Club rugby: Future Wallaroos glimpsed; colts 1 thriller
Club rugby: Several potential Wallaroos were glimpsed in women’s rugby today, while we name our colts 1 Team of the Week. Full story here.
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Several potential Wallaroos were glimpsed as the Easts Tigers and GPS got to the winners post in women’s club rugby today.
The Tigers’ survived a withering finish from Bond Uni in a women’s rugby thriller at Bottomley Park.
With brilliant Bond winger Dianne Waight scoring one try and setting up another, Bond scored three tries in a flash, including a length of the field effort, to reduce Easts lead from 19 points to just 26-24 before a last second penalty try sealed the deal for the Tigers. The full-time score was 33-26.
Waight, 17, was scintillating for Bond, setting up one try and then running 90m for another after Bond had run the ball from their tryline.
A Southport SHS alumni now studying at University, Waight is just six matches into her 15-a-side career but already looms as a potential star if she continues to build on the basic skills.
She is the daughter of Dennis Waight, the former long serving physiotherapist of West Indies cricket who oversaw the Windies program when they were on top of the world between 1977-78 and 1995.
RELATED LINKS
TAS FIRST XV TEAM OF THE SEASON
AIC FIRST XV TEAM OF THE SEASON
Waight, who runs the 100m in the 11.90s has now scored three tries - one an 99m effort against Wests, another a weaving 70 solo try, and today’s 90m performance which put her team in a position to almost defeat the Tigers with a late surge.
If the national seven-a-side selectors don’t move to bring her into the squad over the next 12 months, they should have their pay docked.
Aside from Waight, her Bond team mate Skyla Adams, Easts’ centre Malaela Su’a and GPS winger Helina Young were also thrilling representative prospects who featured in this weekend’s round.
Easts had burst out to a 26-7 lead after scoring the first try in the second half courtesy of flanker Felicity Powdrell who attacked down a wide blindside.
But Bond’s surge started with winger Caitlyn Costello scoring, followed by flanker Shannon Symon after Waight has scorched away down the right wing.
Sykla Adams had passed beautifully to the space ahead of Costello scoring, while Waight broke clear to create Symon’s try.
There was a nice moment earlier in the match when the rising tyros, Adams (Bond) and S’ua (Easts) came together after Su’a had broken into the clear, only to be brought down 1m short by a diving cover tackle by Adams.
Both girls are destined to play alongside each other in the Reds Super W team later this decade.
It was Easts who dominated the scoreboard, even if the minute to minute slog across the first half was reasonably even.
The Tigers scrum and line out and rolling maul were all slightly superior, and although they were potent in the backs, when Easts reverted to its forward power they were at their best.
Easts scored their third try on the cusp of halftime from a rolling maul after No.12 Su’a had again contributed with leg drive that gave Tigers momentum.
Earlier in the match, after a scoreless opening, both teams traded converted tries in quick succession.
Bond, having peppered the Easts line, finally cracked dogged defence the old fashioned way - via a rolling maul after side to side rugby failed to breach the Tigers defence. The try was awarded to prop Tamika Smith.
Then came a bold passing movement from next to their tryline which outflanked the Easts defence, leading to Waight’s long distance run to the line.
Easts coach Gary Wilson said it was “one of our hardest fought games this season’’.
“It went right down to the wire.
“We controlled the second part of the first half really well and after halftime we let them back into the game very quickly and we had to show some resolve.’’
Bond Uni coach Setu Naseri said Bond had their opportunities but ‘’little things around our decision making cost us’’ while his team did not counter Easts when they played through the middle.
At St Lucia, Nick Tucker reported GPS women defeated UQ 34-10.
RELATED LINKS
AIC FIRST XV GRAND FINAL - WHO WON HERE
TAS FIRST XV SCHOOLBOY GRAND FINAL REPORT
GPS triumphed in a terrific 34-10 victory over UQ following a cracking first half that saw flying Fijian winger Helina Young come away with three brilliant tries.
The carnage she delivered from the left wing pushed her team ahead too far for UQ to come back from.
UQ piled on the pressure early with possession, however GPS were able to withstand it to come away only 3-0 down.
Flanker Adi Unaisi Biau ran the ball hard into contact to give GPS good go-forward for the whole first half.
Thanks to a great box kick from halfback Sarah Lewis, GPS were able to get their first chance in UQ’s 22. It didn’t take long for the ball to be shifted out the back to Young who with her incredible speed and power to bump off the opposition, scored the first try of the day.
Moments later she showed how threatening GPS can be with her lurking on the wing, dashing down the sideline to collect a grubber kick and score under the posts to make it 12-3.
