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| - A first-half blitz fuelled ACT Brumbies' 42-14 thrashing of Western Force in Super Rugby AU round six action on Friday. The aggressive Brumbies led 28-0 at the main break en route to scoring six-to-two tries against the injury-hit Force and ensured they did not stumble for the second consecutive game at GIO Stadium. Last year's champions were on a mission having suffered a two-point home defeat against Queensland Reds in a grand final rematch heading into their bye last week. The Brumbies (4-1) leapfrogged the unbeaten Reds, who play bottom-placed NSW Waratahs on Saturday, at the top of the five-team ladder as the 10-round competition enters its pointy end. "We came out and played positive and that's the way we want to play," stand-in Brumbies captain Nic White said. The improved Force, who were winless in their return to the competition last year, suffered their worst loss of the season and with just one victory are losing touch with the finals race, where only the top three teams qualify. "The first 30 minutes we didn't touch the ball and we made too many errors," said Force captain Brynard Stander. The Force's chances of snapping a 10-game losing streak against the Brumbies were dealt a major blow when their already depleted line-up took a further hit with a hamstring injury to fly-half Jake McIntyre in the eighth minute. The Force, who prefer a dogged brand of play, wanted an arm-wrestle and impressively stymied their vaunted opponent's early onslaught. But the Brumbies' dominance was finally rewarded in the twenty-first minute when Len Ikitau broke the scoring drought after finishing off slick passing to cross over for a try. The home side seemed set to add another try moments later before Peter Samu was thwarted by a massive hit from a pumped-up Jack McGregor. The Force were barely hanging on when top-shelf defender Tevita Kuridrani received a yellow card and was sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes after a deliberate knock-down. The Brumbies, who had themselves been unexpectedly undisciplined prior to this game, capitalised with tries to Ikitau and Cadeyrn Neville. The margin blew out to 28 points when Andy Muirhead found himself in space and crossed over for a try just before half-time. The Force were far more competitive in the second-half and finally hit the scoreboard when Henry Taefu scored a try in the 53rd minute. But the Brumbies were untroubled as they secured a bonus point and continued their seven-year stranglehold over the Force. tl/rbu
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