The Queensland Reds under 16s and under 19s claimed wins over the Western Force at Ballymore on Sunday to kick off their National Championships campaigns
Joe Liddy and Will Nason were game-breakers at Ballymore on Sunday as the Queensland Reds Under 19s completed a thrilling comeback to steal victory from the Western Force. How it went down including Under 16s match coverage and pictures here.
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The footwork of Souths fly half Will Nason stole victory from the Western Force at Ballymore on Sunday as the Queensland Reds under 19s came back to snatch victory in their first game of the National Championships.
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Nason set up the Reds go-ahead try which was scored by Joe Liddy when he broke the line and offloaded it back in field.
Flanker Liddy kicked the ball through with a miraculous touch and powered past defenders to ground it and give the Reds their first lead (28-27) of a contest which the Force deserved to win up until the final 10 minutes.
It was a miracle play from Liddy to support Nason, kick it through without having control and to finish off the try.
Nason, after setting this crucial try up with his footwork, then landed the dagger three minutes from full-time when he caught the ball on the 50m line, broke out of a tackle and evaded the Force fullback with a left-foot-step.
The try was converted by his Souths teammate Ryley Bierton, giving the Reds an eight-point-lead (35-27). The Queenslanders, after trailing 22-14 at halftime, then booted the ball in to touch to claim a thrilling victory, after their under 16s made a 71-14 statement win over the Force.
Game-breaking Toowoomba Grammar old boy Nason said it was a pretty good feeling to score the dagger and set up Liddy’s go-ahead try which undid all the hard-work of the dynamic, physical Force outfit.
“It’s a pretty good feeling I can’t lie,” Nason said.
“ We were down the whole game and we were able to seal it right at the end so that was a great feeling.
“I was like that could be the game flashing before our eyes (When Western Force flanker Dylan Bronlund rushed out of the line and almost plucked an intercept which would’ve regained his team the lead had he gone on to score it).
Bronland was incredible, and almost produced another brilliant moment on this play but he fumbled the ball into Nason’s grasp and quickly the Souths flyer pinned the ears back and made a dash for the line.
“It’s just you pick one way and you go with it, you don’t try second guess yourself you just do it,” Nason said about the split-second decision to go himself and put on a left foot step to escape the last line of defence.
“He (captain Joe Liddy) was great. He was amazing, he always is.
“In training he was our loudest voice, he leads from the front so it was well deserved,” Nason said about the performance of his inspirational captain Liddy, who played very well in his first game back from a back injury.
“It’s a massive one to cross off … They (The Force) are a team that has improved a lot so it’s good to get that one on the board.”
FEELS GOOD STORY
After missing the club rugby season with a nasty back injury, Gregory Terrace old boy Liddy returned to action with a terrific performance.
The Easts Tiger was at his best pilfering and stealing ball at the breakdown, but it was a moment of brilliance to boot loose ball ahead, after following crunch-time-king Nason on a exceptional 70th minute passage which brought up the home side’s first lead of the clash.
The Reds were outplayed in the first half, conceding four tries and fumbling way too much ball.
In the second half, Liddy and his team came out with an intensity which turned a 22-14 deficit into a 35-27 win, a Ryley Bierton intercept try midway through the second half the turning point.
BRONLUND BRILLIANCE
He has scored six tries in the first two games of the tournament and he wears jersey No.6.
It’s the shaggy haired Dylan Bronlund, a tireless flanker who worked and worked and worked on Sunday and was just immense.
He is tall, long, and was everywhere for the visitors, busting through the middle, disrupting lineouts, and racing up in defence.
Force wingers Tiam Toufan and Kauri Grace were also elite, as was Brothers colts 1 premiership winner Finn Prass, who has been signed on a three-year-deal.
Sunshine Coast Grammar School old boy Prass, a fullback or fly half, was an Australian Schools and U18s select.
WILL MCCULLOCH CAN MOVE
The Western Force were by far the better team in the first half, but despite the 22-14 scoreline, the light footwork of fullback McCulloch was easy to see.
A Norths Eagle who graduated from Padua in 2021, McCulloch was an Australian Schools and U18s select last year and is the only player from last year’s under 19s team who is back for seconds.
