Western Force skipper Jeremy Williams admitted he did not know the Super Ruby extra-time rules
Perth (Australia) (AFP) - Western Force skipper Jeremy Williams admitted he had no idea of the extra-time rules after his team escaped with a pulsating 17-17 golden-point Super Rugby draw against the Wellington Hurricanes.
In a physical clash at Perth on Saturday, the ‘Canes came from nine points down at the break to lead by three late on.
But Force tied the scores through a 79th-minute Ben Donaldson penalty to set up extra-time.
Under Super Rugby rules, an up-to 10 minute golden point period is played with the first team to score declared the winner.
But despite playing the game since 2019, Wallabies lock Williams said he thought they had two periods of 10 minutes.
“I actually had no idea. I thought it was two halves,” he said.
“I had never been in an extra-time match before so I didn’t really know the rules around it, or how the kick-off kind of thing works.”
The rules state the referee flips a coin before extra-time to decide which team kicks-off and on which side of the pitch they play.
Despite Williams’ lack of understanding, he guided Force to a share of the spoils.
But only after a dramatic finale when Hurricanes flyhalf Ruben Love’s drop-goal attempt bounced off the post as the siren sounded following added time.
“It hurts, but that’s just because the boys worked so hard and did a lot of good,” said Force coach Simon Cron of their failure to win.
“The boys care about winning, they work very hard and that’s why it hurts me.
“But what a great learning. In the pressure moments the boys scrambled for each other, they cared. There’s a lot of great stuff those boys did on that field in the last 10 minutes and a heap also we can learn from the game.”
The draw lifted Force to fifth on the 11-team ladder, one clear of the NSW Waratahs and one behind the Queensland Reds to keep their quest for a maiden finals berth alive.
Defeat left the ‘Canes in seventh, with six rounds of the regular season still to play.