The New South Wales Waratahs got off to a losing start in their Super 15 title defense going down 25-15 to Australian rivals Western Force in Sydney yesterday.
The Force pulled off a bonus-point victory for their third win in Sydney, scoring four tries to two with their South African goal-kicking flyhalf Sias Ebersohn landing only one conversion and a penalty from seven shots.
It was a lackluster effort from the Waratahs, who trailed 8-3 at half-time and conceded some soft tries in the second half.
The Force scored tries through Chris Alcock, Angus Cottrell, Luke Morahan and Francois van Wyk, while Wallaby winger Rob Horne scored a try double for the Waratahs.
The Force scored their opening try just before half-time when former Waratah flanker Alcock barreled over the line in a pushover try from a lineout win.
Fullback Dane Haylett-Petty was held up over the Waratahs tryline before blindside flanker Cottrell crashed through two poor tackles to score under the posts six minutes after half-time for a 15-3 lead.
Horne scored the first of his two tries in the absence of sin-binned Alby Mathewson, but the Kiwi scrumhalf atoned with a smart-thinking kick downfield with no one at home for winger Morahan to score.
The Perth-based side grabbed the bonus point when replacement prop Van Wyk charged down Kurtley Beale’s risky chip inside his own quarter to gallop over.
Horne grabbed his second try with three minutes left and the Waratahs went after a losing bonus point, but time beat them.
The Western Stormers shocked fellow South Africans the Northern Bulls 29-17 on Saturday in Pretoria.
Left-wing Dillyn Leyds and No. 8 Duane Vermuelen crossed the tryline for the Cape Town-based Stormers.
Ever-dependable kicker and flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis converted both tries and slotted three penalties from five attempts.
Kurt Coleman, who replaced Catrakilis for the closing stages, kicked one penalty and a drop goal for a team who came closest to the title in 2010 when finishing runners-up to the Bulls.
In Saturday’s other Super 15 game, the Sharks were beaten at home by the Cheetahs 35-29.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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