The Western Force claimed their first win of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season with a confidence-boosting 35–19 victory over a flat Moana Pasifika on Friday night in Pukekohe.
After back-to-back losses in Perth to open the campaign, the Force crossed both the country and the Tasman Sea and finally tasted success, running in five tries to three at Navigation Homes Stadium. The result lifted the West Australians off the bottom of the ladder and consigned Moana to a disappointing home defeat.
The breakthrough snapped a nine-match winless streak dating back to April last year and marked the Force’s first win in New Zealand since beating Moana Pasifika four years ago.
Former All Black George Bridge was central to the turnaround. After a costly lapse saw him butcher a certain try on the half-hour, Bridge made amends minutes later—first going agonisingly close before lock Darcy Swain powered over from the next phase. Bridge then burst through the Moana defence to score his maiden try for the Force.
Flyhalf Ben Donaldson, cleared by a late HIA, again proved Moana’s tormentor. He set up the opening try with a deft left-foot cross-field kick that winger Darby Lancaster gathered to score after just five minutes. Hooker Mills Sanerivi replied for the hosts, but the Force carried a 21–7 lead into the break.
Crucially, the visitors backed it up after halftime—something missing in heavy early-season losses to the Brumbies and Blues. Prolific flanker Carlo Tizzano, last year’s leading try-scorer, finished a driving maul in the 61st minute to put the contest beyond reach. Replacement hooker Leonel Oviedo added a fifth as the Force recorded just their second win from 25 Super Rugby matches in New Zealand.
Late consolation tries from Melani Matavao and Jackson Garden-Bachop denied the Force a bonus point, but little could dampen the mood. It was an ideal start to a three-game New Zealand road trip for Simon Cron’s side, who next face the Highlanders and Hurricanes.
Moana Pasifika, meanwhile, have crashed back to earth after opening their season with a win over the Fijian Drua in Suva, following up that promise with successive heavy defeats.
Western Force 35 (Tries: Lancaster, Swain, Bridge, Tizzano, Oviedo; Cons: Donaldson 5) def Moana Pasifika 19 (Tries: Sanerivi, Matavao, Craig; Cons: Pellegrini, Garden-Bachop)
Moana Pasifika: 15 Glen Vaihu, 14 Tevita Ofa, 13 Lalomilo Lalomilo, 12 Ngani Laumape, 11 Solomon Alaimalo, 10 Patrick Pellegrini, 9 Jonathan Taumateine, 8 Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa, 7 Semisi Paea, 6 Miracle Faiilagi (captain), 5 Allan Craig, 4 Tom Savage, 3 Chris Apoua, 2 Millennium Sanerivi, 1 Tito Tuipulotu
Replacements: 16 Samiuela Moli, 17 Abraham Pole, 18 Lolani Faleiva, 19 Ola Tauelangi, 20 Tupou Afungia, 21 Melani Matavao, 22 Jackson Garden-Bachop, 23 Tevita Latu
Western Force: 15 Mac Grealy, 14 Darby Lancaster, 13 George Bridge, 12 Hamish Stewart, 11 Bayley Kuenzle, 10 Ben Donaldson, 9 Nathan Hastie, 8 Vaiolini Ekuasi, 7 Carlo Tizzano, 6 Jeremy Williams (captain), 5 Darcy Swain, 4 Franco Molina, 3 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 2 Nic Dolly, 1 Tom Robertson
Replacements: 16 Leonel Oviedo, 17 Sef Fa’agase, 18 Misinale Epenisa, 19 Lopeti Faifua, 20 Kane Koteka, 21 Agustin Moyano, 22 Max Burey, 23 Kurtley Beale
Referee: Paul Williams
Assistant referees: Angus Mabey, Michael Winter
TMO: Aaron Paterson
English