Western Force lock Sam Carter says the side’s 37-15 win over the Crusaders on Saturday showed a lot of fight, praising the side’s defensive performance.
The Force secured their second win of the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season at HBF Park against the reigning champions, with Carter among the home side’s four try scorers.
The home side’s defence was a major feature of the game, keeping the Crusaders scoreless in the first half after their early Levi Aumua, including when reduced to 14 when Carlo Tizzano was yellow carded.
At one point in the second half, the Force defence repelled 17 Crusaders attacking phases.
The Force’s defensive effort was underlined by one statistic more than any, registering 206 tackles compared to the Crusaders’ 70.
“I think it shows a lot of fight,” Carter told Stan Sport.
“We spoke about that during the week. A young team with only a couple of experienced guys, they dug in.
“Those moments were game-winning moments when you hold teams out five metres from your line, they can turn a game.
“That’s what we did, we went down the other end and scored. Full credit to everyone that was playing in the blue.”
The 34-year-old 16-cap Wallaby’s try came in the 72nd minute, putting the Force up 30-15 and effectively settling the contest.
But it came after a huge defensive effort from the Force, repelling the Crusaders attack with a big Reed Prinsep tackle, before Ben Donaldson’s long kick down field forced the visitors back.
From the ensuing chase, where Force players arrived in numbers, Macca Springer was caught out holding on to the ball.
The Force scrum rolled forward, with Michael Wells making a break which fell short, before Carter was fed the ball and forced his way over.
“I didn’t think I was going to make it,” Carter laughed.
“I was only one foot out. I didn’t think I was going to make it. It was good timing.
“I didn’t do the work. The boys before me did the work. I just got over at the end.”
The result keeps the Force firmly in the finals hunt, having won two of the side’s past four games to sit four points outside the top eight.
Carter, though, was more pleased about the performance, offering confidence ahead of the Round 10 away trip to face the 10th-placed Highlanders.
“It was good,” he said. “We spoke about it all week. We were back home after a long tour, a week off.
“The boys just wanted to rip in. it was going to take a 15-man effort. I think that’s what we got for 80 minutes. All the boys ripped in and went for it.”
With the Force Flexi Membership, you can use your 4 tickets however you want, such as 2 tickets in the Round 12 home game and 2 tickets in the Round 13 home game.
