The street smarts of former sevens star Tim Anstee set the platform for the Force’s impressive 28-3 Super Rugby shutdown of the Rebels in Melbourne on Saturday night.
Anstee scored the only try of a dour first half, won 13-3 by the visitors at AAMI Park.
The No.8 showed great awareness after claiming a lineout ball then getting tackled, but releasing and going again to drive over the Rebels line.
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“He released the ball there. That is the rule and it’s legal,” All Blacks great Andrew Mehrtens said in commentary for Nine and Stan Sport.
“I’m not convinced that it should be legal, but it is and that was well played and well refereed. The Rebels just caught by surprise there.”
Former Wallaby Morgan Turinui also praised the quick thinking of Anstee, who is on coach Dave Rennie’s radar but yet to make his Wallabies debut.
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“Great knowledge of the rules and he used it to his own advantage,” Turinui said.
“He had penalty advantage, as well, so he could take that small risk. It took Tim Anstee’s awareness to get them over the line.”
The comfortable victory continued the Force’s eye-catching start to 2022, with the Perth club nearly knocking over the Brumbies in Canberra in round one.
Rebels fullback Reece Hodge was sinbinned early in the second half for a professional foul and Force centre Kyle Godwin capitalised immediately by waltzing over from an attacking scrum.
It would get even worse for Hodge, as his attempted intercept went wrong with the Force hot on attack.
“The world’s nicest human, not a bad bone in his body, will have a red card,” commentator Sean Maloney said.
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With the Rebels down to 14 men again, Byron Ralston rubbed salt into the wound with a late try to secure an away bonus point and a record winning margin between the two sides.
The Rebels are now 0-2 after a first-up loss to the Reds, and major questions must be asked over their impotent attack in particular.
Stan Sport’s ex-internationals queried a lack of attacking endeavour from the Melbourne club, who dropped five-eighth Carter Gordon for Matt To’omua after the opening round.
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“There’s no excuses, we need to be better all around,” Rebels captain Michael Wells said.
“We’re sorry for that and we’re trying to be better.”
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