The Western Force have recorded their second win of the season, scoring six tries on their way to a 40-22 victory over the Sunwolves, but what did we learn?
Brache brilliance
Marcel Brache was unstoppable in the opening half scoring a hat-trick inside the opening 20 minutes. He showed glimpses last week against the Bulls but today was easily his best Super Rugby match to date and it will give the youngster a lot of confidence in the back end of the season.
Running rugby’s what we want
It was sunny and 24 degrees in Tokyo, perfect conditions for some running rugby. The Sunwolves are open to throwing the ball around and that’s exactly what they did, with both teams combining for over 1000 run metres for the match. The Force have signaled all season their intend to take on the game and for the first time this season we saw it!
Passionate Japanese fans
It’s been well documented how passionate Japanese fans have become about rugby since last year’s Rugby World Cup and the inclusion of the Sunwolves into the Super Rugby season has given the fans another reason to cheer. The atmosphere at their home matches this season has been incredible.
Where has this Force team been all year?
Yes, the Force were up against a struggling Sunwolves side, but their determination to attack the game and throw the ball around was exactly what we’ve been looking for all season. The backline passing was spot on and their defence was impressive. The Force have averaged just 1.2 tries a game this season but managed to score six today and notch up 40 points. Next step for the Force is consistency.
Yamada the Sunwolves man
It’s hard to believe that Akihito Yamada was part of the 2015 Western Force squad and didn’t play a game. The Japanese flyer has 15 caps for the national side and after his double today became the top Super Rugby try-scorer this season. You can’t help but feel he might have been a handy player to keep in Perth.
