Sunshine Coast rugby grand final captains share why they can come away victorious

Grand final captains Nick Colvin and Luke Kimber have revealed what their team must do to be crowned Sunshine Coast rugby union champions. HAVE YOUR SAY

The battle for the ultimate bragging rights has arrived as the University Barbarians take on the Noosa Dolphins in this weekend’s blockbuster Sunshine Coast rugby union grand final.

The Barbarians, who last tasted silverware in 2015, upset minor premiers Noosa Dolphins 13-10 in their first semi-final matchup to ensure they progressed straight to the decider.

The Barbarians will also head into Saturday's 3.30pm match armed with home-ground advantage as they look to complete an eight-match winning streak.

The Dolphins are aiming for back-to-back premierships and will head into the weekend’s clash after only losing two regular season matches this season.

After the competitions coaches shared their thoughts earlier in the week, captains Luke Kimber (University) and Nick Colvin (Noosa) gave their thoughts on who would end up 2021 premiers.

Q: How’s the feeling among the players heading into the final?

Kimber: “We’re all very excited and we now get this opportunity to prove how hard we’ve been working all year,” he said.

“We are starting to feel as if we’re hitting our straps at this time of year and that evidently comes down to our training which has been really good.

“There is that aspect of pressure aiming for eight wins in a row but we’ll be excited by that and excited to prove we can win when it counts which is obviously on Saturday.”

Colvin: “The boys are all really excited and we had to go the hard way after losing to Uni early on but a good win last week means we’re finally here,” he said.

“The win last weekend over Maroochydore has made us a lot more confident heading in as well.”

Q: Where do you think the game will be won or lost for both teams?

Kimber: “It’s always a hard one to pinpoint but I think set pieces are going to be hugely important,” he said.

“Both teams have a really good attacking back lines and a lot of opportunities can arise from that so I believe whoever gets it right with their set pieces will come out the victors.”

Colvin: “I think definitely in the forwards but also out wide,” he said.

“I know our forwards are our strong point as they always have been so we just have to meet them upfront where it matters.”

Q: Does playing at University have an impact on your mind?

Kimber: “It’s always awesome to play at home in front of everyone and at the ground you love,” he said.

“The boys get excited knowing they'll have family and friends coming along and it also nullifies that Noosa factor because when you play away there’s always plenty of people yelling at you instead of with you.

“We’re excited to take that on and hopefully the tunnels huge, the weather stays good and the beers are cold.”

Colvin: “We haven't had a grand final away from home in a little while so it will definitely be a different feeling,” he said.

“We’ll just have to wait and see what the atmosphere will be like on Saturday I guess.”

Q: Final thoughts?

Kimber: “I think we’ll go well, I think the biggest thing is making sure we trust each other and get excited to play in a grand final which don’t come around to often,” he said.

Colvin: “I’m super excited to see what the team can do and I know we haven't played our best footy yet so I think we’re going to be able to get up,” he said.