Rugby-Force stage stunning recovery to beat Brumbies

BRISBANE, May 16 (Reuters) - The Western Force made a stunning comeback to beat the ACT Brumbies 29-22 in a Super 14 match in Perth on Friday.

Down 22-0 after 20 minutes, the Force scored 29 unanswered points.

Both sides scored four tries apiece, but Matt Giteau's three conversions and one penalty to Stirling Mortlock's sole conversion proved the difference.

"That was 20 minutes of the ugliest rugby we've played, then 60 minutes of pretty good intensity," Force captain Nathan Sharpe said.

"At halftime (and down 22-7) the 22 blokes in the squad said we had to dig ourselves out of it."

The result had no bearing on the semi-final places with both teams out of contention, but it was the last chance players had to impress Wallaby selectors ahead of June test matches.

The Brumbies impressed first, going 12-0 up after just seven minutes.

Winger Francis Fainifo scored his first Super 14 try when he chased a chip ahead and re-gathered, then Mark Gerrard strolled over in the corner after flanker George Smith threw a glorious cut out pass.

The Brumbies were dominating and went further ahead when Fainifo grabbed his second to leave the Force on the ropes.

Soon after another Smith cut-out pass found winger Adam Ashley-Cooper, who crossed in the corner to make it 22-0.

But the Force were at last able to keep possession of the ball and it paid off when 17-year-old centre James O'Connor darted through a gap for a converted try to close the gap before halftime.

The Force came out firing in the second half and tries to centre Josh Tatupu and Giteau inside the first 10 minutes reduced the deficit to just three points.

They went in front at the 60-minute mark when scrumhalf Chris O'Young burrowed his way over beside the posts.

When Giteau increased the lead to seven points with a penalty from right in front of the posts, the Brumbies never looked like being able to come back. (Reporting by Andrew Stevens