The Western Force are on the board this Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific season, producing a strong display to down Moana Pasifika 35-19 in Pukekohe on Friday night.
The Force won five tries to three, pulling clear in the second half with a 35-7 lead before Moana grabbed two late consolations to narrow the gap and deny the visitors a bonus point.
The victory was the Force’s first on New Zealand soil in 1,375 days, dating back to Round 10 2022.
The result kickstarted the Force’s season after an 0-2 start, along with the side’s three-game New Zealand road trip, with the Highlanders in Dunedin next Saturday.
The Force tries were scored by debutant Darby Lancaster, Darcy Swain, George Bridge, Carlo Tizzano and Leonel Oviedo.
Lancaster finished the game with 51 metres gained, five defenders beaten and two clean breaks, while former All Blacks star Bridge impressed on his return to New Zealand with eight carries, five defenders beaten, one offload and one clean break.
The WA side’s rolling mauls were a feature while - in a relatively tight game - the Force were more clinical with the ball in hand.
There was pre-game drama when Ben Donaldson was forced to undergo a HIA just before play commenced, with Max Burey starting at fly-half. Thankfully for the Force, Donaldson passed the HIA and entered the fray within minutes, making his impact when he set up the opening try.
In the fifth minute, the Wallabies fly-half swung around before popping up a left-foot kick that bounced nicely for Lancaster, who showed composure to take his chance, marking his Force debut with a try.
Moana Pasifika replied with an extended period of possession and territory, but let the Force off the hook several times. The home side’s pressure eventually told, with hooker Mills Sanerivi screwing out from a 10m lineout rolling maul, with Hamish Stewart unable to hold him back.
Darby Debut try 🙌#StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/62ksGy9oQq
— Western Force (@westernforce) February 27, 2026
The Force started to build pressure of their own down the other end, fuelled by a brilliant Stewart 50-22. On the half hour, the Force appeared to have restored their lead through Bridge, only for Denzel Samoa’s tackle in the in-goal forcing a knock-on.
But Bridge was determined to right his wrongs, bursting through as the Force mounted raid after raid on the Moana try line, before lock Swain dived over.
On the stroke of half-time, Bridge would get his try, his first for the Force. Under advantage, the All Blacks star demanded a pass from scrum-half Nathan Hastie, before going low to power over. Donaldson made it three from three conversions in the first half to open up a 21-7 half-time lead.
The Force came close to extending its lead on the hour when tighthead Misinale Epenisa was held up over the line, before phase after phase went unrewarded on the try line as Moana held firm.
62' FORCE TRY!!! Who else but Carlo Try-zzano
— Western Force (@westernforce) February 27, 2026
🌊 Moana 7-28 Force 🦢
Watch LIVE now on @StanSportRugby #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/dRvcnGb9po
After hammering the try line, the Force finally got over through a trusted method, Tizzano coming up with the ball from a lineout rolling maul. Donaldson converted for a 28-7 lead.
The Force and Epenisa won a huge scrum, leading to Argentinian hooker Oviedo crossing for a 35-7 lead.
The visitors let up late, allowing late tries to lively reserve scrum-half Melani Matavao and lock Allan Craig.
The triumph was the Force’s seventh-ever win on New Zealand soil, coming ahead of two more away games on the Land of the Long White Cloud during this road trip.
Moana Pasifika 19
Tries: Sanerivi 18’, Matavao 76’, Craig 79’
Conversions: Pellegrini 1/1, Garden-Bachop 1/2
Penalties: Nil
Western Force 35
Tries: Lancaster 5’, Swain 32’, Bridge 40’, Tizzano 61’, Oviedo 69’
Conversions: Donaldson 5/5
Penalties: Nil
