In a match where the Western Force had to have everything go their way, they were rocked when scrumhalf Ian Prior received a red card in the 29th minute.
They fought bravely in a stirring comeback but it was a bridge too far.
Chiefs 35 – Western Force 27
The Chiefs chose this game to rest several of their All Blacks, as prescribed by the NZRFU.
The Force were heading to equal their worst-ever run of nine losses in a row, but they had high hopes of an upset because their iconic captain, Matt Hodgson, was returning from injury. Were that not enough loosehead prop, Pek Cowan, was running on for his 100th cap for the Force, and surely the boys would lift for him.
First Half
After the teams swapped penalties lock Adam Coleman burst through tackles before off-loading sweetly to 14 Luke Morahan. The ball was switched to the other side where Morahan popped up again; 8 Ben McCalman took the ball to the posts and when it was whipped wide 6 Angus Cottrell scored. 12 Luke Burton’s conversion attempt hit the post and the Force was leading 8-3 at 15 minutes.
Despite some ropey lineouts the Force was looking in control of the game.
New first-five, Marty McKenzie, kicked a penalty for the Tribe, then they went on one of their trademark runs from a ruck 60 metres out. After several pairs of hands 9 Brad Weber dished inside to 13 Charlie Ngatai to score under the posts.
It was champagne rugby and after the extras the Chiefs led 13-8 at 20 minutes.
Soon after McKenzie kicked another penalty and it was clear that the vibe of the game was with them now: 16-8.
The Force had another promising raid near the Tribe’s goal line repelled, and this was followed by 9 Ian Prior being deservedly red-carded for a tip tackle on Nanai-Williams. The Force would have to play 51 minutes with 14 men.
At the next scrum the Force brought on debut scrumhalf Ryan Louwrens to replace Cottrell, which meant that wingers Morahan or Nick Cummins had to play flanker in Force scrums and hope for the best on the Chiefs’ feed.
They managed to keep the Chiefs out for a while as they got white-line fever, but a midfield maul got the home team a try between the posts through Hika Elliot, just before the break.
At half-time things looked ominous for the Force as the Chiefs led 23-8
Hika Elliot – scored just before the break
Second Half
Matters looked worse for the Force after half-time when the Chiefs got a scrum 20 metres out and pushed a seven man unit to near the Force 5-metre line before it unravelled. They were rewarded with a penalty try, first time. 30-8 at 47 minutes. (See top image)
The visitors dodged a bullet after another scrum two minutes later when the Chiefs tap-kicked a penalty but they dropped the ball ten metres out.
But the vibe of the game turned and when 15 Dane Haylett-Petty picked up a ball spilled by the Chiefs in his own 22, he launched one of the best tries of the season, scored by Morahan. The ball went through seven sets of hands—six actually, because Godwin handled twice. No conversion was goaled and the Chiefs led 30-15 at 57 minutes.
As the Force lifted the Chiefs lost their shape; they got offside after a bomb in their own half and the Force drove a maul over the line for Hodgson to score a try for Burton to convert.
Crikey, there were 17 minutes to go and the score was 30-22 to the Chiefs. Both sides had scored three tries and the Force, with 14 men, so far had a second half shift of 14-7 over the Chiefs.
But three minutes later Nanai-Williams spoiled the party with a typical jack-in-the-box pinball run when he seemed to out-number five defenders to score. Twelve minutes left: 35-22
With time running out a Force lineout drive didn’t work, but when the ball came back to the same spot, reserve Heath Tessman went over for the bonus point try. The conversion would earn a second bonus point, but it missed.
Final score: Chiefs 35 – Force 27.
Tim Nanai Williams – man of the match
The Wrap Up
The Chiefs had a man advantage for more than 50 minutes over a team with the worst record in Super Rugby when they played with 15 men—yet the Force made them win ugly. The Tribe missed the guiding hand of Liam Messam and sometimes looked like headless chooks.