He was very good in this tournament last year, but it is clear to see he has elevated his game over the off-season to earn a regular starting position playing Hospital Cup in 2023.
The Reds Tier One Academy member is stronger, faster and just as nimble as he was last year when the Reds challenged eventual winners New South Wales, to finish second.
A GLIMPSE OF GOLDSBROUGH
The Reds outside centre returned from a head injury which saw him miss the Under 18s games and he didn’t miss a beat.
The Churchie Year 12 who the Reds have big plans for scored the Queenslander’s first try of the championships and backed that up with a strong game featuring some dominant carries and tireless tackling.
His first try was all class.
UNDER 16S
The Queensland Reds romped their way to a 71-14 thumping of the Western Force in their first game of the Super Rugby Pacific Under 16s National Championships on Sunday at Ballymore.
The Queenslanders started like a house on fire and never took their foot of the gas as 50-22 kicking fly half Finn Mackay engineered a convincing victory to assert the Reds as the real deal.
Mackay was masterful, putting his rivals to the sword with a kicking game beyond his years.
BBC backrower Gray O’Neill scored a double, IGS winger Brock Coombes scored two, while exciting edge talent Myles Rosemond scored one and earned a penalty try with a scorching chip-and-chase effort where he was tackled without the ball.
Things got even better after a dominant 38-7 first half display, when bench reinforcements Isaac Rauluni (Nudgee hooker), Max Romer (Brisbane Grammar winger), Clay Andrews (BBC winger) joined the party with five-pointers.
Hooker Keido Goulding and outside centre Connor Clifford were also tryscorers in the 57-point-win.
MACKAY MAGIC
The St Laurence’s College fly half had his prints all over the Reds dominant first 35 minutes of the National Championships.
His kicking was precise, and his passing was on the money as well. His huge left foot applied pressure on the Western Force fullback Harry Oddy, while his grubber kicking game was lethal.
For Queensland’s first try of the tournament, a perfectly placed grubber kick in behind the Force defence put the visitors on the back foot and on the very next play winger Brock Coombes crashed over.
In the first half Mackay also converted three conversions close to the sideline, which added to an already impressive first half showing.
WALKER’S GAME GAINING OMINOUS PACE
He is the brother of Sydney Roosters half Sam Walker, and he is gaining more and more confidence.
It is showing.
Ipswich Grammar School fullback Tyson Walker has benefited massively from playing more footy.
He began the year creating tries for the Ipswich Jets Cyril Connell Under 16s, before making his First XV debut for IGS as a Year 10 student. After playing all eight games at fullback, Walker was selected in the SEQ under 16s for the Emerging Reds Cup where he showed glimpses of brilliance.
At Ballymore on Sunday, he continued to showcase his exciting ability to use his boot to create tries, as well as his counterattacking and passing.
Walker on one occasion set up BBC lock Gray O’Neill with a deft grubber kick and before this he picked up ball on his bootlaces and straightened the attack before finding Connor Clifford, who put Myles Rosemond over.
BLANCH AND CLIFFORD CARVE UP IN CENTRES
How good was inside centre Max Blanch and outside centre Connor Clifford?
Blanch was exhaustive, a workaholic who was here, there and everywhere for the entire 70 minutes.
Blanch did his best work at the breakdown, winning ball twice with pilfers. He also had a great try assist to O’Neill when he cut out two attackers with a perfect spiral pass.
Clifford was colossal in the victory as well with his jinking running complimenting the straight and hard running style of Blanch.
Clifford’s highlight came in the second half when he broke through the line and outmuscled his defenders to score.
ROSEMOND CONTINUES HIS CLINIC
From Townsville, outside back Myles Rosemond is excitement-plus.
He announced himself at the Emerging Reds Cup last month when he stepped the house down and showed selectors, he was a must have in the Reds National Championships campaign.
He ensured selectors that was no mistake with another roaring performance to kickstart the tournament. Scoring his team’s second try with a ridiculous chip-and-chase effort, Rosemond ran wild on the wing before shifting to fullback when Walker got a well-deserved rest.
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