StoreLocal Hospital Cup: Rd 3 talking points, team of the week named
The StoreLocal Hospital Cup team of the week includes an impressive Souths winger, the brother of a Wallaby spark plug and a Reds-aligned weapon delivering the goods for Easts. Read here for your round 3 club rugby scoop.
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Nine Queensland Premier Rugby teams will enter the Easter break licking their lips for rugby to return after a whirlwind start to the season showed the Hospital Cup chip is anyones for the taking.
Norths’ back-to-back wins over University and Souths, University’s bounce-back victory against Wests after being trounced by the Eagles, Easts’ 3-0 unbeaten start and Brothers’ promising premiership defence has sparked new life into first grade club rugby.
Young players like Alex Flanagan Smith (Norths), Benn Dalle Cort (Brothers) and Mr Reliables like Matt Gicquel (GPS) and Lachlan Stewart (Souths) have given their respective sides plenty in the fertile stages of the season.
Flanagan Smith has been so superb for Norths he prompted University coach Elton Berrange to say “he should go buy a lottery ticket he is in that sort of form”.
So who stood out in round 3? The latest instalment of the StoreLocal Hospital Cup team of the week is in.
ROUND 3 SCORES
Brothers 33 def GPS 8
University 18 def Wests 17
Easts 22 def Bond University 20
Norths 34 def Souths 31
‘BRUTAL REVIEW’ CULMINATES IN GRITTY WIN
Could The Students have conjured up a better response to their 52-point loss against Norths than beating title contenders Wests 18-17 at Sylvan Road?
The answer is no.
To the naked eye the round 2 blowout loss against Norths was a fall from grace for a club which has snared six first grade premierships since 2010.
University had enjoyed just 50 minutes of full-field training the week leading into that match after their grounds had been soaked and then shared with other teams.
Already this season coach Elton Berrange has blooded 11 debutants: Slater Galloway, Charlie Wigan, Nalani May, Patrick Sowerby, Dougal Perrers, Kody Edwards, Morgan Rees, Lui Afele, Cadell Rees, Taisei Higuchi and Tom Howard.
A Wednesday training session and Friday captain’s run at Queensland’s home of rugby, Ballymore stadium, leading into Wests week provided University the chance to dumb down their game and “brutally review” their effort areas to ensure there would be no repeat of round 2’s historic woe.
“We didn’t win one ‘no talent moment’ against Norths,” concluded coach Berrange.
“Against Wests we just had to win those moments.”
A gritty, one-point win ensued with combative scrumhalf Flynn McDermott monumental.
CRAIG CARNAGE
Easts hooker Max Craig mustered up an 80-minute showcase of dreams — his first full game hit out in about 18 months.
Craig showed he has taken plenty from his time spent training with the Reds because he was moved from hooker to blindside flanker with 25 minutes to go.
So influential was he, Craig had to see the match out.
Outstanding in a wet-weather skirmish down the coast, Craig scrummed the house down and owned his lineouts throws while being a constant across the ground with his carries.
Tight-head prop Angus Wagner, lock and captain Will Sankey and flanker Alex Smit were also elite.
FIELD DAY FOR WESTS WEAPONS
In a losing side, winger Ben Navosailagi and openside flanker Pat Maka had field days.
Navosailagi was at his elusive best, causing havoc for University defenders who had hoped to bring him down before he gathered speed.
It was often too late.
Maka proved a powerhouse at breakaway and was arguably the best forward on the ground.
NUDGEE COMBO CARVES UP AT CROSBY
Smith and Dalle Cort, key components of the school’s 2018 and 2020 First XV outfits respectively, were top notch in Brothers’ 33-8 taming of the Gallopers.
The towering Smith ran hard and fast from inside centre while Dalle Cort scored 18 of the 33 points with three penalty goals ensuring The Brethren entered the break with winning momentum.
TRY OF THE SEASON SO FAR
Norths’ not so secret sauce, fullback Alex Flanagan Smith, scored another stunner — his fourth of the season — in a two-point pipping of Souths.
The Norths nuisance is enjoying a purple patch of form right now and showed his class picking the ball up off his bootlaces to score the Eagles’ second try within the first 10 minutes of Saturday’s match in Caboolture.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.
RAISING THE BAT IN STYLE
Souths flyhalf Lachie Stewart brought up his 50th first grade cap in style by nailing all four of his conversion attempts.
Indeed his booming boot was the Magpies biggest asset with field territory all-important during his team’s resurgence from 24-7 down at oranges to 31-all with three minutes left.
The tall playmaker also added three points off a penalty goal and was one of Souths best on ground, alongside Jake Kurbatoff (lock), Joseph Veramu (winger), Sam Hanna (flanker) and interchange energiser Vilikesa Raboiliku who roared off the bench and changed the game.
TEAM OF THE WEEK
15. Alex Flanagan Smith (Norths)
14. Ben Navosailagi (Wests)
13. Benn Dalle Cort (Brothers)
12. Henry Smith (Brothers)
11. Joseph Veramu (Souths)
10. Harry Langbridge (Norths)
9. Flynn McDermott (University)
8. Matt Gicquel (GPS)
7. Patrick Maka (Wests)
6. Leo Langbridge (Norths)
5. Jake Kurbatoff (Souths)
4. Will Sankey (Easts)
3. Rhys Sheriff (Bond University)
2. Max Craig (Easts)
1. Jack Spencer (Wests)
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