BLK Queensland Premier Rugby Review - Round 5

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Bond University v GPS

Bond University recorded their second win of the 2016 BLK Queensland Premier Rugby season in Round 5, accounting for GPS 18-12.

Bond got off to a perfect start with TJ Siakisini crossing the line after just three minutes to give the Gold Coast students an early 5-nil lead. GPS applied plenty of pressure with the majority of territory and possession for the following 20 minutes, only to come undone by errors and dogged defence from the home team.

Mitch Third kicked two penalties for Bond in the final 10 minutes of the half to give them an 11-0 lead at the break, despite losing hooker Alex Mafi to the sin bin with eight minutes to go.

Bond were over again via a try to Mafi 15 minutes into the second half and Third extended the lead to 18-0.

GPS finally got on the board in the 65th minute through captain James Herbert, who had been industrious all day.

Herbert’s try seemed to kick things into gear for the visitors as they scored again seven minutes later through Ezrah Amituanai. Rika Batabasaga converted and all of a sudden GPS were within touching distance. The final five minutes was a tense affair as GPS searched for that match winning try, but Bond were up to the challenge and defended fiercely to hold on and return to the winner’s circle.

Bond University 18 (A Mafi T Siakisini tries M Third 2 pens con) d GPS 12 (E Anituanai J Herbert tries R Batibasaga con)

Brothers v Souths

Brothers ended defending champions Souths’ undefeated streak in Round 5 of BLK Queensland Premier Rugby, securing a 43-27 win at Jack Ross Oval.

Brothers scored the first points of the match through the boot of fullback, Sam Hyne. taking a 3-nil lead. Souths responded with scrumhalf Scott Malolua kicking a penalty 5 minutes later to level the score.

Brothers lock Terrin Walls barged over after 15 minutes and Hyne converted to take the home side to a 10-3 lead. Diehard skipper, Nathanuel Gendle scored Brothers’ second try of the afternoon on the 25-minute mark, capitalising on a half-break from flyhalf Paddy James.

The Brethren were on a roll and continued the scoring through Francois Postal, five minutes later. Hyne converted again to take the home-side out to a 24-3 lead. Try scoring machine Mitch Felsman bagged the home team’s bonus point try four minutes from the break with a trade mark chip-and-chase, crossing for his ninth try of the season.

The half-time break seemed to shake the Magpies into action as they were first to score in the second half, with Simana Halaifonua crossing after some strong phase play.

They were in again minutes later when Andy Muirhead took a quick tap five metres out and burrowed over. Malolua converted to cut the deficit to two converted tries.

Souths prop Markus Vanzati found himself in unfamiliar territory, standing on the wing as the Magpies went on the counter midway through the half and set up an entertaining footrace with opposite number Postale. Felsman scored his second try of the day and 10th for the season at the 70-minute mark, as Brothers moved further ahead 36-15. But the Magpies still had gas in the tank and Muirhead collected a second try minutes later, with Malolua adding the extras to again bring the deficit back to 14 points. Kyle Blackman scored the Magpies’ fourth try two minutes from full-time, to make it 36-27, but Brothers completed an entertaining game with a try to club stalwart Charlie Freney taking the final score to 43-27.

Brothers 43 (M Felsman 2 tries N Gendle C Freney T Walls F Postal tries S Hyne pen 5 cons) d Souths 27 (A Muirhead 2 tries K Blackman S Halaifonua tries S Malalua pen 2 cons)

Easts v University of Queensland

University of Queensland continued their winning ways in Round 5, securing their fourth win of the 2016 BLK Queensland Premier Rugby season 36-18 over Easts.

Wearing pink jerseys for their annual Ladies Day, the Tigers were hoping to put some bite back into their season as they welcomed UQ to David Wilson Field.

Buoyed by the return of their Queensland Under-20s representatives, University got off to a perfect start with Jack Cornelsen stretching out to score in the corner in the second minute.

