Author: Simon Smale
Simon Smale
Englishman in Brisbane. Decided fairly early on in my career to take my Dad's advice and step back and watch the game rather than get regularly beaten up by blokes twice my size (especially when it became clear I didn't have the ability to be the next England scrum half!) Love to watch and write about local sport.
University of Queensland produced a hugely impressive eight try performance to defeat a Sunnybank side that badly fell away in the second half at St Lucia after being just eight points in arrears at the break. In what was an ominous show of force to the rest of the competition ahead of next weeks finals, the Students completed a comprehensive 54-22 victory over the Dragons, under the watchful eye of international referee Nigel Owens. As if a big defeat to their big rivals wasn’t bad enough, to make matters worse for last seasons defeated finalists, news began to filter through…
GPS inverted the Queensland Premier Rugby table and unveiled their finest performance of an otherwise disappointing 2015 season to dismantle a strong University of Queensland side by seven tries to three at Yoku Road on Saturday afternoon. The Gallopers – who had only recorded two wins this season going into today’s match – came out on top by a score of 43-21 in almost every facet of the against a Red Heavies side that had only lost twice and were sitting pretty in second position in the ladder. The home side effectively won the game and shocked the reigning champions…
Bond University continued their impressive start to the season by recording a controversial, bonus point win at home over Brothers on Saturday to surge into 3rd spot on the ladder. The 32-25 victory was built upon a first half performance where Bond dominated possession and territory, thanks in no small part to some poor discipline from the Brothers forwards which resulted in three yellow cards. Brothers were 24-10 down at half time, conceding 11 penalties to 5 in that first half, as the visitors drew the ire of referee Damien Mitchelmore. Mitchelmore sent Criff Tupou, Luke Beauchamp and Matt Mafi…
Events on the field were overshadowed this weekend by the tragic, untimely death of Brothers Rugby Club prop Isoefo Bele Tabalala. After a weekend where the action on the field was affected by Brisbane’s wild weather, the Premier Grade Rugby competition was rocked on Sunday morning by the untimely death of Brothers prop forward Isoefo Bele Tabalala. The 32 year old prop was playing for the Fiji Warriors in the World Rugby Pacific Challenge in Suva. The Fijian Rugby Union released a statement saying, “While official medical results are yet to be released, the FRU can confirm that Iosefo failed…
Easts secured a tense, narrow, 20-18 victory over GPS after an error-filled, physical battle at Bottomley Park on Saturday afternoon. Victory handed the Tigers the Cromwell Cup and maintained their unbeaten start to the season with two successive wins. In front of a raucous crowd at David Wilson Field, GPS were left to rue their missed opportunities after remaining in contention despite having three men sent to the bin. Full back Jason Hofmeyr had two opportunities at the death to secure the visitors victory in their first competitive match of the season, but both penalties were wide of the mark…
Brothers were unable to christen their new Crosby Road floodlights with a win on Friday night, as they went down 8-7 in a defence-dominated match to the touring Christchurch Football Club. In a tight, hard fought match, only a solitary point could separate the sides as both teams failed to convert spells of possession in each other’s 22. Even the half time introduction of teenage tight head sensation, Taniela Tupou failed to produce any points for Brothers – but the 18 year old gave clear indications as to why so many Reds fans are so excited about the Tongan…
Brothers withstood a tremendous second half surge from a determined Wests Bulldogs side at Sedgeman Oval to prevail 31-44 in what was a tremendous game of rugby in round one of Queensland Premier Rugby 2015. Visiting side Brothers raced out to a 34-10 lead at half time, and looked to be coasting against a Bulldogs team guilty of conceding too many first half penalties and an untenable amount of possession to their cross-city rivals. The second half was another story though, as the home side reversed the possession and penalty statistics to get back to within 6 points.…