Force season on ice as Rebels romp to record win

The Western Force person had their Super Rugby Pacific finals hopes hampered aft a demoralising decision to the Melbourne Rebels.

The location broadside scored 8 tries to two, romping location to a 52-14 win.

The bonus-point triumph keeps the Rebels successful contention for a apical 8 berth with 1 circular remaining, moving them from 16 points to 21.

Watch the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific play connected the location of rugby, Stan Sport. All matches streaming advertisement free, unrecorded and connected demand

The Force came into the second-to-last circular of the play successful eighth but fell to ninth aft the Highlanders triumphed implicit the Queensland Reds. 

Lachie Anderson of the Rebels celebrates aft scoring a effort during the circular 14 Super Rugby Pacific lucifer betwixt Melbourne Rebels and Western Force. (Robert Cianflone via Getty Images)

The nonaccomplishment ensured the Force stay ninth.

Down successful 11th, the Fijian Drua stay a accidental of cracking the apical 8 should they instrumentality a bonus-point triumph implicit Moana Pasifika. 

READ MORE: 'Get him out': Why Fatty was chopped from Tina Turner ad

READ MORE: Gallen confirms concealed talks to combat SBW

READ MORE: Sam Kerr shatters grounds with apical English honour

That would instrumentality them from 17 points to 22 and enactment them level with the Highlanders successful eighth with 1 circular remaining.

The teams connected the bubble each person pugnacious contests to come.

Unstoppable unit breaks done for Rebels

The Highlanders instrumentality connected the Blues, the Rebels spell against the Brumbies, the Fijian Drua instrumentality connected the Reds, and the Force look to upset the Chiefs.

The Force are yet to triumph a crippled distant from location this season.

Friday's triumph was a record-setter for the Rebels, marking their highest people successful Super Rugby Pacific past and the astir tries.

It was a fairytale last quality astatine location for Reece Hodge, who eclipsed Tom English's nine grounds of 98 appearances.

"It was huge," said caput manager Kevin Foote. 

"First of all, Tom English, to instrumentality implicit his record, Tom is simply a champion feline and present Hodgey comes successful and he's the astir capped Rebel.

"I didn't request excessively overmuch information to talk of his character, however overmuch helium gives to the club, and if we tin each reflector that, we're going to spell well. 

"Very, precise arrogant of Reece and arrogant to person coached him. From my ain position and each the unit coaching radical similar that makes it truly special."

The Western Force boasts 1 of the champion records astatine location but person been lacking away.

Head manager Simon Cron lamented giving distant possession and cardinal breakdowns.

"We're 19-7 down astatine 1 constituent and we footwear to the country and gave the shot backmost alternatively than gathering constituent pressure," helium said.

"There's a batch successful that crippled that we looked at. Set-piece-wise, we weren't bully today.

"Then we leap retired of process. We commencement playing and kicking the shot distant 4 oregon 5 times erstwhile we haven't had it.

"Just immoderate clasp habits sinking successful there."

For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!