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Ex-England star's hat-trick helps Force to Super win over Fijian Drua
By AAP
A Nic Dolly hat-trick and doubles from Carlo Tizzano and Harry Potter have helped the Western Force climb back into the Super Rugby Pacific winner’s circle with a thumping 52-15 victory over Fijian Drua.
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After starting the season with back-to-back victories, the Force had slumped to three straight losses but they dominated the Drua from the opening whistle at Perth’s HBF Park on Sunday afternoon.
They scored eight tries to equal their Super try-scoring record set way back in 2009 against the South African Lions.
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The win pushed the Force up the competition ladder to sixth, joining the other three Australian teams with Queensland third, NSW fourth and the Brumbies fifth.
With their forward pack monstering the visitors in hot conditions, and the backs at full-strength after Test stars Nic White, Ben Donaldson and Hamish Stewart were rested from last round’s trip to Christchurch, the Force set up the win by building a 33-5 lead by halftime.
Force skipper Jeremy Williams said the match unfolded according to plan.
“It was nice to let the ball run there a little bit. We wanted to focus on that at training this week,” the Test lock said.
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“We wanted to start fast and keep the momentum rolling and we did that in the first half.
“We probably dropped off in that first 10 minutes of the second half but I felt like we gained back the momentum to finish off the second half well.”
Hooker Dolly scored three of their five first-half tries, opening the scoring in the second minute through a rolling maul.
The Australian-born, once-capped England international bagged his second after 12 minutes when he charged onto a line-out overthrow by the Drua.
Try number three again came in the 35th minute through a maul, with the conversion by Donaldson making it 33-0.
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The Drua finally got on the scoreboard on the stroke of halftime with a cross-field kick bouncing up for fullback Ilaisa Droasese to dive across the line.
Fiji started the second half with intent, crossing through centre Taniela Rakuro in the second minute.
But their good work was undone three minutes later as Force flanker Tizzano pounced on some quick ruck ball to score his second try of the day.
As the heat started to take its toll on the home side, they became a little sloppy, incurring six straight penalties, and the Drua capitalised with a loose Donaldson pass leading to a try for flanker Etonia Waqa.
Force coach Simon Cron then emptied his bench to re-energise his side and stop any further Drua fightback.
After scoring a brilliant 55 metre individual five-pointer in the first half, winger Potter was in again in the 67th minute when he made another line-break and grubbered ahead, regathering to touch down.
With five minutes left on the clock Donaldson grabbed their eighth of the afternoon for the home side to sign off in style.
The Drua now return to Fiji for a much-needed bye while the Force next face the Reds in Queensland.
“The Force came out firing. We talked about coming to start fast but unfortunately we didn’t and the Force, as soon as it started, kept coming at us and we were on the back foot the whole time,” said Drua captain Tevita Ikanivere.
“We prepared well but we just didn’t execute.”
To Nic Dolly and ex England “star” is pushing it a bit. Ex England player would be more accurate.