The Force looked gone after entering the half-time break trailing 14-3 on enemy territory.
But Smith sparked a remarkable turnaround, scoring two tries in the second half as the Force piled on 18 unanswered points to break a four-game winless streak.
Although his first try in the 66th minute was important in getting the Force back in the game, it was his second five-pointer in the 74th minute that was the key moment.
After collecting the ball following a box kick from the Highlanders Smith sprinted 55m, sliced through three defenders and brushed off a tackle from full-back Ben Smith before touching down in the corner.
The win was the first by an Australian side on New Zealand soil this season, ending a run of eight losses.
"It was fantastic stuff," a chuffed Force coach Richard Graham said.
"We showed the character we've shown all year. It's never been questioned amongst this group and I'm incredibly proud as a coach to be part of it."
Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph sparked a trans-Tasman war of words earlier this year when he claimed Australian sides were playing schoolboy rugby.
But the Force showed they were more than happy to get their hands dirty, with their resolute defence and excellent work at the breakdown proving critical in the win.
"The Highlanders are one of the best teams in the competition at the breakdown, so we knew that was going to be big for us tonight and it's nice to come out here and not play like schoolboys," Force skipper Nathan Sharpe said in a slight dig at Joseph's comments.
The Highlanders, wearing their new Kermit the Frog-coloured uniform to mark the final Super Rugby game at Carisbrook Stadium, were devastated after the final siren, knowing the loss all but ended their finals hopes.
The Force, already without several backline stars including James O'Connor and Brett Sheehan, suffered a major blow before the match when full-back Cameron Shepherd pulled out due to a hamstring injury.
The Force opened the scoring through a James Stannard penalty but the Highlanders took control from that point, with three penalties to Lima Sopoaga and a try to Ben Smith giving the Highlanders a comfortable 14-3 half-time lead.
It would have been even worse had it not been for the excellent defensive work of Smith, who bundled Adam Thomson over the touchline just as the Highlanders flanker appeared set to barge over for a try.
Force stand-in five-eighth James Stannard was sin-binned in the 26th minute for blatantly taking down Siale Piutau before the winger was about to receive a pass on the fast break.
The Force conceded just three points during Stannard's time on the bench, and the visitors' defensive mettle was again severely tested early in the second half as the Highlanders pushed hard for a second try.
And they should have had it in the 45th minute when number eight Nasi Manu touched down after Piutau's pass rebounded off Matt Hodgson's head and into the try area.
But a knock-on was called against Piutau, robbing the Highlanders of five points, a conversion attempt and important momentum.
The Force seemed uplifted from the let-off and drew within four points in the 66th minute when Smith's try was converted by Stannard.
The visitors blew three golden chances to post another quick-fire try, but a Stannard penalty and then Smith's runaway try gave the Force a deserved victory in what has been a tough season.
Force: 21 (D Smith 2 tries; J Stannard 1/2 conversions, 3 penalty goals)
Highlanders: 14 (B Smith try; L Sopoaga 3 penalty goals)
- AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-14, australia, wa, perth-6000, new-zealand First posted June 3, 2011 19:23:00
No comments:
Post a Comment