Bulls (SA)

Emirates Western Force

VERSUS

30

21

Full Time

Listen to John Mitchell's post-match comments

The Emirates Western Force almost pulled off a fairytale second half comeback but went down 30-21 to the Bulls at Subiaco Oval on Saturday night, after trailing 14-0 at half time.

Playing periods of sharp and inspired attacking rugby, led by new flyhalf and man of the match James Hilgendorf, the Force were on the wrong end of several controversial refereeing decisions but contributed to their own demise with key errors.

The Bulls dominated the opening ten minutes, locking the Force in their half, but when their big forwards failed to roll the Force pack, they spun it wide.

But the Bulls backs were less effective, knocking on twice in the face of the Force's defensive vigour. The home team broke the shackles to go onto attack for ten minutes, creating a string of line breaks to pressure the Bulls' defence.

The passing and timing of the Force backs was a quantum improvement on previous efforts and they looked sharp and incisive, using decoy runners and throwing cut out passes to create space.

New Zealand referee Paul Honiss found a scrum offence after 23 minutes but Bulls flyhalf Derick Hougaard bounced the ball off the posts and the Force took play back to the Bulls' half.

The Bulls looked vulnerable in defence with aimless kicking until Force halfback Matt Henjak chanced a flat pass through heavy traffic that was snapped up by his opposite number Fourie du Preez for a runaway intercept from half way. Hougaard converted and the Bulls leapt to a 7-0 lead with 12 minutes left in the half.

Seven minutes later, the Bulls scored again with a massive driving maul from a penalty lineout, flanker Pedrie Wannenburg claiming the points. Hougaard converted from out wide and the Bulls went ahead 14-0.

The Force stormed back and inside centre Scott Staniforth broke through in the midfield and almost scored under the posts. The Bulls were penalised for offside but Force fullback Cameron Shepherd missed the relatively simple shot just before half time.

The Bulls opened the scoring in the second half with Hougaard booting a 40 metre penalty goal from the centre of the field.

The Bulls almost scored from another intercept a minute later but the Force defence scrambled in time. But shortly after the Bulls spun the ball blind from a scrum and wing Akona Ndungane was awarded a try in the corner despite a seeming forward pass. Hougaard converted from near the sideline and the Bulls had an unassailable lead at 24-0.

But then the home team clicked into a gear not seen before this season.

Captain Nathan Sharpe broke free from a ruck with a 20 metre charge and the Force hammered the Bulls' line with 13 phases of attack. Hilgendorf was on the end of wing-to-wing rugby and cut through for a try, coming around to touch down behind the posts. Shepherd converted the sitter and the Force had a sniff at 24-7 with 23 minutes to play.

Another Force raid put centre Josh Graham over in the corner but this time Honiss spotted an arguable forward pass.

The Bulls came back to hammer the Force line with big forward charges but oddly opted for a penalty kick right in front when the Force were judged offside. Hougaard popped the simple kick over and the bonus point went begging at 27-7 and 15 minutes to play.

The Force continued to attack with real enthusiasm and were unlucky not to score from a kick through to the corner.  Then, with 7 minutes to play, inside centre Scott Staniforth cut back inside after repeated rucks and scored by the posts. Shepherd converted from in front and the Force closed the gap to 27-14.

The Force were on fire with constant assaults on the Bulls line, and Staniforth brought the crowd to its feet when he dropped on loose ball in-goal for the Force's third try. Shepherd did the honours and amazingly the Force were in sight at 27-21.

With two minutes on the clock the Bulls again opted for a penalty kick after Sharpe was penalised for coming in from the side of a maul, and Hougaard landed a difficult 40 metre kick to seal the game.

“I was very disappointed in our performance,” Mitchell said.

“We were chasing the game. The guys were full of spirit and commitment, but it took us 60 minutes to finally find patience with the ball.”

“If we're going to be deserving of a win, we've got to get better.”

“I thought the group mix was good tonight. Jimmy Hilgendorf having his first outing at ten, he directed the backline well. And the balance that Cameron Shepherd brought at fullback gave us a better opportunity of getting out of our first 40 metres.”

“This group will have a crack, it's just the little things letting us down.”

“They're starting to believe they can cope with this level. They're gathering belief each week and once that comes together on a night and we get a result, that will bring even more belief to this group.”

Bulls 30

Tries: Du Preez, Wannenburg, Ndungane

Conversions: Hougaard 3

Penalties: Hougaard 3

Force 21

Tries: Staniforth 2, Hilgendorf

Conversions: Shepherd 3