The Force overcame four yellow cards to open their season with two victories for the first time in Super history following their home win over Moana Pasifika in round one. They reclaimed the lead in the 75th minute when reserve hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa burrowed over after 18 phases, and they managed to hold out the desperate home side for a famous victory. Scrumhalf Nic White, who played matches for the Brumbies across nine seasons before joining the Force last year, was at his feisty best.
He said he knew how hard it was for teams to win in his old home town. It looked like it would be a match the visitors would remember for all the wrong reasons after letting slip an early lead. The home side were bolstered by the inclusion of four Wallabies in Allan Alaalatoa, James Slipper, Tom Wright and Len Ikitau, who sat out their round-one win in Suva, but the Brumbies looked unsettled early on, making uncharacteristic mistakes.
There was still a healthy buffer at halftime, but the Force's poor discipline started to undo their good work. The Brumbies scored three tries either side of halftime, while Force No. Winger Corey Toole crossed in the 53rd minute to give the home side the lead for the first time, but five minutes later flying Force recruit Pietsch was in for his second.
Brumbies No. Playing with only 13 men for five minutes and trailing , it appeared the visitors would be denied. But they showed their grit to hammer the home side's line, before Paenga-Amosa came up with the match-winner. Brumbies captain Alaalatoa said he thought his team had worked their way to a win after their slow start.
Force hold on for famous win over Brumbies in Canberra. Story by Melissa Woods. Nic Dolly makes a break to score an early try for the Western Force. The Brumbies are left looking for answers after being pipped by the Force.
