Blues benefit from dodgy calls but Force hurt themselves to end frustrating New Zealand tour
The Western Force’s hopes of making the finals for the first time have taken a hit after suffering a bonus point loss to the Blues at Eden Park, which saw the defending champions move into the top six for the first time in 2025.
Despite firmly being in the contest at half-time, Simon Cron’s men couldn’t contain the Blues when the home side got their hands on the ball in their attacking zone and eventually ran out 40-19 winners.
The six tries to three win meant not only did the Force fail to gain a losing point, they also allowed Vern Cotter’s men a precious extra point that could prove telling when the finals are determined in a month.
Indeed, having started the weekend in ninth spot on 17 points, the Blues joined the Force on 22 points but moved ahead of them into sixth spot because of a superior for-and-against.
The Force weren’t helped by several perplexing calls by Ben O’Keeffe in the first half, but there’s no doubting that they had their chances too.
Harry Potter continued his fine season, but the Wallabies winger also spilt the ball on the deck just metres out after making a big linebreak early on.
Then Nic Dolly, the Australian-born English capped hooker, also spilt the ball on the deck to mean the Force had a try overturned.
The little errors mounted up and proved telling, especially with the Blues holding dominance at the scrum.
“I think we were just a little bit too frantic in our attack zone and probably spilt the ball a few too many times,” skipper Jeremy Williams said. “it’s obviously quite greasy out here and ball security was a big thing.
“There were quite a few momentum swings there. At the start of the first half we were fighting really well, and it was just lapses in ten minute blocks that got away from us. I thought we fought back, but the scoreline is disappointing.”
Harry Potter was once again impressive for the Force but his fine work wasn’t enough as the Blues bounced back to move into the top six. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)
The 21-point loss meant the Force failed to earn a single point on their two-week tour of New Zealand.
The Force did have some strong performers.
Carlo Tizzano was once again exceptional, making linebreaks, stealing balls at the breakdown and scoring at the maul.
Dolly was impressive in tight, Williams was strong at the lineout and Nick Champion de Crespigny never shirked anything.
Kurtley Beale also had his moments, scoring a try after an accurate cross-field kick under advantage from Ben Donaldson which also involved a superb flick pass from Mac Grealy.
But, ultimately, the Force made too many errors to stay in the fight.
Early on the Force fired plenty shots, but none of them landed.
Initially it didn’t hurt, but then after Marcel Renata scored despite a clear tackle past the ruck from Anton Segner, which also denied Henry Robertson a play on the tight-head prop, the Blues were over for the opening try in the 15th minute.
It didn’t take long for the Blues to score again as Cole Forbes ran through a gaping hole to score the home side’s second try.
But the Force didn’t go away and eventually their patience was rewarded as Tizzano scored.
The Force’s hopes of continuing the momentum were then stopped when O’Keeffe failed to see a clear infringement at the maul.
The Blues then punished the Force early in the second half as AJ Lam scored with his first touch of the ball in the 41st minute.
Beale, playing his first match since rupturing his Achilles for Randwick last June, got one back for the visitors after some brilliance from Donaldson and Grealy.
But two tries in five minutes then blew open the score as Laghlan McWhannell and Forbes scored.
The Force didn’t go away, with Dolly scoring from another rolling maul, but a try to Josh Beehre ensured the Blues got a crucial bonus point.
