SUPER 14
Waratahs14
Force15
More enterprise and adventure brought the Western Force a narrow but deserved win over the stodgy Waratahs at the Sydney Football Stadium last night.
The Force scored two tries to one, were denied three others and played the better rugby to keep alive their slim play-off chances.
The Force have 23 points and the Waratahs - after their second consecutive home defeat and their first loss to the Force - have 28.
Lock Nathan Sharpe and No 8 Richard Brown had big games in the forwards for the Force while Matt Giteau, James O'Connor and Scott Staniforth were class acts in the backs.
Loose forwards Phil Waugh and Wycliff Palu were tireless workers for the Waratahs but they lacked any flair in the backs and seldom threatened to score.
The Force threatened early - a try by Drew Mitchell was ruled out when wing Scott Staniforth was adjudged to have put a foot into touch - but the Waratahs posted the only points in the first half hour, three penalty goals from first five-eighths Daniel Halangahu.
Giteau kicked the Force's first points from a scrum penalty six minutes before halftime in what was becoming a battle of attrition.
Waratahs lock Will Caldwell was sin-binned two minutes before the break for a high tackle but his side took a 9-3 lead into halftime, a spell notable for safety-first rugby.
The Force were unlucky and suffered from not getting the rub of the green. They began the second half full of energy and were unlucky not to score when a pass to No 8 Richard Brown, marginal at worst, was ruled forward.
The try-drought was broken when Josh Valentine chipped in behind the Waratahs from a tap penalty and left wing Cameron Shepherd gathered and galloped over. Giteau converted from the sideline and the Force led 10-9.
The lead lasted less than two minutes, Caldwell - back from the sin bin - crashing over after he took a pass from Lachie Turner.
The Force regained the lead 15 minutes from the end when Shepherd came in as extra man and Staniforth just got the ball down in the corner. Giteau's kick was a poster but the Force was ahead.
Waratahs 14 (W. Caldwell try, D. Halangahu 3 pens) Western Force 15 (C. Shepherd, S. Staniforth tries, M. Giteau con, pen). Halftime: 9-3.
