The Force scored eight tries - two of which were penalties tries against a very frustrated Lions that had promised much after beating the Reds last week.

 

The Force have a slim chance of reaching the play offs but they seem to be hitting form of late. Perhaps a little too late though.

 

The result moves the Force up to fifth place above the Blues who still have a match to play this weekend. The Waratahs are the third team on 28 points and the three teams are separated by points difference.

 

Departing winger Drew Mitchell scored a try five phases after the opening kickoff before the Force piled on seven more tries in the match.

Mitchell, who scored in the second minute, confirmed earlier in the day that he planned to sign a contract with the Waratahs for next season.

He is the second member of the Wallabies to defect from the Force this season following flyhalf Matt Giteau's decision to return to the Brumbies next year.

It was the Lions' third loss in four matches on an Australasian road trip.

The Force, who were awarded two penalty tries in the match, moved to within a point of the top four, but with only two of six matches completed in the 11th round.

It was the Force's biggest victory margin in its four seasons of Super rugby.

"We played with some great flair tonight," said Force captain Nathan Sharpe.

Giteau scored the Force's second try and kicked the conversion to give the home side a 14-0 lead after 20 minutes.

The Force went up 21-0 four minutes later after they were awarded a penalty try when Lions captain Ernst Joubert was sent off for 10 minutes for pulling down Scott Staniforth near the goal line.

The Force led 29-7 at halftime, with Jannie Boshoff scoring the only Lions try of the first half before Cameron Shepherd gave the Force a four-try bonus point with a minute left in the half.

Shepherd added his second try in the second half.

"They never gave us any opportunities, we never seemed to have the ball in hand," said Joubert.

"It was very disappointing."

The Force play two of their final three matches in South Africa.

The Lions return home for three matches in Johannesburg against New Zealand sides the Crusaders, Highlanders and the Waratahs.

The 25-year-old Mitchell, who has played 29 tests for Australia, is likely to assume the fullback position for the Waratahs, replacing the Cardiff, Wales-bound Sam Norton-Knight.

"Obviously I had been assessing my future for quite some time, which indicates how much I've enjoyed it here in Perth for the past three years," Mitchell said.

Force
Tries -Mitchell, Giteau, Penalty 2, Shepherd 2, O'Connor,Whalley
Penalties -Giteau
Conversions -Giteau 6
Drop Goals -

Venue: Subiaco Oval, Perth
Kick-off: Friday 24 April, 7:05pm (local)
Referee: Paul Marks (AUS)

Match Officials
Referee: Paul Marks (Australia)
Touch judges: Ian Smith (Australia), Julian Pritchard (Australia)
Television match official: George Ayoub (Australia)
Assessor: Arrie Schoonwinkel (South Africa)

Teams

Force: Gareth Hardy, Tai McIsaac, Ben Castle, Sam Wykes, Nathan Sharpe, Matthew Hodgson, David Pocock, Richard Brown, Josh Valentine, Matt Giteau, Cameron Shepherd, James O'Connor, Ryan Cross, Scott Staniforth, Drew Mitchell.

Replacements Ben Whittaker, AJ Whalley, Pek Cowan, Tom Hockings, Tamaiti Horua, Josh Tatupu, Haig Sare.

Lions: Janse van Rensburg, Hans van Dyk, Lawrence Sephaka, Jannes Labuschagne, Anton van Zyl, Robert Kruger, Ernst Joubert, Willem Alberts, Jano Vermaak, Andre Pretorius, Henno Mentz, Doppies La Grange, Deon van Rensburg, Jannie Boshoff, Earl Rose.