KEY POINTS:
There were celebrations after this match as if the World Cup had been won at Subiaco Oval on the same day Prime Minister John Howard announced Canberra would be made into a truck stop and Perth become the new capital of Australia.
But, no, it was just that
the Force had finally - and thrillingly - won their first match at home after more than a year of trying.
There was more than a hint of justice about the result too - and not just because the Force have had home wins snatched from them lately. The Highlanders did it first, with a dogged 8-7 win in round one at Subiaco. The Lions did it next, winning 25-24 in another chilling, close finish - the Lions' first win in Australia, a landmark of their own never achieved when they were the Cats.
So there had grown something of a home hoodoo for the Force. They had beaten the Bulls in Pretoria and spanked the Stormers in Cape Town but it appeared the gods were using them as playthings at Subiaco.
And so it appeared when replacement first five Jimmy Gopperth twisted over for a try after a handsome Hurricanes scrum pushed the Force back against their own goal line.
There was more than a hint of a bouncing ball when Gopperth got it down but South African referee Mark Lawrence didn't call for the video ref and the try stood. There were two minutes left, the Force trailed 17-11 and the gods seemed to have flushed their celestial toilet on Subiaco again.
But the Force struck back, with the Hurricanes botching their clearance of a kick and a fine, recycled ball, left-right-left-right wave of attacks saw big winger Cameron Shepherd facing only Hurricanes lock Paul Tito between him and the line.
A shimmy and a lunge, aided by Tito's failure to move forward into the tackle rather than wait for the back to put a step on him, saw the try scored and Shepherd, long after the siren had sounded, converted from the touchline for a memorable victory.
The Force deserved the win. This was largely a scrappy game before the electric finale but they put together arguably the most fluent attacking performance in their history with winger Digby Ioane, Shepherd, fullback Drew Mitchell and midfielder Junior Pelesasa prominent. They enjoyed having skipper Nathan Sharpe back and the forwards made decent ground as a result.
It was predicted, not least in this newspaper, that the Hurricanes would suffer most from having their reconditioning All Blacks away and so it has proved. Ma'a Nonu's absence was badly missed as the 'Canes struggled to breach the line. Tana Umaga was injured and missed most of the second half and Conrad Smith is not yet back at his best.
Their only hope of a decent break seemed to hinge on David Smith but the Auckland winger's wriggling, stepping efforts were often ruined when he tried to push a pass in the tackle. When he tidies up this aspect of his game and plays with a cooler head, he will be a real, well, force.
Best of the Hurricanes was prop Neemia Tialata, who has become not just a scrummager but is also battering his way forward round rucks and mauls these days. It was a shame, too, that Tito was shown up at the last because in what may be his final season, he has been playing hugely well, making some great hits and crashing away at defensive lines.
Umaga wriggled through along the ground to score the first Canes try and helped tidy up their defensive effort in the second half after Mitchell had waltzed past Hosea Gear and Cory Jane for the opening try.
However, the Hurricanes didn't deserve this one. They desperately need Jerry Collins, Chris Masoe, Rodney So'oialo and Nonu back and Smith slipping and sliding at his best.
Force 18 (D. Mitchell, C. Shepherd tries; Shepherd con, 2 pen)
Hurricanes 17 (T. Umaga, J. Gopperth tries, B. Stewart con, pen, Gopperth con)
HT: Hurricanes 7-5.
