Capras men claim third win of the season, while their women score their maiden victory
Head coach Lionel Harbin explains what he liked most about his team’s grinding weekend win. He also identifies three young guns already making their mark or close to breaking into the line-up.
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Through the rain, mud and sludge, coach Lionel Harbin saw exactly what he wanted from his players against the Burleigh Bears.
Taking to a waterlogged Rugby Park, the Capras men ground out a 30-24 win in Round 4 of the Hostplus Cup on Sunday.
The victory puts them back on top of the table with a better points differential than the four other teams also sitting on six points.
The Capras women also revelled in the wet, registering their first win of the season.
Gun fullback Tamika Upton scored a double as the team prevailed 26-12, also against the Bears, to move into eighth place.
The club was denied a trifecta, with their under-19s beaten 32-12 by the Bears in the Mal Meninga Cup.
Men’s head coach Lionel Harbin said his team handled the challenging conditions better than the visitors.
Much of that he credited to the brilliant kicking game of Anthony Milford and Jack Madden.
“Considering the conditions, I thought we moved the footy really well and were able to score some points off the back of that,” he said.
“The weekend’s game was the standard of where we want to be in terms of how we turned up with the right mindset and attitude to compete for the full 80 minutes and that showed in the way we played.”
The Capras’ Papua New Guinean recruit, Bob Tenza, continued his strong form.
He scored twice in the team’s five-try haul, including the match-winner in the 74th minute.
The dynamic finisher has now run in four tries in four games to sit among the competition’s leading try-scorers.
Harbin said Tenza was grabbing his opportunity with both hands this season as he looked to cement his place in the starting line-up after making the first of his eight appearances for the club in Round 14 last season.
While experienced campaigners such as Madden, fullback Blake Moore and forward Lachlan Hubner maintained their consistent form, there were several young guns who had impressed in their first outings or were inching closer to a Cup debut.
Khaiya Waiembi
Joining the Capras from PNG, the 22-year-old showed his class in his debut in Round 2 against his fellow countrymen. A middle forward, he has the makings of a great front rower with his strong ball carry, strength and mobility. Has been part of the 17 for the past three games.
Jackson Miller
Another promising product of the St Brendan’s College nursery, the crafty hooker/half has shown his credentials in his three outings with the Cup team. The 19-year-old who has made the step up from playing club footy with Yeppoon, he has great hands, a real footy brain and reads the play well.
Selemaia Taungahihifo
A barnstorming front rower who is edging closer to a Cup start. The 20-year-old has played with the Capras 18s and 21s. He loves getting into the grind, making and breaking tackles. A powerful runner who is hard to contain, he is a hard worker who is willing to listen and learn.
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