Hinterland Celtics stun 13-time champs in ‘gladiator’ defensive masterclass

Few outside Bill Norris Oval foresaw the Celtics winning a game in their debut Phil Temperton Cup season. Now they have claimed one of the biggest scalps in the competition. This is how they did it.

Russell Crowe with sword in a scene from the film 'Gladiator', 2000. (Photo by Universal/Getty Images)

Hinterland Celtics president Rata Rawhiti has warned rivals of the Gold Coast’s newest first grade rugby club that Saturday’s maiden victory in the division might be the launch pad for a finals run - just as it was a year ago.

Few outside Bill Norris Oval foresaw the Celtics winning a game in their debut Phil Temperton Cup season, let alone beating a team harbouring designs on the premiership.

On Saturday the Celtics produced one of the greatest upsets in competition history to unseat the league’s most successful club, Surfers Paradise, in a come-from-behind 19-15 victory driven by bone-rattling defence.

Players from the Dolphins remarked after the match that the Celtics had been the hardest-hitting team they had faced so far this season.

Rawhiti, the driving force behind Hinterland’s ambitious push from second grade grand finalists to first grade rookies, said that could be a sign history was repeating itself in Beenleigh.

“Our first win for the Firsts, oh man, that was amazing,” the president said.

“I’m so proud of the boys. I couldn’t stop running around on the field, and you can hear it in my voice, I’m still trying to slowly get it (his voice) back.

“It’s been a fairy tale ever since I’ve taken over the club, with how the boys are doing and how the club is coming along.

“It was good to beat a top team so we know we’re up there: the boys know we can do it now. They know the grind because we had to do the grind last year.

“We did this last year (to reach the second grade final). We lost our first three-to-four games and then after that one good win over a good team, that was our turning point. This can be our turning point now.”

The 0-2 Celtics appeared unlikely to break their duck after falling behind by a try early against undefeated Surfers.

Three tries in response, to winger Ratu Ravulo, outside centre Augustine Mafoe and tighthead prop William McCormick, edged the Celtics ahead 19-15 early in the second half.

For the final 20 minutes of the match the Celtics defended like demons, absorbing all the pressure that 13-time champions Surfers could muster.

“We were stoked because the boys took everything they threw at them and held them out,” Rawhiti said.

“To us it was like watching gladiators smashing the s--- out of each other. They were so many big hits, it was amazing to watch.

“Having big hitters in the centres, it’s amazing. They’ll rattle cages, and they were what rattled Surfers.

“They thought it (the big hits) would come from our firepower in the backline but even our littlest guy was putting on big hits.

“It was good to beat a top team. Dolphins are up the top with the rest of them, and for our first win to beat a team like that, it gives our boys more confidence.

“The boys are just playing for each other like family. That’s how we’ve made the Celtics, making it about family and getting out there for one another.”