scored a converted try through hooker Folau Fainga’a to give the chance of an unlikely win.
Watch every match of Super Rugby Pacific live and exclusive on Stan Sport.
