If You Come, They Will Build It

Welcome to the first round up for the ACT’s John Dent Cup. I had a look at the East v. Vikings game.

Easts v Vikings

Easts and Vikings met at Viking Park on what looked like a battle of polar opposites. Vikings having not lost a game, and Easts having not won in 1st grade.

Weather looked ominous, a wet and frigid 9 degrees would have suggested a match with plenty of dropped balls and a lack of enterprise, but this was not the case.

The first quarter was tightly contested, with a single converted try and a penalty scored, Vikings leading 7-3. Both teams looked to spread the ball, culminating in some great runs by East’s 12 Jonno Naopu and Mitch Lewis and great defense by Vikings number 7 Josh Hitchens. Hitchens continued to play an excellent match, and would have gone close to man of the match.

The second quarter saw Vikings push ahead with some strong tries, with Zac Holmes effectively directing play for the Vikings. Easts looked run off their feet at times, and found adapting their defense difficult, with the Vikings inside backs consistently creating space for their outside speedsters. Easts defended doggedly, with Flanker George Cross managing an excellent turn over on the Easts try line.

Half time score was 28 to 3.

Second half started ominously, with Easts scrum being overpowered in quite a few engagements, and the defense still unable to adapt to the agile Zac Holmes and Beau Mokutopu, who were both able to exploit defensive lapses and put their backs into space. Vikings number 6 Tim Cree also imposed himself well, adding a couple of tries to the mounting lead.

By the final 20, the score had blown out, and it was an constant sight to see Vikings players breaking through the Easts line almost at will. Easts managed a consolation try at the end to David Walsh, who managed to power over in the right hand corner.

Overall, the score reflected the overwhelming strength and experience gap between the teams, with Vikings again proving that they are well and truly the team to beat in 2012.

Final score 73-8

Bj Rugby manage to spend some time at West v. Uni.

Wests v. Uni-Norths at ANU North Oval.

It was an interesting battle with both teams having both their contingent of Brumbies back playing club rugby. Uni-Norths had Ian Prior, Tom Cox and Dylan Sigg, whilst Wests had Peter Kimlin, Jesse Mogg and Fotu Auelua on show.

Wests started the better of the two and held onto the ball for the opening 5 minutes and finally got the try they were after from Jesse Mogg. Uni-Norths weren’t scared to front up to their bigger opponents and got back level shortly after.

The game see sawed in the cold conditions with both teams hanging onto the ball for long periods of play and both were helped by infringements from the other team. Wests kept the scoreboard ticking over but Uni-Norths replied each time and even got in front at one stage but undid their good work by allowing Wests to score immediately from the restart and added another just before half time to lead 26-15.

The second half didn’t have that many points scored but the intensity lifted from both sides, especially from Fotu Auelua who looked like he was playing 10 pin bowling and using the Uni-Norths players as pins. He went on at least two big runs and left players in his wake and this should have lead to more points but the Uni-Norths defense held on each time despite having to a mountain of work in the second half and a scrum that was being dominated.

Wests could only add 2 more penalty goals to their score whilst Uni-Norths added a try themselves to leave the final score at 32-20 to the visitors.

Full results.

The Ladder after Week 11.

Next Weeks Games.

Join the conversation in the forum thread for 3rdtier ACT Rugby. We’d love your input. Give us your thoughts on the game you attended and we will put it in next weeks post. Remember your #3rdtier hashtag when Tweet the games. And Remember

If You Come, They Will Build It