Australian Club Challenge

[RugbyReg]

Title edited to raise the bar a little.

Obviously the style in which the Reds are playing is the story of the moment. Its really the only positive for Australian Rugby at the moment.

Well done to the QRU in looking outside the capital city with the introduction of the state league, currently taking place up here.

And now we have the best club team in Australia as well with Easts defeating the much hyped Sydney Uni as a curtain raiser to the Crusaders game.

Well done.

Easts produced an enthralling second half comeback to defeat Sydney University in the 2009 Australian Club Challenge at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.

The Tigers ran out 38-31 winners thanks to a hat-trick of tries to winger David Lucas and a perfect six-from-six strike rate from the boot of man of the match Andrew Walker.

The victory was the first time a Queensland side has won the interstate contest since its reintroduction in 2007. Sydney Uni defeated Wests 36-5 in 2007 and Sunnybank 24-0 in 2008.

Trailing 24-0 in the second half, the Tigers scored 38 points in 30 minutes courtesy of tries to Lucas, Coen Ladewig and Pale Toelupe. Walker secured the victory with a 55m penalty goal late in the match.

The victory was a major coup for the Tigers and a huge boost heading into the opening round of Queensland Premier Rugby on Saturday, March 28.

was on the plane with them to Sydney Friday morning. What a rabble they looked like. No team shirts or anything. Walks looked very cool and apparently turned it on on the weekend. Great stuff.

 

[fatprop]

Re: QLD Rugby - Australia's heartland

Does anyone have details of the Uni side, most were running around in the S14 in various sides. But I guess East would have been in the same position

 

[naza]

Re: QLD Rugby - Australia's heartland

I need a bucket.

 

[formeropenside]

Re: QLD Rugby - Australia's heartland

I need a bucket.

Still got the shits after watching the tahs game on Sat night?

 

[spectator]

Was anyone there? This result surprised the hell out of me. Given Sydney Uni's dominance over Sunnybank the year before I didn't give Easts much of a chance. Old adage, a champion team as opposed to a team of champions applies here as they have close to the smallest rep numbers of any Brissy club side.

 

[Lindommer]

Lee and I were there and saw the whole game. The Uni team was (mostly) second and third graders who were palpably unfit; hence the second half fadeout. Walker was wonderful, underplaying his hand beautifully.

 

[rugbywhisperer]

It's nice of Nodds to get all warm and fuzzy about the result. As a new Queenslander (15 years) I still maintain the top 6 teams in Sydney could account for any team in Brisbane - at full strength. It's not rocket science but it's good to see the indigenous Queenslanders enjoying themselves over such an abberation.

 

[formeropenside]

It wasn't exactly a full strength Easts teams either, they were notably missing Jade Ingham (retired since the GF) and Ben Mowen (poached by Waratahs).

 

[rugbywhisperer]

Help me here Lindo, help me teach these Queenslanders that they are not the centre of the universe - My God it's painful living here at times, the new fashion statement is wood chip shoulder pads.

 

[TOCC]

It's nice of Nodds to get all warm and fuzzy about the result. As a new Queenslander (15 years) I still maintain the top 6 teams in Sydney could account for any team in Brisbane - at full strength. It's not rocket science but it's good to see the indigenous Queenslanders enjoying themselves over such an abberation.

Sunnybank 07 would have accounted for any Sydney team

 

[rugbywhisperer]

I am a Queenslander - but unless you have played in or been involved in Sydney club rugby you have no idea as to the difference.
I am not speaking with any emotion or sense of state pride here, Sydney club rugby is miles ahead of Brisbane club rugby in quality and intensity.
Up here in Bris we have Premier, 2nd, 3rd and probably colts.
In Sydney you will have anywhere up to 7 teams plus 3 colts, then second division, sub district (3 divisions).
The depth and player strength is massive compared to up here.
After being involved in both scenes - Brisbane is in with no show - there is no comparison.

 

[TOCC]

the overall quality of Sydney will/should always remain higher they have a much larger pool to pick players from with only 2 extra teams, with the Sydney compeition actually looking at downsizing in comparison to QLD which is looking at increasing the comp with a potential 3 extra teams in the next few years.

That been said, i do believe that a full strenght sunnybank team could beat a sydney team though.

