The Western Force go into the bye full of belief they can make the finals after a tough 29-20 win over the Highlanders.
The hosts fought back from a 13-point deficit to nab a big win in the contest of their season.
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So what did we learn?
The Western Force heads into the bye as a top-four team after the majority of pundits wrote them off.
The side is fuelled by belief, and it showed as they didn’t panic when they trailed 20-7.
It also ensured the Australian sides weren’t swept for the round after the NSW Waratahs and Queensland Reds dropped close ones.
Somehow, all four Australian teams remain in the top six, but the challenge gets much harder in the next month. The Force faces the Hurricanes, Chiefs, Blues and Brumbies in the next month.
Ben Donaldson showed the full arsenal and why he’s a triple-threat playmaker.
Donaldson put his ‘chopsticks’ (as his teammates call his legs) to good use when he burnt the Highlanders' defence to set up Harry Potter.
He also hit George Poolman with a beauty of a cross-field kick that deserved a try if not for excellent defence from Sam Gilbert.
The radar was off from the tee but he’s put severe pressure on Noah Lolesio, whose future was all but confirmed after reports linked him to Japan.
Carlo Tizzano is becoming undeniable.
The flanker crossed again for a try, but what was most pleasing was his return to effectiveness at breakdown time.
Tizzano has been quiet for his standards the past few weeks, with just one turnover in the past five matches, but this was Tizzano at his best with a pair of key steals in the final quarter.
His work to stop Timoci Tavatavanawai was sensational and it keeps him firmly in the contest to start against the Lions in a position which seemed locked up by Fraser McReight six months ago.
Whatever the Force are doing at rolling maul needs to be studied by the Wallabies because they are unstoppable.
Their success rate is incredible in 2025, with Carlo Tizzano and Brandon Paenga-Amosa both scoring in the first half.
It brings Tizzano’s tally up to 11 for the season as he edges close to the all-time record of 16 tries.
Meanwhile, Paenga-Amosa makes it six tries for the Force hookers this year after Nic Dolly’s big haul against the Drua a few weeks ago.
Sean Withy’s red card was an unnecessary play that summed up the Highlanders’ struggles.
Withy cleaned up Harry Potter after the winger scored with his knees in a clumsy play that left his side down to 14 for 20 minutes.
They were ill-discipled across the second half, and it cost them another ten minutes without 15 players when Jona Nareki went to the bin.
They went away from what worked in the first half where their forward bashed the Force up front and controlled the tempo.