Young made it three unanswered tries for GPS when diving over for her hat-trick. Once again UQ had no answer for the speed demon as she flew down the sideline to extend her teams lead at 17-3.
GPS head coach Mote Kite said: “We are so lucky to have Young. Her auntie used to play for the team. She got an athletics scholarship down on the Gold Coast and her auntie hunted her down and got her for us.”
“If they don’t pick her up soon the Fijiana Commonwealth Games team will. She’s been amazing all season.”
“I thought our tight five did the job to allow everyone to play footy. We have three sets of sisters in our team so we have great combinations. It’s a big family affair at our club,” Kite said.
UQ centres Caitlin Urwin and Amelia Kuk with the help of prop Eleni Rokomatu and No. 8 Georgie Daniells continued to work hard after a three-try-bonanza by Young with some huge tackles and strong runs to put GPS on the back foot going into the break.
GPS couldn’t have asked for a better start to the second half with flanker Emilya Byrne scoring the try of the day.
Lewis found Bryne steaming onto it with a line of defenders in front of her. A deceiving dummy to her support runner saw a hole open up for Byrne to slice through before she ran over the last line of UQ’s defence to score a miraculous try. Byrne’s brilliance made it 24-3.
Eleanor Vitaliano pushed GPS further in front at 29-3 when scoring off the back of a powerful scrum.
Fly half Chanelle Kohika-Skipper got a well earned try in response to give UQ their first five-pointer of the afternoon. The No. 10s kicking and passing was pinpoint all game and was finally rewarded when stepping her way around multiple GPS defenders.
Byrne had the last say for GPS when pouncing down the blind from the back of the ruck to get her double.
GPS ran away 34-10 winners.
UQ head coach Derby Malaulau said: “ They were too physical for us. They had a really good game plan against us. We didn’t execute our tackles. “
“They were too good. That’s why they’re at the top. Our forwards in the set piece were really good today,” Malaulau said.
Hooker Brooke Savelio and prop Ronia Setu were damaging in the front row.
Footnore: Coverage of the women’s matches Brothers and Sunnybank, Souths and Wests coming Sunday morning.
In colts 1 action, University of Queensland defeated GPS 22-8, Souths and Wests drew 22-all while Brothers defeated Sunnybank 74-7.
On David Wilson Field at Bottomley Park, Bond Uni’s forwards benefited from the delivery of a scrum machine with a rollicking set piece performance that directly led to two tries and a penalty goal in the team’s 29-12 win.
As a result the front three of Harrison Usher, Tyrone Albertyn and Simon Gray had a ball, with Usher and Albertyn having the added bonus of scoring tries.
Coach Brenden Jones said colts one only recently gained regular access to a scrum machine and the forwards were now displaying superior timing in the set piece as a result of intensive training.
He his side came to Brisbane to cement a top four position and now the group was “exactly where we want to be.’’
While the Bond Uni scrum was a weapon, Bond flanker Nik Mitchell produced his typical high class effort to ensure the ball was not wasted.
Down 15-nil, Easts showed plenty of fight to narrow the margin to 22-12.
Bond had eased clear of their rivals 15-0 into the second half after a lovely interchange of passing between forward Ussher, Zane mistros and Gray finished with Usher scoring under the posts.
But Bond I immediately bungled its kick-off retention, leading to an opportunist try by Tigers winger Byron Tokome.
However a dominant Bond scrum then won a penalty whIeuan Cornelius converted to send Bond out to 18-5.
The margin would have been greater had Ben Stoddart not made a try saving kegs tackle on Bond breakaway Mitchell.
But it mattered little, with Bond’s rampaging scrum securing a pushover try soon after, making it 22-5.
Both teams were also missing an array of representative players but the skint rusty was still sky high.
GPS v UQ:
Last time they met, GPS came away Colts 1 premiers.
Indeed UQ took this personally with a strong display in Saturday afternoons grand final rematch.
The Red Heavies took it to a talented GPS outfit who are yet to find their groove in the 2022 season, and got their revenge.
UQ head coach Matt Ingram said: “it was an awesome performance. We have had up to 20 guys that started colts 1 this year unavailable for this weekend so a lot of guys had to step up from across the program and take their opportunity. I was very pleased on that front.”
“Noah Hartley had a great game. He locked down the set piece and was great around the park with his carries giving us go-forward. Fergus Nasser who has been our best player of the season once again led from the front. Ben McMahon at fullback had his best game of the season and allowed us to control field position. It’s a big confidence boosting victory to take forward,” Ingram said.
The UQ front row dealt damage in the first half with prop William Hay and hooker Noah Hartley both scoring off the back of a rolling maul.
Thanks to the smothering defence of centres Campbell Moller and Gus Rosanowski and flanker Ben Bannister, GPS were still in the game at the break, down 10-3.
