 The Western Force came of age with a gritty 22-12 win over the Sharks in their Investec Super 14 match at Subiaco Oval.
Man of the match, inside centre Matt Giteau, set up the only try of the game cutting the defence to ribbons with an electric run before offloading to wing Cameron Shepherd midway through the first half to give his side a 13-6 lead at half-time.
The Sharks didn't lie down and came within one point early in the second half when fullback Francois Steyn landed a spectacular 54-metre drop goal.
But the Force re-gathered momentum when the match game was balanced on a knife edge through blanket defence that forced the Sharks into debilitating errors and a game plan of often wayward kicking and ill discipline that saw them finish with a 13-man team after two late yellow cards.
Giteau, who took over the goal-kicking duties due to Shepherd's carrying a minor knee into the game, kicked the home side clear for the historic win that sees them catapult the South African team into second place on the Super 14 ladder. Force 22
Tries: Shepherd
Conversions: Giteau
Penalties: Giteau 5
Sharks 12
Penalties: Pienaar 3
Drop goals: Steyn The Brumbies have maintained their momentum by grinding out a tough 14-9 victory over the Lions in their week nine Super 14 match at Ellis Park, Johannesburg on Sunday morning (AEDT).
Fullback Julian Huxley scored all the points for the Brumbies with a try, two penalties and a drop goal in a game dominated by rugged defence, tactical kicking and handling errors from both sides. Brumbies 14
Tries: Huxley
Penalties: Huxley 2
Drop Goals: Huxley
Lions 9
Penalties: Andre Pretorius 3 Sydneysiders switched off their lights in support for Earth Hour but the Waratahs showed there was some light at the end of the tunnel when suffering an agonising 34-33 loss to the Crusaders in the Super 14 match at Aussie Stadium on Saturday night.
Had NSW winger Peter Hewat landed a simple conversion after replacement hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau scored with only minutes remaining, the Waratahs would have caused a major boilover against the defending champions. Crusaders 34
Tries: Johnstone, Gear (2), Tuiali'i, Mauger, Laulala
Conversions: Brett (2)
Waratahs 33
Tries: Turner, Harris, Norton-Knight, Polota-Nau
Conversions: Hewat (2)
Penalty Goals: Hewat (3) Sportal
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