The Western Force rocketed back into finals contention with a drought-breaking win over the Crusaders.
After conceding a try inside the opening three minutes, the Force rolled their sleeves up and produced their best ever performance under coach Simon Cron to earn their first win since Round 4.
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Here’s what we learnt:
This time last week, the Force copped a 50-3 belting in of the all-time Super Rugby thrashings from the Blues.
To see them turn things around and topple the defending premiers after just seven days is astonishing, especially given the Force's record against the Crusaders.
The win marked just their third ever win over the Cantabrians and their first since 2013.
Make no mistake, the Crusaders are clearly well off their best but it's still a massive result for Force side chasing their first ever finals berth.
Take a bow, Sam Carter and Kurtley Beale.
This year's mid-season recruits didn't just up the grey-hair counter in Perth - they also upped the ante in a big way.
Carter delivered an 80-minute masterclass in tight with 16 tackles, six lineout wins, seven carries and a try while Beale barely missed a beat with three tackle busts, a line break and a line break assist.
Returning veteran Santiago Medrano also deserves a shoutout for his 67-minute stint at tight head against an all-star Crusaders front row.
If the Christchurch bells weren't tolling for Rob Penney before tonight, they sure are now.
To drop games against Kiwi rivals on the road is one thing, but to have now lost successive games to Australian sides is cause for knife sharpening across the ditch, especially when you give away 15 penalties (the majority of which were either offside or incorrect ruck entry).
Penney was always going to struggle without generational talents like Richie Mo'unga and Sam Whitelock but his two-year contract is looking less and less likely to run its course after an unprecedented seventh loss this season.
There's always a chance the Crusaders scrape into eighth and play finals but no-one's counting on a breakdancing Penney. Watch this space.
There's only one light shining through the Crusaders season in 2024 and his name is Sevu Reece.
The flying winger was once again outstanding with a try, two line breaks and two offloads against the Force on Saturday night.
His steamrolling of Chase Tiatia earned him a record-breaking 53rd try in Crusaders colours and saw him surpass Caleb Ralph as the club's all-time try scorer.
Post-game, Crusaders captain Tom Christie branded him the "best winger in New Zealand". Hard to disagree and he's doubtless on a Scott Robertson spreadsheet come Test season.
Important we left this one until last, because it's the reason Western Force were able to secure victory.
Penalty goals might seem boring and tedious but Ben Donaldson's ability to tick the scoreboard over was key to his side's success.
Though his conversion radar was awry, the flyhalf booted five penalties, three of which came within five minutes of a Crusaders try.
It kept the Force two steps ahead and ultimately frustrated their visitors into penalising themselves out of the contest late.
