The Vikings have continued their unbeaten season with a 42-16 win over the Rising to set up a mouth watering clash with the also undefeated Brisbane City next week. The score didn’t truly reflect the closeness of the game with three yellow cards to the Rising costing them any chance of victory.
The Match
The opening quarter of the game was played at a frantic pace but neither team could trouble the scorer and it took until the 23rd minute when for the deadlock to be broken with the Vikings going to their strength of the rolling maul off a lineout close to the Rising line and it was Vikings captain Jarrad Butler who scored his sixth try of the season.
That only sparked the Rising into action and following a good run from Sione Tuipulotu that got the Rising into the Vikings 22, Jack Debreczeni stepped his way through the defensive line and converted his own try to level the scores at 8-8.
The Vikings then had the better of the play and were camped in the Rising 22. They pressured the Rising into collapsing a maul that saw Steve Cummins given a yellow card from referee Rohan Hoffmann and then he eventually lost patience with the Rising from the resulting play and awarded the Vikings a penalty try.
In the shadows of the half time break, Vikings fullback Aidan Toua pulled out a try of the year contender started by Joe Powell who collected a Rising chip kick and set Toua off on a mazy run stepping at least five Rising defenders before offloading to James Dargaville who in turn offloaded to Toua to finish off a brilliant passage of play to leave it at 21-8 at the break.
The Rising hit back early in the second half with a try to Dom Shipperley after good lead up work from winger Justin Marsters and Debreczeni’s conversion reduced the margin to five points with the momentum starting to go in the visitors favour on the back of strong work, particularly from Jordy Reid and Sam Jeffries.
The Vikings managed to stem the tide and once again went to a rolling maul off a lineout from a harsh penalty against the Rising and Butler fell just short of the line but Ita Vaea picked up the crumbs to secure the five pointer.
The Rising went down to 14 men again with Cruze Ah Nau given a ten minute rest and the Vikings took advantage with the backs finding gaps in the Rising defensive line and replacement Franky Fainifo sliced through to score untouched under the posts to keep the Rising at bay.
The task for the Rising gout even tougher as captain Jack Debreczeni was also in the bin with Ah Nau for cynical play and all of a sudden the Vikings were in again to Fainifo with his second try within minutes of coming onto the field.
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The Game Changer
The Rising went down a man when in reach of the Vikings but when they went down to 13 it was too much for them and proved the difference in the end.
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The G&GR MOTM
Ita Vaea was given the ground MOTM but Joe Powell put in a good game with some big defensive work throughout the game.
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Oz Baabaa Watch
Pom Simona and Sione Tuipulotu put in strong games for the Rising with Simona’s work around the ruck and Tuipulotu’s running a feature for the Rising.
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The Details
Score & Scorers
[one_half last=”no”]VIKINGS 42
Tries: Butler, Penalty try, Toua, Vaea, Fainifo 2
Conversions: Lealiifano 4
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[one_half last=”yes”]RISING 16
Tries: Debreczeni, Shipperley
Conversions: Debreczeni 2
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Cards
31 min – Steve Cummins (Rising) – Yellow
63 min – Cruze Ah Nau (Rising) – Yellow
67 min – Jack Debreczeni (Rising) – Yellow
Photos courtesy of Tim Anger Photography
