Force stoop to seventh straight loss

Fri, Apr 29, 2016, 12:48 PM
Matt Lewis
by Matt Lewis
The Bulls ran away with it in the second half against the Western Force. Check out all the highlights from last night.

The Western Force have slumped to their seventh consecutive loss after going down 42-13 to the Bulls at NIB stadium.

The home side were well and truly in the match in the opening half, down 18-13 at the break but 24 unanswered second-half points to the Bulls sealed the result.

The Force came out firing early with 80 per cent of the possession in the opening 10 minutes but were unable to execute on the scoreboard, a failure that has been the tale of their season. The Bulls scored 24 unanswered second half points against the Force. Photo: Getty Images

Stand-in flyhalf Ian Prior eventually helped the Force take an early lead, slotting a penality, but two minutes later the Bulls went one better, when big man RG Snyman found Hanro Liebenberg for the opening try. 

The flyhalves then traded points, nailing penalities before the Bulls produced another brutal counter-attacking effort, with Jan Serfontein on the end of an 80m break to extend the Bulls lead to 15-6 in the 23rd minute.

 

FT | @westernforce go down to the Bulls. For match report head to Rugby.com.au

A photo posted by rugby.com.au (@rugbycomau) on

 

Force Matt Hodgson converted some gritty efforts from the Force when he crossed the try line from a rolling maul in the 27th minute. 

Luke Morahan almost made something out of nothing to kick off the first half, chipping it down the wing but falling just short of the tryline.

The tide started to turn for the Bulls then, with the South Afticans going on an attacking rampage and scoring 17 unanswered points.

A 54th minute yellow card to Brynard Stander didn't help the Force as the Bulls continued to break away.

Bulls inside centre Serfontein was almost impossible to stop in attack finishing with two tries, beating six defenders and winning a turnover in defence.

The Force stay anchored to the bottom of the Australian conference, after just one win from the opening 10 rounds, heading to Japan next week to face the Sunwolves. 

FORCE 20

Tries: Hodgson, Godwin Cons: Prior 1 Penalties: Prior 2

BULLS 42

Tries: Liebenberg, Serfontein 2, Strauss 2 Cons: Brummer 4 Pens: Brummer 3

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