Colts 1 club rugby’s round 6 team of the week
The Colts 1 round 6 team of the week features one of Queensland’s most underrated forwards, the scheming Brothers scrumhalf, an emerging Wests hooker and a weapon from Easts. More here.
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Athletic Sunnybank lock Mattias Agent produced a startling showing on home turf to inspire his Dragons to a 37-24 boilover win against Wests on Saturday in round 6 of Colts 1 rugby.
With vocal home crowd supporters behind him and the match up for the taking when Sunnybank led 18-17 shortly after the main break, Agent turned things up a notch to power his team past the winner’s post.
It marked two consecutive wins for Sunnybank, who beat Norths 27-24 the week prior, after they failed to fire at Yoku Road a fortnight ago in a 15-0 loss against GPS.
In the final 10 minutes of Saturday’s match against Wests, the Dragons played down a man — after they had taken full advantage of a Wests yellow card to score two tries and pull clear 32-17 — and Agent produced three superb plays in quick succession to ice the game.
It was 18-17 in favour of Sunnybank before two quick tries by interchange prop Royden Fakaosile made the most of a one-man overlap to move ahead 15 points (32-17).
Enter Agent, who sealed the deal with three successive plays reflective of a player destined for higher honours.
First Wests had a lineout throw 40m out from the ‘Bank tryline. Up Agent went, and down he came with the ball in hand before distributing it wide to mountainous lock Emmanuel Mara.
One minute later, Wests had the ball and were running it out of their half after a Sunnybank kick for touch was returned by winger DJ Colaivalu.
Agent asserted himself for the second time, tackling impressive Wests No. 8 Alex Watkins, getting to his feet and pilfering the ball.
It earned a penalty and gave flyhalf Jack Maunsell the chance to boot the ball just 6m shy of the Bulldogs’ try line.
More than 10 phases later Agent was pile-driving his way over for a 37-17 advantage with eight minutes left.
Agent, who was fortified by headgear and propelled into the air with his legs strapped, was the first player named in the round 6 team of the week.
ROUND 6 RESULTS
Bond Uni 22 def Brothers 14
Norths 31 def GPS 17
Souths 24 def Easts 23
Sunnybank 37 def Wests 24
LADDER AFTER SIX ROUNDS
1. Uni (4-1)
2. Souths (4-2)
3. Bond Uni (3-2)
4. Wests (3-3)
5. Easts (3-2)
6. Sunnybank (3-2)
7. Norths (2-4)
8. GPS (2-3)
9. Brothers (0-5)
COLTS 1 ROUND 6 TEAM OF THE WEEK
15. Tommy Green (Norths)
Green continued to gain valuable momentum in his first club rugby season in Brisbane.
A rugby league hooker from Yeppoon, Green gave Norths a nice platform to thrive off by running with purpose and direction in transition.
He aided flyhalf Henry Armstrong with his kicks to corners and the scoreline made it clear how much of a say he had in organising Norths defence from behind.
14. Journey Wana (Sunnybank)
Wana was opportunistic on the left wing and his positioning, anticipation and quick hands played a big part in ensuring Sunnybank led 18-12 at half time.
He was involved in a cracking first try which saw touches from flanker Tane Gregory, himself and Jesse Maugatai.
Wana scored the second when supporting fullback Bailey Danielson, who had caught the ball, attacked and found him on his left. Again Wana was involved in the lead up to Sunnybank’s third try, scored by Cyrus Suniala after a build up of more than five phases.
13. Harry Newnham (Souths)
Rangy outside centre Harry Newnham scored a decisive try late in the game which made it 24-18 in favour of Souths. Easts winger Mac Kelly scored to make it 24-23 but the subsequent sideline conversion sprayed left.
Before Newnham’s timely five-pointer closing in on full time, he was a safe option catching kicks, effective in defence and he bent the Easts line often.
12. Henry Armstrong (Norths)
Together with his halfback partner Ryota Okuno, Armstrong’s judicious tactical kicks both in the air and along the ground consistently turned GPS around, enabling them to win the battle for territory.
In the conditions it was a master stroke performance, with the execution of both halves made even more effective by the enthusiastic chase of the Norths’ outside backs.
11. Jonah Allen (GPS)
Played fullback but he played in the forwards through school so he would be just fine moving to the wing.
Displaying the footwork of a bloke who has played outside back his whole life, Allen created the best highlight of the match on Hugh Courtney Oval when he set up Flynn Horton’s try.
Outside of that little bit of magic, Allen regularly caught the eye with his involvement, assurity and sound decision making.
