Bond University stuns UQ 42-19 to revive Hospital Cup finals hopes after 107-point slump
A bold call from coach Mick Heenan has revived Bond University’s season, with a dominant win over UQ breathing life back into their stalling Hospital Cup campaign.
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Bond University has wiped away the misery of conceding 107 points in its last two matches by ambushing University of Queensland 42-19 in the finest performance of the club’s season.
A reshuffled forward pack saw the Bullsharks finally bare their teeth at an opposition to deliver a critical win against varsity rivals UQ.
With five weeks remaining in the regular season it appears only one finals spot is still up for grabs, with Bond, UQ and Souths locked in a dogfight to join Brothers, Easts and Wests in the Hospital Cup playoffs.
After conceding 62 points to Wests and 45 to Easts in its last two matches, Bond’s premiership ambition was gleaming faintest of the lot.
The selection of a new-look second row pairing in former Helensvale star Dane Mason and ex-Croatia international Dylan Rowe proved a masterstroke as Bond’s forward pack laid the platform for the signature win of the club’s 2025 campaign.
Rowe’s exit from the backrow paved the way for Zane Misios to make his mark at No.8 against an opposition spearheaded by Fijian internationals Teti Tela and Mesu Dolokoto.
“We made a few different calls for selection this week with a mind to try and dominate the contact area and I thought that worked out pretty well,” coach Mick Heenan said.
“Moving Dylan into the second row to bring on Zane Misios in, I thought that worked out quite well. Dane and Dylan both played really well.”
Heenan also praised new hooker Reiya Ueyama, who joined the club recently from Japanese division two champion Kintetsu where he played alongside Quade Cooper and Will Genia.
“We’ve been training well all year but I thought we had a really exceptional week of training. We had a new Japanese hooker (Reiya Ueyama, Kintetsu Liners) who only lasted five minutes but he’s really been leading the way at training in terms of energy and enthusiasm.
“That’s got to be the baseline and we’re going to bring that sort of energy every week.”
Heenan said his team’s lack of size upfront the last two games was no excuse for its lack of aggression.
Heenan rammed that message home in a fiery spray following the 62-12 defeat to Wests three weeks ago and it appears to have sunk in just in time to save the club’s season.
University of Queensland coach Elton Berrange said he had not seen Bond play better this year than on Saturday.
“I wouldn’t say I didn’t see it coming. The threat from Bond was always their high-energy, high-tempo game and that’s probably the best they’ve played all year,” Berrange said.
“Heeno and I have been friends for a long time, I could have scripted how Bond were going to play and they did that, but knowing how they’re going to play and dealing with it are two different things.”
Berrange said he was pleased for former UQ players Jordan Lenac and Matt Engelbrecht, plus his former UQ mentor Heenan, for finding success on the Gold Coast.
“Jordy and Matt left for the right reasons so I wish them nothing but success,” he said.
Griffith Uni Colleges Knights defeated Gold Coast Eagles 22-0 in the only Gold Coast first grade game of the weekend.
IN PICTURES: BOND UNI v UNI OF QUEENSLAND
Originally published as Bond University stuns UQ 42-19 to revive Hospital Cup finals hopes after 107-point slump
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