Wallabies playmaker’s late heroics after 26-PHASE attack ruins Ardie Savea’s Moana Pasifika debut as Western Force win 89-point thriller

David Skippers
Ben Donaldson Western Force attacking SRP 2024 - Alamy

Western Force fly-half Ben Donaldson.

Western Force fly-half Ben Donaldson was his team’s hero as he rounded off a brilliant try in his side’s come-from-behind 45-44 triumph over Moana Pasifika in their Super Rugby Pacific clash in Perth on Saturday.

As the scoreline suggests, this was a thrilling encounter as momentum between the sides ebbed and flowed throughout and Moana thought they had the game sewn up as they held a 44-38 lead in its dying moments.

However, the home side had other ideas as they took the ball through a whopping 26 phases inside their own half in the 84th minute before Donaldson left his mark on the clash with a superb 70-metre line break – in which he beat four defenders – before crossing for a stunning try under the posts.

The Wallaby then dusted himself off and slotted the conversion to seal his side’s victory in their Super Rugby Pacific opener.

In the end, both sides scored six tries apiece with Donaldson leading the way for the Force with a 20-point haul courtesy of his five-pointer, six conversions and a penalty and their other tries were scored by Carlo Tizzano (2), Mac Grealy, Marley Pearce and Dylan Pietsch.

For the visitors, Kyren Taumoefolau (2), Jackson Garden-Bachop, Pepesana Patafilo, Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa and Jonathan Taumateine crossed the whitewash, while William Havili succeeded with four conversions and a penalty and Garden-Bachop also landed a drop goal.

Click here for scorers

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Moana came into this clash in a confident mood with All Blacks star Ardie Savea making his debut for them and they made a superb start as they raced into a 14-0 lead by the 18th minute after Taumoefolau and Garden-Bachop scored early tries.

The Force responded with a Donaldson penalty shortly afterwards but Garden-Bachop then slotted his drop goal, before Tizzano and Grealy dotted down with Donaldson adding both conversions which meant the sides were level at 17-17 by the 28th minute.

The frantic nature to this game continued in the closing stages of the opening half with further tries from Patafilo and Tizzano before Havili slotted a three-pointer off the kicking tee in the closing stages of the half to give the visitors a 27-24 lead at the interval.

The Force took the lead for the first time in the 50th minute when Pearce crossed for his try before Taumoefolau scored his second five-pointer which meant Moana were back in front on the hour-mark with the score 32-31 in their favour.

The Force were then reduced to 14 men in the 70th minute when Tom Robertson then yellow carded for illegal scrummaging after the hosts were penalised several times at the set-piece prior to that.

With a numerical advantage, Moana had an edge and were rewarded with tries in quick succession from Ta’eiloa and Taumateine shortly after Robertson’s departure.

To their credit, the home side did not surrender and they narrowed the gap in the 76th minute when Pietsch scored his try before Donaldson’s late heroics sealed their remarkable triumph.

The teams

Force: 15 Mac Grealy, 14 Divad Palu, 13 Sio Tomkinson, 12 Hamish Stewart, 11 Harry Potter, 10 Ben Donaldson, 9 Nic White, 8 Vaiolini Ekuasi; 7 Carlo Tizzano, 6 Nick Champion de Crespigny, 5 Darcy Swain, 4 Jeremy Williams (c), 3 Tom Robertson, 2 Nic Dolly, 1 Marley Pearce
Replacements: 16 Tom Horton, 17 Atu Moli, 18 Tiaan Tauakipulu, 19 Reed Prinsep, 20 Will Harris, 21 Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, 22 Max Burey, 23 Dylan Pietsch

Moana: 15 William Havili, 14 Solomon Alaimalo, 13 Pepesana Patafilo, 12 Lalomilo Lalomilo, 11 Kyren Taumoefolau, 10 Jackson Garden-Bachop, 9 Jonathan Taumateine, 8 Ardie Savea (c), 7 Sione Havili Talitui, 6 Miracle Faiilagi, 5 Allan Craig, 4 Samuel Slade, 3 Feleti Sae-Ta’ufo’ou, 2 Millennium Sanerivi, 1 James Lay
Replacements: 16 Sama Malolo, 17 Tito Tuipulotu, 18 Chris Apoua, 19 Tom Savage, 20 Ola Tauelangi, 21 Semisi Tupou Tailoa, 22 Melani Matavao, 23 Danny Toala

Referee: Jordan Way
Assistant referees: George Myers, Jordan Kaminski
TMO: James Leckie

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Moana Pasifika Ben Donaldson

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