However, the home side stuck to their guns to extend the lead at 15-3 early in the second half. Hartley crashed over for his second in the same fashion as his first.
Jayden Muller’s service from the ruck gave GPS their best chance at advancing up the field, however defensive guns Fergus Nasser and Ethan McFarland had other ideas.
GPS wing Tom Cox sparked a glimmer of hope in his side when scoring a magnificent try down the right edge.
He put in a chip kick which ended up back in his hands thanks to the hard work of his teammates to regain possession.
UQ fly half Tony Fuimaono settled the scores at 22-8 with a try on the siren, giving his team a dominant 14-point-victory at home.
GPS locks Darcy Hammond and Ethan Lucey worked hard all afternoon but the UQ forward pack led by Hartley was too strong.
Flankers Ben Waller and Nasser worked in tandem all afternoon to give GPS the impossible task of having possession in their 22.
GPS head coach Visesio Kite said: “It was a tough battle. UQ were more clinical and very physical in collisions and we just didn’t figure it out quick enough. They deservedly got the result.”
“Hammond battled hard today, and our fly half Sebastian Sialau was the most threatening player when we had opportunities.”
“The competition has gotten a lot better and more even. There’s a lot of talent coming through. The best thing I like about this is that we are fighting. There’s no quit in the boys. It’ll turn, we just have to wait our turn and when it comes we run with it,” Visesio said.
At Chipsy Wood Oval, Souths and Wests played out a 22-all, a result which neither coach was doing cart wheels over.
But the draw was probably closer to a win for Souths than Wests although Magpies coach Cian O’Connor lamented his team not sticking to its structure.
“When we stick to how we want to play we score points, but when we go away from that, we don’t,’’ he said.
Prop Samuelu-Feataoai-Pologa was outstanding for Souths, while lock Cadell Rees and blindside flanker John Bryant did a fine job for the Magpies.
Wests coach Rob Roiri said his team did not win enough key moments and was disappointed not to win despite disruptions caused by Uni exams, representative commitments and two match days injuries.
“We started really well and lost our mojo.
“We ddd not win those key moments and all we needed was one key moment.
“But every moment is a learning moment and we are about development, young boys learning the game.’’
He said importantly Wests stay in the top four and he expected improvement in the last quarter of the season.
Displaying “grit and determination’’, captain Alec Robinson led the way for the Bulldogs, while centres Lebron Naea and Darcy Reed did well.
At Crosby Park stylish Brothers outside centre Tim Ryan scored the first three tries of the match - and then added a fourth during the second half - during his teams 74-7 white out of Sunnybank.
Brothers coach Greg Beaver said he wanted his team to go on with the job and then did just that after reaching a 50 points advantage. “We were very clinical today,’’ he said.
The match also gave an opportunity for bench players Tanna Wilson (lock), Will Ratcliffe (back rower) and hooker Harry Foster to make an impact.
It was a nice moment for Foster who has come from colts 3 to colts 2 to colts 1 after being called off the bench during the match.
Sunnybank coach Brendan Underwood said his squad suffered from absentees this week and a lack of depth was exposed.
But he was disappointed with a lack of execution.
“It was my main goal today to deliver our set pieces in our zone focusing on execution,’’ he said.
“This is a very good Brothers colts 1 team but the lads from Sunnybank are better than that and let themselves down.
“Preparation at this level is key and we didn’t deliver uin that category.
“We need to sit down and have robust discussions on where this team wants to end and what that looks like.’’
He said Fehiu Mehina at flanker was his team’s best player.
TEAM OF THE WEEK
Fullback: Ben McMahon (UQ)
Wing: Darcy Reed (Wests)
Centre: Tim Ryan (Brothers)
Centre: Hunter Lim (Brothers)
Wing: Tom Cox (GPS)
Five-eight: Tony Fuimaono (UQ)
Halfback: Chris McClare (Bond)
No.8. Fergus Nasser (UQ)
Flanker: Nick Mitchell (Bond)
Flanker: Henry Wilson (Easts)
Lock: Cadell Rees (Souths)
Lock: Alec Robinson (Wests)
Prop: Harrison Usher (Bond)
Hooker: Tyrone Albertyn (Bond)
Prop: Samuelu-Feataoai-Pologa
Reserves: Noah Hartley (UQ), Fehiu Mehina (Sunnybank), Darcy Hammond (GPS), Tanna Wilson, (Brothers), Simon Gray (Bond), Will Ratcliffe (Brothers), Harry Foster (Brothers), Lebron Naea (Wests), George Stoddart (Easts).
Originally published as Club rugby: Future Wallaroos glimpsed; colts 1 thriller
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