The Force showed admirable character in coming back in those circumstances and their bench performed well.
On the other hand they repeated a reckless trait. They had lost a game at the death against the Bulls in South Africa because of a tip tackle, and now squandered a valid chance to win against the Chiefs in New Zealand for the same reason.
They are talking the talk about wanting to win for their fans and their team mates, but wake up to yourself guys—walk the walk of sanity.
[one_third last=”no”]
The Game Changer
When Chiefs’ scrummie Weber passed the ball to Nanai-Williams from a ruck he dropped the ball but Prior nailed him anyway. Even though Prior must have seen the ball lost forward, he lifted him with a hand behind each knee and dumped him. There were no mitigating circumstances and he got the red card he deserved. [/one_third]
[one_third last=”no”]
The G&GR MOTM
Scrummie Weber had a fine game with a good sleight of hand, and Retallick showed some light touches, and heavy hitting. But the G&GR MOTM goes to Tim Nanai-Williams. Although he rushed out of the line to facilitate the Cottrell try, he was always dangerous, and his own try, beating five defenders and not needing a fend, was marvelous rugby. [/one_third]
[one_third last=”yes”]
Wallaby Watch
The young centre pairing of Burton and Godwin did better than expected – and Godwin didn’t kick the ball away so much this week, Scrumhalf Louwrens had a fine debut and bears watching for the future. McCalman had a few hard runs and his dextrous picking up of crappy ball from a scrum under pressure was first rate.[/one_third]
The game changer – red card to Ian Prior
The Details
Score & Scorers
[one_half last=”no”]
Chiefs – 35
Tries: C.Ngatai (18), H.Elliot (38), Penalty try (45), T.Nanai-Williams (65).
Conversions: M.McKenzie (19,39,46)
Penalties: M. McKenzie (6, 17, 24)
[/one_half]
[one_half last=”yes”]
Western Force – 27
Tries: A.Cottrell (14), L.Morahan (55), M.Hodgson (61), H. Tessman (76)
Conversions: L.Burton (56, 62)
Penalty: L.Burton (10)
[/one_half]
[one_half last=”no”]
Cards & Citings
Red Card
Ian Prior (Force) – dangerous tackle (29)
[/one_half]
[one_half last=”yes”]
Crowd
13,948
[/one_half]
Match Details
Chiefs: 1. Mitchell Graham , 2. Hika Elliot , 3. Siate Tokolahi , 4. Matt Symons (c) , 5. Brodie Retallick , 6. Johan Bardoul , 7. Sam Cane , 8. Michael Leitch , 9. Brad Weber , 10. Marty McKenzie , 11. Tim Nanai-Williams , 12. Sonny Bill Williams , 13. Charlie Ngatai , 14. Bryce Heem , 15. Tom Marshall.
Replacements: 16. Quentin MacDonald , 17. Pauliasi Manu , 18. Ben Tameifuna , 19. Michael Fitzgerald , 20. Liam Squire , 21. Augustine Pulu , 22. Damian McKenzie , 23. Andrew Horrell.
Western Force: 1. Pekahou Cowan , 2. Nathan Charles , 3. Tetera Faulkner , 4. Steve Mafi , 5. Adam Coleman , 6. Angus Cottrell , 7. Matt Hodgson (c) , 8. Ben McCalman , 9. Ian Prior , 10. Sias Ebersohn , 11. Nick Cummins , 12. Luke Burton , 13. Kyle Godwin , 14. Luke Morahan , 15. Dane Haylett-Petty.
Replacements : 16. Heath Tessmann , 17. Chris Heiberg , 18. Oliver Hoskins , 19. Wilhelm Steenkamp , 20. Kane Koteka , 21. Ryan Louwrens , 22. Junior Rasolea , 23. Marcel Brache.
Date: Friday 24 April 2015
Venue: Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Kick-off: 19:35 local
Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant Referees: Glen Jackson, Mike Lash
TMO: Glenn Newman
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