Colts 1 club rugby round 4: Norths hooker Manaaki Bateman scores the matchwinner against Brothers
Colts 1 club rugby: Round 4 saw Norths defeat old foes Brothers on the siren, GPS snare their second successive win and Bond University hold off a fast-finishing University outfit. All the thrills and spills here.
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A matchwinning try from Norths hooker Manaaki Bateman brought up the Eagles’ first victory of the season as Colts 1 club rugby made a stunning return following the Easter break.
Bateman’s telling pick-and-drive try on the cusp of full time completed a courageous comeback effort from Norths on Hugh Courtney oval after the hosts trailed Brothers 17-6 at oranges.
Everywhere Man Sean Noone (flanker), No.8 Luke McGarry, reserve front-rower Oliver Aleman and finally Bateman crashed over for second half tries to snare the 32-31 win over The Filth.
Entering the match neither team had opened their account and Norths coach Bart Ritchie was relieved his side was able to break the duck.
“A big relief,” Ritchie said.
“That’s a game we would’ve lost last year.”
Norths’ one-point pipping marks their second victory in the last three matches against The Brethren after the Butcher Stripes had had their measure since 2013 — the last time Norths had won before breaking the 11-year drought in round 17 of 2024.
On sodden Yoku Road turf, GPS won their second game in a row defeating Sunnybank 15-0.
In the stop-start skirmish, flyhalf Spencer Alcock was supreme with his clearing kicks to give the Gallopers an edge.
At Ballymore, Bond University’s fast start, which saw them lead 19-15 at half time, culminated in a frantic 26-22 win over University.
At Wests on Friday, the Bulldogs returned to their winning ways by beating Souths 22-5.
The biggest result of the round however was Norths’ memorable home victory over long-time rivals Brothers.
The visitors trailed 6-0 after Norths flyhalf Henry Armstrong sent the ball over the black dot twice with penalty goals. Three quick tries approaching the break, two by pacy outside back Jackson Hill and one from halfback Zach Lewis, meant the home side were up against it, needing an immediate response.
In Norths’ three prior losses this season, they have been unable to overcome half-time deficits to win. It was different on Saturday with Callum Reidy (scrumhalf), flyhalf Armstrong, inside centre Cale Maurice and winger Dylan Roost producing rip-roaring performances.
Roost had his best game of the season and Maurice the same, rewarding Reidy and Armstrong for their effective kicks deep into Brothers’ territory.
In the forwards, flanker Noone led the charge to match the mite of a slick Brothers backline division.
The addition of Fijian Under-20s flyhalf Illy Baravilala was an instant hit for the Brothers. He was a class act and around him inside centre Charlie Johnstone and Hill were top notch.
Hill moved from wing to fullback when starting No.15 Oliver Lamb went down with injury and was a constant threat around his two terrific tries.
Brothers led 28-27 late in the match before Baravilala slotted a drop goal to extend the lead out to four points.
Then came Bateman’s game-winner, which followed a barrage of forwards play that had set a nice platform for him to burrow over.
At Ballymore, tryscoring winger Hunter Robinson, hooker Blaze Moana and a penalty try earned off a rolling maul made it 19-5 at half time in favour of Bond in their clash with University.
When left wing Ryan Wildman scored promptly to open the second half and make it 26-5, Bond moved two steps closer to their first win of the season.
Loosehead prop Jake Leck, who played 70 minutes, tighthead Rogan Huntley and lock Fergus Gillan were enormous in Bond’s brilliant first half.
Midway through the second half University turned pressure into points and got their comeback rolling, only for it to fall short when running out of time.
Scheming scrumhalf Tafito Ah-Ki, prop powerhouse Kingbenjamin Swirling and fullback phenom Tom Howard scored tries to pull University within four points but it was too little too late from The Students.
It’s worth noting that had a few more of Isaac McAuliffe’s conversion attempts gone over, University (four tries, one conversion) could have tied or even won the game against Bond (four tries, two conversions).
But Bond were the better side.
A vicious scrum showing, pilfering presence provided by lock Gillan and midfield punch from Max Angove and Mason King was influential in the four-point success.
At GPS, the Gallopers got up 15-0 in a slugfest against the Dragons.
Barnstorming lock Emmanuel Mara was arguably Sunnybank’s best on a day where nothing went right for the visitors.
GPS took advantage as best they could with flyhalf Alcock masterful with his clearing kicks, which drove Sunnybank players backwards and ensured they rarely had possession in GPS’ half.
It wasn’t a pretty win built on flashy plays.
It was effort which got GPS home and few channelled that better than hungry-for-work flanker Riley Canavan.
The comeback kid, who played Colts 2 all of last season, earned two fantastic penalties jackling the ball. It shrunk Sunnybank’s opportunity to attack even further.
First-year outside centre Tom Millard, who left the field with blood streaming down his face from a headknock, was also an all-effort player with his fearless front-on defence.
Right wing Jude Knapp, who rebounded well after twice having the wind taken out of him, was also a work horse.
But it all came down to Alcock, who, despite not having his best day off the tee (two-from-four), was the class player on the field.
Tireless GPS hooker Reuben Downes was rewarded for his effort with a try before the Gallopers finished on a high note when backrower Harry Thomson pilfered the ball in the 70th minute to win a penalty.
On Friday, Wests dealt with Souths 22-5 and scrumhalf Stanley Keats put in a perfectly polished performance to steer his side to victory.
In his first Colts 1 start, the blonde-haired Brisbane Boys’ College product kicked effectively, offered crisp service to flyhalf Lahbron Tamanika and scored a sweet try around a handful of sniping runs.
It was just what the doctor ordered after influential halves-utility Jamie Alexander had left the field early with a sprained ankle.
In the absence of key forward Rory Bliss, captain Alex Watkins spearheaded his side well as captain to ensure the Bulldogs returned to the winner’s circle.
Adam Latham, the son of Chris Latham, was supreme at No.8 while hooker Harry Solofa was sensational returning to the starting line-up with gusto.
Impressive breakaway Trent Picot scored the lone try for Souths on a day where diminutive fullback Gideon Lasaqa was about as slippery as an eel.
He caused plenty of havoc but the Wests forwards muscled up well to get past the Magpies.
COLTS 1 ROUND 4 TEAM OF THE WEEK
15. Gideon Lasaqa (Souths)
14. Tom Howard (University)
13. Max Angove (Bond University)
12. Cale Maurice (Norths)
11. Jackson Hill (Brothers)
10. Illy Baravilala (Brothers)
9. Stanley Keats (Wests)
8. Adam Latham (Wests)
7. Sean Noone (Norths)
6. Riley Canavan (GPS)
5. Emmanuel Mara (Sunnybank)
4. Fergus Gillan (Bond University)
3. Kingbenjamin Swirling (University)
2. Harry Solofa (Wests)
1. Jake Leck (Bond University)
Originally published as Colts 1 club rugby round 4: Norths hooker Manaaki Bateman scores the matchwinner against Brothers
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