Easts, Wests deliver finals’ type classic. Best players from that game and all round 5 games here
Easts and Wests deliver finals’ type colts classic. Best players from that game and all round 5 matches here, including the Brothers-Norths derby.
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It was a match worthy of a final, with Easts prevailing over Wests by the width of tissue paper in a colts rugby club classic.
The Tigers somehow survived the Bulldogs last surge to the line, defending a series of pick and drive attacks to claim the round 5 encounter 19-15 yesterday afternoon.
Wests pounded the Easts line in the final minute after Easts had recaptured the lead about eight minutes from home courtesy of a James Durheim try.
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Footage of that try should be bundled up and sent around to rugby coaching clinics as the classic way to turn an attacking lineout into a match winning try.
Lock Charlie Scott claimed the money ball in the set piece, hooker Sam Finocchiaro then drove forward and off the back of him prop Durheim spun off the back of the maul to crash over.
But it was almost not enough as Wests stormed back, emphasising the Bulldogs will certainly be one of the team’s to beat when the finals roll around.
Easts could not have started better.
The Tigers asserted themselves early with a succession of rolling mauls which led to the opening try of the game.
Easts had won the first lineout of the match and, around a number of penalties across the first five minutes of the contest, the Tigers mauled their way around David Wilson Field to score.
From the restart, and after a booming kick from No. 13 Tyrees Wilson and subsequent pressure from the Easts forwards at the breakdown, the Tigers applied additional pressure but the Wests’ defence was up to the task.
Wests recovery from Easts early onslaught included winning a scrum penalty which left footed inside centre Christian Krause converted into three points. Easts led 5-3.
Wests also claimed the first lineout against the throw, and clearly a pulsating match was in the offering.
Players from both teams committed their shoulders to the tackle and there were some thunderous collisions both around the breakdown and in the midfield.
Wide of the forwards, Easts looked slightly more threatening through fullback Meli Dreu, winger Lui Malaitai and outside centre Wilson.
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Wests’ best chance to score came shortly after halftime when hulking No. 8 Taine Roiri won lineout ball, but Noa Zuna’s charge at the line was thwarted by Easts’ defenders.
Surprisingly Wests’ first try of the encounter came courtesy of a penalty try. Easts flanker Tau Tuisamoa had held up Roiri – which was no mean feat – somewhere in the contest for the line the referee detected an infringement and the Bulldogs were into the lead.
In the lead-up to that try, Wests had strung together a six phase movement which resulted in Roiri’s damaging run toward scoring.
From 10-5 it was soon 15-5 to Wests when fullback Jake Sargood, following a break by the influential Roiri and support play by prop Baguio Johnson-Tiumalu, scored.
Sargood had launched his run wide after Johnson-Tiumalu had been collared, with the Wests fullback looming during a right side shift to collect the ball and angle his way to the tryline.
Easts were behind, but not daunted.
A resurgent forward effort again exerted sustained pressure on Wests, resulting in a sin-binning that left the Bulldogs a man down.
Capitalising on this, enterprising fullback Dreu showed quick thinking to tap and run from a scrum penalty, plunging over next to the posts to reduce Wests lead to 15-12.
Then came Durheim’s try to drag Easts ahead 19-15 just ahead of Wests’ dramatic, last gasp push for victory that finished with Easts defending for all they were worth.
On the Gold Coast, GPS claimed arguably its best win of the season by defeating Bond University 29-26 on Bond’s home turf.
Backrower Nick Baker cut an inspiring figure for the Galloping Greens, while Bas Ward’s career best form at No.10 continue.
Around them the dazzling Floyd Aubrey displayed some special touches as GPS did enough to win.
Bond had their chance to win a few times in a close match.
Bond’s best were Marlin Jones, impressive halfback Lachie McInness and Nick Mitchell, a shining backrower.
University got cracking against Sunnybank, claimed a 47-nil victory.
The Students were best served by Hakula Malele-Lafeta at outside centre and lock Michael Schyff.
Premiership favourites Brothers had a challenge from a resurgent Norths in the local derby before winning 38-21, having to come from behind.
Brothers best players were Harry Grant at fly-half and Charlie Condon who added impact off the bench. And they needed his impact when Norths hit the front in the second half.
“The momentum really changed, but we lost one player with a suspected broken jaw and that did not help. And then there were some tries against the run of play,’’ said Norths coach dan Ritchie.
Ritchie said his team had shown they were good enough to match it with the best teams, but need to eliminate lapses.
For Norths prop Josh Mongard, Ollie Harris and fullback Kaskade Saunders were best.
Ritchie said Saunders “was electric’’. “He really caused Brothers some problems in broken play.’’
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