Revealed here - the Colts 3,2,1, premier women and Hospital Cup preliminary finals’ best
Here’s 30 club rugby preliminary finals standouts across the Colts 3, Colts 2, Colts 1, premier women and Hospital Cup competitions.
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Brothers will face Wests in the Hospital Cup, Souths will butt horns with Brothers in Colts 1 and Sunnybank will tackle Bond University in the Premier Women competition in a grand final bonanza next Sunday at Ballymore.
Brothers had their way winning 42-17 over Bond University, Sunnybank took care of the Red Heavies 36-5 and Souths came from behind to pip a gallant Easts Tigers side 29-26 in another bumper weekend of club rugby finals.
So who caught the eye? Below is a merely a snapshot of some of the standouts glimpsed around the grounds this weekend.
Many more also feature here is a 200 image picture gallery from the Colts 1,2,3, premier women's and fifth grade clashes.
CLUB RUGBY PRELIMINARY FINALS PICTURE GALLERY
GPS FIRST XV RUGBY ROUND 6 LATEST
FINALS STANDOUTS
HOSPITAL CUP
BROTHERS 42 BT BOND UNIVERSITY 17
Brothers will be chasing a first premiership since 2016 in next Sunday’s StoreLocal Hospital Cup grand final at Ballymore after dominating Bond University 42-17 in Saturday’s preliminary final.
The Brethren had plenty of stars on Saturday at Ashgrove where they came back from a 10-5 deficit during the sin-binning of hooker Dom Fraser, who made up for it with two tries.
Hamish Stewart (Brothers)
A man-of-the-match effort from the Western Force inside centre. He scored the key, momentum-deciding try just before halftime with two big sidesteps that swept him over from 20m out. He was the full-package with strong-running, good kicks for territory and solid work in defence.
Lawson Creighton (Brothers)
The form fly half in the competition. He has strung together a series of big games. His precise passing featured in the lead-up to the Stewart and Jaiden Christian tries. He knows when to have a dab himself as well and is inspiring confidence around him.
Rhian Stowers (Bond University)
The headgeared winger was always a handful with the ball. His first half tackle on halfback Isaac Tarabay for a turnover was one of the most decisive of the match.
George Blake (Bond University)
When you look beyond a hairdo that he must have misjudged when looking at a magazine, Blake steps up as a prop.
He scored Bond’s early pick-and-go try, scrummed well and was always ready for a strong ball-carry.
PREMIER WOMEN
SUNNYBANK 36 BT UNIVERSITY 5
BIG MOMENT
Sunnybank led 17-0 at the half so it was crucial to UQ’s chances that they be the team who scored first in the second.
But as they had been doing all day, the Dragons cashed in when the opportunity presented itself and through lock Joana Rabaka, the minor premiers took a comfortable 22-point-lead.
Laiema Bosenavulagi (Sunnybank)
The clinical Sunnybank forward pack made sure whenever they earned field position they would come away with something to show and Bosenavulagi was at the forefront.
The tireless prop carried strong and hard all contest and was justly rewarded with a five-pointer.
Ana Drotini (Sunnybank)
The Dragons hooker bolstered the overwhelming Bank front row which was spearheaded by Sekona.
Christina Sekona (Sunnybank)
Sekona was immense with her pick-and-drives dealing fatal blows near the UQ tryline.
She scored one and eroded the Red Heavies defence when her side were in striking distance.
Ivania Wong (Sunnybank)
The Wallaroos winger provided Sunnybank with confidence as well as determined defence and counter-attack.
Chanelle Kohika-Skipper (UQ)
The University fly half was masterful with her cross-field kicks and eventually she was rewarded when Machiko Silila F Fepuleai finished one off for a try.
The deft kicking of Kohika-Skipper was a weapon of attack in a game where the scoreline didn’t reflect the closeness between the two sides.
Amy Brice (UQ)
The outside centre finished 2023 with a classy showing, capping off a wonderful season which UQ will draw confidence from heading into next year.
