Western Force defeat Queensland Reds 30-20 at nib Stadium to keep semi-final hopes alive

WESTERN Force will head to Canberra next week with their playoff hopes still intact following a tough 30-20 win over Queensland Reds.

Super Rugby Rd 18 - Force v Reds

BULLDOZING 106kg centre Samu Kerevi is the backline future of the Reds yet his single-handed tormenting of the Western Force was wasted in a Perth shocker on Saturday night.

The surging Reds had the jittery Force on the rack when they tied the scores at 20-all with 12 minutes to play yet fizzled in a limp 30-20 finish.

It was yet another frustrating lack of polish to erode the spirit-filled gains of the back-to-back wins over the Highlanders and Melbourne Rebels.

In his first run-on role, young Kerevi stood head and shoulders above far more experienced team-mates. He burst through tackles to make impressive line breaks and it was his surge for a try just before half-time which pegged back a 17-3 deficit.

Full credit to the Force for finding a winning gear when the pressure was greatest because they looked to have frozen by being too conservative after half-time.

With a club-high nine wins, the Force (40 points) must upset the Brumbies (40) in Canberra on Friday night to win a finals spot for the first time.

The result was an emotional high for Force winger Nick Cummins, potentially playing his final game at nib Stadium because of his departure to a Japanese club to pour extra financial support into a tight family unit dealing with serious illness.

The outpouring of emotion from fans wearing long-haired wigs was palpable in the stands when he bustled his way over for the opening try.

The Reds were awful in the opening 25 minutes when belted 17-3 by the far more intense and switched on Force.

In the space of six listless minutes midway through the first half, the Reds botched an attacking lineout, squandered a strong Kerevi run when no support picked up his well laid-back ball, winger Lachie Turner fielded a tricky high ball on the head and kicker Mike Harris failed to find touch from a penalty.

That was apart from the passive defence which was at its worst out wide when the Force strolled through in the build-up to the excellent Ben McCalman try.

Cummins’ seventh try of a fine season was everything he stands for. He herded Reds halfback Nick Frisby into touch from an early re-start. In the play that followed standout lock Sam Wykes fired an excellent pass.

Cummins barrelled over. The Force used him all too infrequently as the game wore on.

Only when Force flanker Hugh McMeniman was yellow carded for cynically dropping a knee into the ribs of flyhalf Ben Lucas on the ground did the Reds fire up late in the half.

Lock Rob Simmons unloaded a rattling front-on tackle on Force flyhalf Zack Holmes and minutes later prop James Slipper took off when a lineout was pinched.

Kerevi powered over on the blindside in the play that followed.

Epi Bola, Ilie Tabua, Isea Siganiyavi and Jacob Rauluni have been wonderful Fijian flavour to winning Queensland sides in years gone by and Kerevi will be another after his breakout performance in just his third Super Rugby game.

Kerevi packs plenty of power in his trunk, hence the playful nickname of “Serena” to echo the similar curves of former Wimbledon champion Serena Williams.

You have to admire the pluck within Lucas, who always gives his all. On half-time the bantamweight happily jostled McMeniman and gave him a spray despite giving away 30kg in size.

Tim Buchanan earned his Reds debut earlier than expected as a bloodbin replacement at lock in the first half when bloodied skipper James Horwill needed some stitching in the bloodbin.

The Reds were butter-fingered and experienced backs Lucas and Harris threw passes into touch when the finishing broke down.

A Jayden Hayward penalty goal put the Force ahead 23-20 with 10 minutes to play. Indomitable skipper Matt Hodgson made the telling charge from his own quarter to get a quick-ball roll going just minutes later.

It was finished in style by hooker Nathan Charles who sprinted the final 30m like a fresh winger.

It’s all on the line for the Brumbies and Force in a fitting climax.

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Originally published as Western Force defeat Queensland Reds 30-20 at nib Stadium to keep semi-final hopes alive