Fourteen Reds red-faced

 

 

This is a game in which the build-up of both teams have been overshadowed by injuries and late changes. In fact the home team was forced to make two crucial changes at the 11th hour – with James Hilgendorf and Chris O’Young being drafted into the starting 15.

 

The Reds Tama Tuirirangi commits the first offence of the match and it gives the Force a penalty in front of the posts.

 

Cameron Shepherd slots the ball between the posts and the Force lead.

 

Ouch! The ref awards a penalty try against Peter Hynes who looked to intercept a pass but forced the ball down. The ref said it was a deliberate knockdown. (no comment from me on this but Eddie Jones is going to lose it!)

 

As Peter Hynes goes to the bin for 10 minutes Cameron Shepherd slots the conversion.

 

Rudi Vedelago runs at the Reds line but knocks on as he gets near line. The Force then continue the pressure and Ryan Cross loses the ball as he goes down to score a try. TV ref says no try.

 

The Force give away a penalty in front of the posts so Andrew Walker has a shot at it and puts the Reds on the board.

 

The Force throw the ball around and it baffles the Reds defence as Chris O’Young scores the Force’s second try.

 

Cameron Shepherd misses the conversion but referee Brett Bowden gives Peter Hynes a second yellow for the match for lifting Drew Mitchell in the tackle and two yellows mean one Red.

 

The Reds are now down to 14 men for the rest of the match.

 

With two minutes to go the Reds give away a penlty for having men in front of the kicker and Cameron Shepherd slots a penalty juts before the half time siren.

 

The half time was Force 18 Reds 3.

 

The Reds gave away a penalty 5 minutes after the half but Cameron Shepherd missed it.

 

The Reds are having a bit of good spell but have not managed to increase their score.

 

A late tackle from the Reds gives away a penalty. This time Cameron Shepherd gets the kick as he takes the first points of the second half.

 

The Reds give away another penalty and instead of going for tries which would improve their points differential and give them the bonus point, they decide to go for posts and Cameron Shepherd slots this one too.

 

The Force win a lineout and spin the ball out wide to Cameron Shepherd who is on the wing and scores the third try for the Force.

 

He then converts his try. Can the Force get the fourth try and become the first Aussie team to score four tries this year? They come close and Digby Ioane is tackled in the air just 5m out.

 

The Reds turn the ball over but just a minute later the Force create the overlap for Digby Ioane who scores the bonus point try. Cameron Shepherd converts the try.

 

 

Full time score Force 38 Reds 3.

 

Scorers

 

Force
Tries – Penalty Try. Chris O’Young,Cameron Shepherd,Digby Ioane
Penalty -Cameron Shepherd (4)
Conversion – Cameron Shepherd (3)

 

Tries –
Penalty -Andrew Walker
Conversion –

Red card – Peter Hynes (two yellows)

Teams:

Western Force: 15 Drew Mitchell, 14 Digby Ioane, 13 Ryan Cross, 12 Junior Pelesasa, 11 Cameron Shepherd, 10 James Hilgendorf, 9 Chris O’Young, 8 Scott Fava, 7 David Pocock, 6 Richard Brown, 5 Nathan Sharpe (c), 4 Rudi Vedelago, 3 AJ Whalley, 2 Brendan Cannon, 1 Gareth Hardy.
Replacements: 16 Tai McIsaac, 17 Angus Scott, 18 Luke Doherty, 19 Matt Hodgson, 20 Jon McGrath, 21 Scott Daruda. 22 Lachlan MacKay

Reds: 15 Andrew Walker, 14 Brando Va’aulu, 13 Ben Tune, 12 Lloyd Johansson, 11 Peter Hynes, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 John Roe (c), 7 David Croft, 6 Mitch Chapman, 5 James Horwill, 4 Ed O’Donoghue, 3 Tama Tuirirangi, 2 Sean Hardman, 1 Herman Hunt.
Replacements: 16 Stephen Moore, 17 Ernest Skelton, 18 Cam Treloar, 19 Tom McVerry, 20 Nic Berry, 21 Charlie Fetoai, 22 Henry Veratau

Referee: Brett Bowden (Australia)
Touch judges: Andrew Lindsay (Australia) James Scholtens (Australia)
Television match official: Ian Smith (Australia)
Assessor: Wayne Erickson (Australia)