The Western Force have locked in a spot in the Super Rugby AUS final, but there is plenty to still play for as we cross the halfway point of the competition.
The WA side came from behind to defeat the ACT Brumbies 46-35 in front of a strong crowd at Tompkins Park, but the result on the other side of the country blew the chasing pack wide open.
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The NSW Waratahs’ 47-19 demolition of the Queensland Reds in Narribri has set up a final round where all chasing sides could still make the final.
The Force, meanwhile, will look to ensure the match will be played on WA shores as they looked to finish with an undefeated regular season.
Rugby Australia's High Performance staff select their Team of the Week from Round 2.
The three-cap Wallaby was elevated off the bench for this week, and his impact with immediate, with eight carries and a try assist for his efforts.
While he did concede two scrum penalties on a night where the number of attacking scrums fell heavily in the Reds’ favour, his work against several incumbent Wallabies in general play will see his stocks firmly rise.
The only Brumby to make this week’s team, Liam Bowron, kept himself very busy against the Force, with 12 carries for 23.1 post-contact metres.
With ten lineout wins as well against one of the best defensive lineouts in the world, Bowron also enjoyed a strong day at set piece despite the loss.
With an unblemished defensive tackle record from 12 attempts, Tauakipulu showed how much of an engine he has against the Brumbies across his 68 minute performance.
On an afternoon where a young Force pack came up against a strong Brumbies outfit, Tauakipulu also did well at set piece, setting the platform for the rest of the side.
A great find for the Force from the Shute Shield, Watts has flourished under the Force Academy and under the guidance of his captain, Darcy Swain.
An unblemished record at set piece was complemented by a perfect day defensively - a role that saw him do the dirty work that was critical for the Force’s victory.
The two-capped Wallaby also made a strong impression in Narribri, leading the tackle account across the competition for the whole weekend, with 16 tackles attempted.
Busting a defender and making offloads, Uru also contributed to two line break assists and picked up a try assist for his efforts.
Across his 80-minute performance, Will Harris made good use of his position, with a perfect defensive record, seven carries and two offloads.
His efforts were rewarded with a strong day at the lineout and with a try to complement his performance.
A standout performance from the English Sevens star, Jamie Adamson, made 45.9 post-contact metres across his six carries, busting three tackles in the process.
Also making a nuisance of himself in the ruck, Adamson was justly rewarded for his efforts with a try against the Reds.
One of the exciting elements of the competition comes in the form of young stars putting up their hands for work, and wrecking ball Vaiolini Ekuasi did just that against the Brumbies.
Making nine carries that included an offload and 21.4 post-contact metres, Ekuasi also had a perfect day defensively, making 13 tackles without a miss.
Since getting more gametime across the Super Rugby Pacific season, Kalani Thomas has grown more into his role at the Reds, and it came through with a solid day in attack.
Busting three tackles, managing two offloads and two line break assists, the Reds’ halfback also picked up a try assist for his efforts.
If there is one player who is arguably grabbing the Super Rugby AUS competition by the horns and making the most of the opportunity, it is Force flyhalf Max Burey.
Making 121 metres, Burey beat seven defenders, made three linebreaks and managed two offloads on a near perfect afternoon for the Force.
While blustery conditions made kicking goals difficult, Burey made up for it with two incredible long range tries.
One of the Australia U20 program’s best finds, Harvey is primed for a solid career in the back three, proving a composed goal kicker for the Waratahs.
Add in two linebreaks and two offloads, his efforts with the boot and 12 points scored played a major factor is pushing the hosts out of reach of the Reds.
The replacement captain of the Waratahs had a blinder, cutting the Reds to shreds with his centre partner.
With linebreak, two offloads, and a try assist to cap off several strong results, with was a disciplined, composed performance from the utility back.
The work of Creighton rubbed off on his 21-year-old running mate, with Jackson Ropata proving one of the most damaging attacking players, his one try the tip of the iceberg.
Busting two tackles and making two linebreaks while setting up a third, the Australia U20 star showed himself a valuable pick up for the men in sky blue
Impressing last week against the Waratahs, Viliami Fine might be a short term signing for the Force but he’s making the most of his opportunity in the West.
Beating two defenders, making two linebreaks and nearly 40 post-contact metres against the Brumbies, the Tongan international capped off a solid day with a try.
Announcing himself in Narribri, the site of James Hendren outpacing the Junkyard Dog himself, Tim Ryan to score the third of four tries against the Reds will likely be one of the standout moments of this inaugural competition when the dust settles.
Also winning the player of the round, Hendren backed up his four tries with two linebreaks, five tackles busted and three linebreak assists to get the Waratahs backline humming to victory.
