Western Force captain Ian Prior desperate to make Super Rugby AU sacrifices count

Eleven weeks on the road will all boil down to the final round with the Force desperately hunting their first Super Rugby AU win - but ask the ACT Brumbies and they'll say the Force warrant a place in the competition come 2021.

The winless Force fell 31-14 to the Brumbies at Canberra Stadium on Friday night, pushing the title favourites before they pulled away late to secure a home ground advantage for the competition decider on September 19.

The Force will now set their sights on Australian rugby union's other nomadic squad, the Melbourne Rebels, in a round 10 clash in Newcastle next week.

The near miss is cold comfort for a "gutted" Prior, who is determined to finish the campaign with a statement to any of the club's lasting doubters.

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"It has certainly been a challenge, we're not the only ones who have had to do it. There are certainly people out there during this pandemic that have had it a lot tougher with jobs and work," Prior said.

"If we had managed to jag a couple of those tighter games, I think the conversation would be different. We wouldn't really be talking about that to be honest.

"It is what it is, we made that sacrifice because we wanted to be here as a club in this competition, competing and doing well.

"Considering where we were three years ago, to be back in this competition, it has happened quite quickly and I'm proud of the fight we put up to keep going.

"Obviously disappointed with the result, pretty gutted for the players and the staff. We've sacrificed a lot over the past 11 weeks, guys have been away from family and working hard.

"Guys were hurting after last week's result, and I thought we took that on the chin and prepared really well. Really proud of the effort of the guys and character that we showed after last week's disappointing result."

Force coach Tim Sampson says there is plenty to like about his side's showing against the competition favourites, so much so that a 31-14 scoreline doesn't tell the full tale.

For the Brumbies were made to grind their way to victory against the cellar dwellers, who were left to lament small periods in which they took their "foot off the gas".

Western Australia's travelling rugby roadshow had Brumbies coach Dan McKellar shuffling uncomfortably in his seat when they pulled the margin back to three points midway through the second half.

But the home side ultimately proved too classy with late tries to Len Ikitau and Andy Muirhead getting the Brumbies across the line.

"It's just a little bit of polish there that we need to add to our game," Sampson said.

"You saw tonight we wanted to play a particular way, and we frustrated the Brumbies for a while there but they were good enough to bounce back. We'll be doing our very best to finish this competition on a good note."

While they will enter round 10 still searching for a win most expected would come somewhere along the line, the Force can rest assured they have won the respect of their rival franchises.

McKellar is adamant the club has done enough to warrant a place in whatever format Super Rugby takes in 2021 and beyond - he "thought they warranted a place back in 2017 as well".

"There is a genuine love of rugby over there, they've done well to keep the club together," McKellar said.

"They've got a group of boys there that enjoy playing for their community and their jersey, and they certainly did that tonight. We take our hat off to them."

AT A GLANCE

Super Rugby AU round nine: ACT BRUMBIES 31 (Tom Wright, Tom Banks, Will Miller, Len Ikitau, Andy Muirhead tries; Bayley Kuenzle 3 conversions) bt WESTERN FORCE 14 (Fergus Lee-Warner, Jono Lance tries; Ian Prior 2 conversions) at Canberra Stadium. Referee: Amy Perrett.