Andrew Krelle put Easts in front after 25 minutes, kicking his second penalty after a dominant Tigers scrum to give the home-side a 6-nil lead.

UQ regained the lead five minutes later through winger Tom Pincus, dotting down in the same spot as Cornelsen. Pincus converted his own try to make it 12-6, and UQ took the six-point lead in to half time.

Jack de Guingand’s try scoring streak continued as he collected UQ’s first points of the second half, and Pincus converted to make it 19-6.

Tiger’s fullback, Elliott Hagen scored the home side’s first try of the afternoon 10 minutes later to bring the margin back to eight points.

Ill discipline continued to hurt the home team as the Students kicked a penalty 15 minutes from full-time to extend their lead to 11-points. The Red Heavies were on the board again two minutes later, with captain Conor Mitchell stepping past the last man to score under the posts. A converted try each to finish the game meant University ran out 36-18 winners, keeping the 2015 minor premiers winless for 2016.

University of Queensland 36 (T Pincus 2 tries C Mitchell J de Guingand J Cornelsen tries T Pincus pen 4 cons) d Easts 18 (E Hagen A Campbell tries A Krelle 2 pens con)

Wests v Sunnybank – Game of the Round

Sunnybank accounted for Wests 38-30 in Round 5 of BLK Queensland Premier Rugby, in an entertaining affair at Kenmore Rugby Club.

The Dogs missed an early opportunity to post first points in the match, and it hurt the home team as the Dragons scored the first try through Ryan Menzies after 20 minutes. Jake Strachan made no mistake with the sideline conversion, making it 7-0.

Bulldogs pivot Richard Aitsi slotted his second penalty attempt, adding the three points to bring the score back to 7-3. Aitsi found his radar and kicked another penalty five minutes later to bring the deficit back to one-point.

Patience was a virtue for the Doggies as they hit the lead in the 35th minute, with an intercept try under the posts. Aitsi’s conversion made it 13-7, before Sunnybank scrumhalf, Isaak Fines-Leileiwasa, scored a contender for try of the season, going 50 metres to score a scintillating solo try. Strachan’s missed conversion saw the home team hold a narrow 13-12 lead at half-time.

The scurrying Sunnybank half, bagged his second try of the day as the second half began, scoring off the back of a scrum. The Dragons were firing as they collected their bonus point try a few minutes later through Jeffery Faamausili, their scrum dominance proving to be vital. Strachan converted to take the score to 24-13.

The visitors lost Tuaina Tualima to the sin bin with 20 minutes to go, and the Bulldogs capitalised immediately with Byron Hutchinson scoring to make it 24-18.

The one-man advantage was evened a few minutes later when Wests’ prop Jake Newell was sent to the bin for repeated infringements at the scrum.

Sunnybank took the scrum option and scored a few phases later through Jason Beeton. Strachan put the Dragons further ahead making it 31-18.

Wests’ skipper Tyron Lefau kept the game alive with 10 minutes to go, kicking ahead a spilt ball by Sunnybank to score, giving Aitsi an easy conversion to make it 31-25.

Sunnybank lock Tualima returned from the bin for the kick-off but was shown his second yellow card, resulting in an automatic red card, for tackling the Dog’s player in the air. That didn’t stop the Drogans sealing their vital away victory as Faamausili collected his sconed try with a pick and drive under the posts. Wests fought till the bitter end, scoring right on full time, but the visitors had done enough to head home with the win.

Laying the platform for victory with a strong scrum, Sunnybank prop Feao Fotuaika was awarded the Musashi High Performer of the Round award. Fotuaika earned his team several scrum penalties and provided fron-foot ball as the Dragons proved to be too dominant at the set piece.

Sunnybank 38 (J Faamausili I Fines-Leleiwasa 2 tries J Beeton R Menzies tries J Strachan 4 cons) d Wests 30 (L Dillon T Lefau B Hutchinson S Lealiofano tries R Aitisi 2 pens L Dillon 2 cons)1