Force tame Lions
Western Force claimed their first Super 15 victory of the season with a 27-15 win over the Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday.
Last Updated: 19/03/11 7:21pm
Western Force claimed their first Super 15 victory of the season with a 27-15 win over the Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday.
Five penalties from Aussie back James O'Connor plus tries by Nick Cummins and Alfi Mafi sank the home side, who had Elton Jantjies to thank for all their points.
The South Africans lacked bite and coach John Mitchell could only watch as his side were comprehensively outplayed by his former team.
The Force scored with their first attacking move, when the ball was spread to the left and Cummins evaded Lionel Mapoe to cross in the corner on 10 minutes.
O'Connor missed the conversion, but made amends with a penalty from almost the same position soon after to extend the lead.
Burton Francis, on the field after Jantjies cut his face, had an immediate chance to cancel out the three points but the replacement fly-half skewed his kick wide.
O'Connor extended the lead to 11-0 after 20 minutes when Bandise Maku was penalised for not rolling away.
Sin-binned
But nine minutes later Jantjies finally gave the Ellis Park crowd something to cheer about when he landed a first penalty from right in front of the post.
the rookie number 10 cut the deficit further moments later sending a kick over from the halfway line as the hosts began to find their composure.
And 60 seconds before the break, he brought his team to within two points of the visitors with another long-range penalty.
But Waylon Murray conceded another needless penalty in injury-time and O'Connor made no mistake, taking his side into the break 14-9 ahead.
Jantjies missed the Lions' third attempt on goal straight after the restart, but 10 minutes later popped one over from under the sticks, after O'Connor was sin-binned for repeated holding on.
That turned the tide further in the home side's favour and a drop goal from the number 10 put them ahead for the first time in the match.
But from the subsequent kick-off Cameron Shepherd excellently chipped, gathered and then off-loaded inside to Mafi to run in an easy try despite playing with just 14 men.
Shepherd added the conversion and once O'Connor returned, he added two out of three penalties to seal the win.
