Force 30

Highlanders 17

In their trip to Perth to meet the Western Force, the Highlanders dug themselves a hole they couldn’t get out of.

It was a chaotic affair as counter-attacking football dictated the run of play, while discipline was lacking on both sides – referee Nic Berry dishing out five yellow cards throughout the Force’s 30-17 win.

“We gave away too many penalties,” Highlanders captain Billy Harmon told Stan Sport in summing up the game.

“It’s hard to play your game when you’re down a couple of people. If we can eliminate that then we can play our game.”

The Highlanders have conceded double-digit penalties in all but one of their games this year. While they have been on the right side of the penalty count in many of those contests, their last two games have seen them slip in that area - setting new season highs in both contests.

It’s an area they will need to address through the end of the season as they look to earn a playoff spot. The loss saw their record drop to 3-5, and they failed to secure a bonus point. The Highlanders have secured just two bonus points through their eight games this season, and fell to defeat against a team that came into the game 11th on the ladder.

A lengthy delay disrupted the play just two minutes into the contest, as Force openside flanker Ollie Callan was stretchered off after sustaining a head injury. When play resumed, it was like the Highlanders had been caught offguard.

The hosts enjoyed plenty of time in possession in the early stages and found plenty of gaps in the Highlanders defensive line, opening the scoring just five minutes in after a good break from wing Toni Pulu, who found first-five Bryce Hegarty on his inside. Hegarty bamboozled his opposite Mitch Hunt with a right-foot step 10m out and ran in for a memorable try.

A pair of yellow cards to Highlanders Pari Pari Parkinson and Ethan de Groot in the 20th and 21st minutes made things tough for the visitors, and while they defended well initially following the second send off, it was only a matter of time before they cracked.

Manasa Mataele crossed for the hosts in the 31st minute, before a penalty try – accompanied by a yellow card to Highlanders No 8 Marino Mikaele-Tu’u – on the stroke of halftime saw the hosts with a 21-point lead at the break.

The Highlanders needed something to go their way in the second half, and after having little possession in the first 40 minutes, they enjoyed some time on the ball early in the second stanza.

They were able to build pressure, and that paid off in a Connor Garden-Bachop try.

They could have had a couple more soon after, as the Force’s lack of discipline allowed the Highlanders plenty of time in good attacking position. However, Mataele forced a knock on from Shannon Frizell as he went to put the ball down, and the Force winger held Mikaele-Tu’u up moments later.

The Highlanders did finally cross through Andrew Makalio on the back of a lineout drive to get within seven points of the Force, but two late Hegarty penalties saw the hosts finish on top.

Western Force 30 (Penalty try, Bryce Hegarty, Manasa Mataele tries; Hegarty 2 cons, 3 pens)

Highlanders 17 (Connor Garden-Bachop, Andrew Makalio tries; Sam Gilbert 2 cons, pen)

HT: 24-3