Red Heavies assert their authority in a high-scoring Premier Rugby contest
SOUTHS Magpies certainly had their wings clipped in their tussle against UQ, the Red Heavies asserting their authority in a high-scoring Premier Rugby contest. Read the round wrap-up here:
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UNIVERSITY of Queensland has laid down a strong challenge to the rest of the Premier Rugby competition, dominating Souths in their high-scoring top-of-the-table clash on Saturday.
The Red Heavies claimed the Welsby Cup, the trophy contested between the competition’s top-two teams at the season’s halfway mark, winning 63-24.
Brothers took advantage of Souths’ loss, climbing into second on the table with a thrilling one-point win over Norths.
While UQ, Brothers and Souths are sitting reasonably comfortable in the top three positions, GPS piled more pressure onto Sunnybank with a four-point win at Yoku Rd to close the gap on the ladder to five points.
In the other Round 10 fixture, Bond University scored at the death to defeat Easts Tigers.
UNIVERSITY of QUEENSLAND 63 defeated SOUTHS 24
UNIVERSITY of Queensland has set up a mouth-watering top-of-the-table clash with Brothers after signalling its Premier Rugby title intentions with a round 10 annihilation of Souths on Saturday.
Eager for revenge following a 30-20 defeat to the Magpies on the opening day of the season, UQ stretched its winning streak to eight games with a 63-24 masterclass at Annerley.
With the competition’s top spot up for grabs, the Red Heavies were simply unstoppable on their way to a nine-tries-to-four triumph, with Scott Gale, James Dalgleish (two each), Pat Fepuleai, Reuben Leilua, Phillip Potgieter, Jack De Guingand and Clifton Setu (one) all finding the line for the visitors.
The result means UQ will face a second top-of-the-table battle in as many weeks when the ladder leaders travel to Brothers, who have won their last five games, on Saturday.
Souths could drop to fourth with a loss to Sunnybank at Oldmac Oval.
- Next up: University of Queensland clash with Brothers while Souths travel to Sunnybank.
GPS 30 defeated SUNNYBANK 26
A 30-26 upset of Sunnybank has kept GPS’ finals hopes alive as Premier Rugby’s top-four battle heats up.
Knowing defeat could see them drop 13 points behind fourth-placed Sunnybank, the Gallopers produced arguably their best performances of the season in front of a vocal Ashgrove crowd.
The Dragons will be left ruing a lack of discipline, with five penalty goals from GPS sharpshooter Asaeli Batibasaga helping to cancel out a scoreline four-tries-to-three in the visitors’ favour.
However, Sunnybank will have the chance to extend its five-point break over the Gallopers, who have a bye this weekend, with victory at home to Souths on Saturday.
- Next up: GPS have the bye while Sunnybank host Souths.
BROTHERS 17 defeated NORTHS 16
BROTHERS were made to work by Norths as they claimed second spot on the table.
Norths have not won a game since Round 4 and conceded 40 points in their previous fixture to Souths but tightened up their defence as they held a Brothers side that had scored 40 points in their past four outings to under 20 points.
David Findlay-Henaway, Charles Freney and Sam Grasso each crossed for the Brethren, while Mitch Felsman slotted one conversion.
Garrath Ryan and Apisai Naiyabo were the tryscorers for the Eagles, who failed to convert either of their two tries but closed the gap courtesy of two penalties to Michael Burke.
The result leaves Brothers in second place, two points behind their next opponent in University of Queensland, while Norths are in seventh.
- Next up: Brothers welcome University of Queensland to Jack Ross Oval while Norths play Bond University.
BOND UNIVERSITY 26 defeated EASTS 21
AN INTERCEPT try right on fulltime has sent the Easts Tigers to their third straight loss after a 26-21 defeat at the hands of Bond University.
Easts trailed 19-7 at the main break but fought back with two converted tries in the second half to lead 21-19 with just minutes remaining until Bond took the game from the home side in the last minute.
Tigers assistant coach Pat Richards said it was another game they should have won.
“They say losing becomes a habit sometimes and it seems like that’s the way with us at the moment,” he said.
“There’s been three games we should have won. It’s just a lack of concentration at certain times that is costing us.
“But our scrum was good and I thought we were good at the breakdown as well.”
- Next up: Bond University host Norths while Easts take on Wests at Bottomley Park.
Competition ladder after nine rounds
- University of Queensland 39
- Brothers 37
- souths 34
- Sunnybank 29
- GPS 24
- Bond University 22
- Norths 15
- Wests 8
- Easts 7
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