Brice had a handful of destructive carries and was most destructive in the first half.
But she had limited touches.
Fullback Giverny Robinson threatened with her kick-returns.
Tess Evans (UQ)
On a day where the Sunnybank defences were impenetrable, flanker Evans carried strong into contact and did her best job bending the line.
Lock Anelisa Lole was a rib-crunching defender.
MEGA CLUB RUGBY FINALS PREVIEW
COLTS 1, PREMIER WOMEN UNSUNG, MOST IMPROVED PLAYERS
COLTS 1
SOUTHS 29 BT EASTS 26
Dominic Thygesen (Souths)
Joe Saina (Souths)
Ryley Bierton (Souths)
He assisted on a telling Dre-dyn Laban try with a terrific kick-and-chase and moments later scored the dagger which ensured a spot in the grand final.
Kane Askew (Easts)
The green headgear wearing breakaway has been a revelation this finals’ series. He was elite in Easts’ 28-7 victory over UQ last weekend and on Saturday against Souths he was monumental again with his dynamic carries.
Archie Wilson (Easts)
Wilson scored the Tigers first try with a darting run from close range and set up two others with his beautiful spiral passing which had Easts surging up the park.
Blake Davis (Easts)
He ran hard and fast into contact, played eyes-up and marched on after a damaging Thygesen carry left him hurting.
On one occasion he made as good a trysaver as you’ll see on scrumhalf Thomas Parker-Ryan.
COLTS 2
SOUTHS 29 BT WESTS 27
BIG MOMENT
After leaving his defender stuck in the mud, Lowe galloped down the left touchline and assisted on a try which gave Wests a five-point-lead.
However the boot of Souths goalkicker Rowan undid his brilliance.
Darcy Rowan (Souths)
Calm as could be, he slotted it straight down the black dot and it never looked like missing.
It wasn’t an easy kick, he was 70 minutes into the contest and the stakes couldn’t have been higher.
Lloyd Costa and Daniel Mavunda (Wests)
Wests’ stalwart Costa was a vocal leader, while unsung open side Mavunda, a St Edmund’s College old boy, let his contact do the talking.
Liam McGregor (Wests)
Was McGregor the best player on the field? He had to have been close.
The No. 8 was destructive through the middle and it took a handful of Souths defenders to bring him down.
His ball-carrying laid the foundation for Wests who struck through the backs.
Jackson Barling (Wests)
His three try effort included a beauty created by Lowe and he had a serious presence about him.
Fullback Ben Mooney also made a heroic try-saving tackle when he threw his body in front of his defender, but the play later Rhys Chadburn (Souths flanker) crashed over to give Rowan the chance to win it.
Dre-dyn Laban (Souths)
Both games Souths won and the classy Laban was pivotal in both.
COLTS 3
UNIVERSITY 25 BT SOUTHS 12
Viliame Samuela (UQ)
The Year 12 winger was fantastic on the wing, a titan who did all the right things including kick chases, strong tackles and everything in between.
Jedidiah Kaputin and Kytama Cooper (UQ)
The UQ props were relentless from start to finish, playing with their heart on their sleeve.
Kaputin, like Samuela, is still at school and was playing through an injury.
Jimmy Downes (UQ)
Breakaway Downes is a toiler. He is someone who has dominated the breakdown all season and was again abrasive on Sunday, plucking ball here and there.
Douglas Kennar (Souths)
It was a frustrating day at the office for the Magpies with UQ enjoying the majority of possession.
BSHS old boy flanker Kennar was a work horse in a strong-scrummaging forward pack which was spearheaded by front rowers Viliami Motu-apuaka, Hamish Butcher and Ethan Morgan.
Jack Guinan, Tauhara Chase and Riley Speare (Souths)
Guinan (inside centre), chase (outside centre) and Speare (winger) looked dangerous when they had possession but they did not see much of it.
Indeed handling errors and ill-discipline prevented them from running free.
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