McInnes Wilson Lawyers Brisbane City have drawn with the NSW Country Eagles 38-38, in the ninth and final round of the National Rugby Championship at Endeavour Oval in Orange on Saturday afternoon.
The 2017 campaign is now over for Brisbane City because NSW Country’s superior points differential will see them qualify for finals in fourth spot if Perth Spirit don’t overtake them tomorrow afternoon.
City trailed 35-19 at the 60-minute mark and stormed home with tries to Junior Laloifi, Michael Gunn and Chris Kuridrani but ultimately fell short of a must-win result.
With the scores locked up, the match ran five minutes over time but any hopes of City snatching victory at the death were dashed when a knock on inside Country’s 22m line saw referee Will Houston blow for full time.
Brisbane City head coach Mick Heenan said: “No one can fault the fight or the effort that the boys put in today.
“We’ve had to drag in some guys from club footy given the injury toll we’ve experienced over the last couple of weeks and during the game losing Jimmy (Dalgleish) to a head knock hurt us.
“Even so, we managed to come home which shows a lot of character and I thought the guys that came in did really well today.
“In usual circumstances, to come away from Orange with a draw would be a good result but it’s unfortunately not good enough for our season.
“You look back through the season at moments that cost us and it’s frustrating because we feel like we’re just getting started.
“To go out on a draw is hard to take. We’re only falling short by a very narrow for-and-against margin,” Heenan said.
After 15 minutes, the NSW Country Eagles opened the scoring thanks a try to hooker Brandon Paenga-AmosaCity were awarded a penalty try in the 25th minute as NSW Country eagles flyhalf Tayler Adams was sent to the sin bin for preventing a probable try with a deliberate knock on.
The home side hit back off the restart with a rolling maul that set up Paenga-Amosa’s second try.
Nick Frisby showed great vision to fire a cut out pass out to winger Junior Laloifi who simply had to catch the pass to reduce the Eagles’ lead to 14-12.
A rolling maul after the half-time hooter had sounded saw Pat Morrey dot down to give City a 19-14 lead at the break.
Paenga-Amosa crossed for his third try four minutes into the second half as the Eagles claimed a 21-19 lead.The home side were awarded a penalty try in the 49th minute as Pat Morrey was sent for the sin bin for deliberately collapsing a maul, 28-19.
With 25 minutes remaining, Alex Gibbon streaked away to cross for the home side’s fourth try, 35-19.
A loose pass by Eagles flyhalf Tayler Adams was scooped up by Laloifi in the 60th minute and the winger showed a clean pair of heels to dive over and reduce the deficit to 35-24.
Strachan nailed the sideline conversion, making it a nine-point game.
Gunn pounced on a sloppy five-metre lineout ball and dived over to make it 35-31 with 15 minutes remaining.
Eagles flyhalf Adams slotted a penalty goal in the 73rd minute and extended the Eagle’s lead to 38-31.
With two minutes remaining, Dylan Riley burst through the Eagles defence then found Chris Kuridrani back on the inside as he cruised in to level the scores at 38-38.
City have fallen just short of a top-four finish, after a season which saw them record four wins, a draw and three losses.
McInnes Wilson Lawyers Brisbane City 38 (Pen try, Pat Morrey, Junior Laloifi, Michael Gunn, Chris Kuridrani tries; Jake Strachan 2)
defeated NSW Country Eagles 38 (Brandon Paenga-Amosa 3, pen try, Alex Gibbon; Tayler Adams 1 pen goal; Adams 3, Tom Hill 1 cons) at Endeavour Oval, Orange on Saturday afternoon.