10. Finn Mackay (Souths)
The class flyhalf in his age group (under-18), Mackay dropped back to Colts 1 after a stint in first grade and had time on his hands.
The tall playmaker entertained a nice flyhalf duel against opposing No. 10 Sam McGahan, also a grand talent, and Mackay’s young men came out on top — only just.
He slotted all three of his conversions, a penalty goal and created two of the three tries with crafty short passes which unleashed his sleek backs.
9. Joseph Post (Brothers)
What do Stan Keats (Wests), Jamie Alexander (Wests), James Martens (GPS) and Post all have in common?
Flair.
Post was given the nod by coach Josh Neilsen to start in round 6 and he schemed all game long from scrumhalf.
Dangerously busy and at times erratic, Post asked plenty of questions and scored a try for his troubles.
8. Jack Corby (Norths)
Corby was a strong forward leader in a match which saw the Eagles pack build pressure throughout the first half and again midway through the second half.
With considerable help from the likes of No. 8 Luke McGarry and prop Jake Peirce, Corby was able to get his side onto the front foot and the lock deserved to garnish his performance with a pick and drive try (60th).
Corby, who wore jersey No. 4, is one of those players who can play lock, flanker and No.8.
7. Trent Picot (Souths)
Picot was again an enormous threat at the breakdown.
But this time around he was also worth his weight in gold carrying the ball hard and often into the teeth of the Tigers defence.
6. Tom Doe (Wests)
If Wests’ comeback attempt was successful, visions of Doe’s bright orange headgear would’ve given Sunnybank players and coaching staff nightmares leading into round 7.
He was simply superb, especially in the first hour of play where he was on a mission running the ball.
He seemed to be in everything, altering Sunnybank lineouts, arriving at the breakdown, often attracting two defenders and offloading the ball.
5. Max Campbell (Easts)
Not even a shoulder reconstruction could deter the towering Max Campbell from fighting his way back to full fitness to make a fabulous impact at Tigerland.
One of the early season success stories at Easts, Campbell has been consistently good snuffing out opposition lineouts, getting his hands on the ball and “whacking blokes” as coach Jack Richards described.
What is most exciting for Richards is that the disruptive Campbell has “a heap of gears still to go”.
4. Mattias Agent (Sunnybank)
In case you haven’t got the gist yet, Agent was elite on Saturday.
A first-grader delivering the goods for a happy as larry Colts 1 coach Rex Tapuai, Agent regularly makes us wonder why a Super Rugby academy hasn’t come calling.
The calm, composed and effective forward utility, who made his impact as a lock in round 6, was mistake free across the 70 minutes and really asserted himself when it mattered in the second half.
3. Dre Loughlin (Sunnybank)
Played hooker but had to be in the team.
Loughlin ran the ball plenty in Saturday’s skirmish with Wests and he created momentum every time.
Fast for someone at his position, Loughlin’s rugby education at Kelston Boys’ High School in Auckland was apparent when he won a breakdown penalty, scurried downfield on a 35m blitz and had an energy about him which helped Sunnybank go blow for blow with the Bulldogs.
2. Harry Solofa (Wests)
If Solofa wasn’t in Queensland Reds Under-19s conversations at the start of the year, he is now.
A hooker who is thriving in club footy, Solofa stood his ground against a big Sunnybank pack and often shed first tacklers as he powered forward in pursuit of post-contact metres.
The mobile centre turned hooker scored Wests’ first try and was always a good choice in attack.
1. Jake Leck (Bond University)
Loosehead prop Jake Leck would be first to thank his front-row accomplices Blaze Moana (hooker), Jonah Rangiwai (prop) and Rogan Huntley (prop) for their deeds over the past month.
Bond University’s scrum has taken the competition by storm. On Saturday, against Brothers, Leck was top notch again with his scrummaging, hard work and fitness.
He popped up in all sorts of places at a regular clip.
Reserves: Jack Maunsell (Sunnybank), Harrison Angel (Brothers) Jimmy Jackson (Souths), Harry Ole (Bond University), Mason King (Bond University), Ryan Shaw (Wests), Jamie Alexander (Wests), Will Pascoe (Wests), Jesse Maugatai (Sunnybank), Junior Sitia Malupo (Sunnybank), Charlie Yeomans (Souths), Rhys Chadburn (Souths), Gideon Lasaqa (Souths), Joey Gray (Easts), Sam Condon (Brothers) and Niheta Pala’amo (Brothers).
Originally published as Colts 1 club rugby’s round 6 team of the week
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