I have been involved with the Sydney Competition, i was involved with Parramatta for quite a few years, ive dealth with Sunnybank and Souths in Brisbane, and had a short stint at Gungahlin in Canberra.

 

[fatprop]

the overall quality of Sydney will/should always remain higher they have a much larger pool to pick players from with only 2 extra teams, with the Sydney compeition actually looking at downsizing in comparison to QLD which is looking at increasing the comp with a potential 3 extra teams in the next few years.

That been said, i do believe that a full strenght sunnybank team could beat a sydney team though.

I have been involved with the Sydney Competition, i was involved with Parramatta for quite a few years, ive dealth with Sunnybank and Souths in Brisbane, and had a short stint at Gungahlin in Canberra.

maybe, but a full strength Sydney Uni is essentially a S14 squad side.

In the ARC they supplied over 24 players to the comp. They usually have had ex Aus schools player, that in any other team would have been in the 1st squad, playing 3rds or 1st Colts.

It is screwing up Sydney rugby but their depth is immense


Off their website the last listing of a team was

1st Grade
1. Jerry Yanuyanutawa 9. Nathan Sievert
2. Nathan Charles 10. Daniel Halangahu
3. Laurence Weeks 11. Edward Jenkins
4. Ben McCalman 12. Daniel Halangahu
5. David McDuling 13. Lachlan Mitchell
6. Patrick McCutcheon 14. Lachlan Rosengreen
7. Jonathon Jenkins 15. Jacob Taylor
8. Tim Davidson

.

and that doesn't include, Mumm, Caldwell, Carter, Tilse, Playford, Nathan Sievert
& Daniel Kelly off the top of my head etc etc Althought Halangahu is so good he plays two spots

 

[cyclopath]

And in 2007 had Lyons, Waugh and Vickerman theoretically too.
Pretty handy team.
And you're right, fp, although being a Uni fan (since I used to be a ball-boy aged 9 for them) the strength of the club bothers me less, especially having followed them in the 2nd division days!! More of a talent spread would be better, but that's a whole other thread...

 

[Lindommer]

Help me here Lindo, help me teach these Queenslanders that they are not the centre of the universe - My God it's painful living here at times, the new fashion statement is wood chip shoulder pads.

You made your bed, whispers, you lie on it. You're on yer own. : : :

 

[TOCC]

Dont want to be picky, but Laurie Weeks is playing for UQ in QLD this year, so im not sure on the accuracy of that team list.

Im not trying to turn this into a pissing contest, but this is just a example of the QLD contracted players at Sunnybank in 2009. Not withstanding that they have also lost a lot of talent in recent years as well.

1. Dayna Edwards
2. Albert Anae
3. Greg Holmes
4. Rob Simmons
5.
6.
7.
8. Jake Schatz
9. Ben Lucas
10. Stefano Hunt
11. Brendan Vaalu
12. Charlie Fetoia
13. Digby Ioane
14.
15. Mark Mclinden

 

[formeropenside]

The Gold Coast has also been strong, although in recent years they have lost a fair few players (incl a 37 yo Garrick Morgan) and are now back at the pack.

A full-strength Syd Uni vs Sunnybank clash would be quite a game, although Syd Uni would be favourites for the title.

 

[fatprop]

Dont want to be picky, but Laurie Weeks is playing for UQ in QLD this year, so im not sure on the accuracy of that team list.

Im not trying to turn this into a pissing contest, but this is just a example of the QLD contracted players at Sunnybank in 2009. Not withstanding that they have also lost a lot of talent in recent years as well.

1. Dayna Edwards
2. Albert Anae
3. Greg Holmes
4. Rob Simmons
5.
6.
7.
8. Jake Schatz
9. Ben Lucas
10. Stefano Hunt
11. Brendan Vaalu
12. Charlie Fetoia
13. Digby Ioane
14.
15. Mark Mclinden

I really don't mean it to be a pissing contest, it actually depresses me to see the amount of warehousing of talent that Sydney Uni do.

 

[Lindommer]

I really don't mean it to be a pissing contest, it actually depresses me to see the amount of warehousing of talent that Sydney Uni do.

And it totally pisses off other Sydney clubs to see their talented juniors turn up at Uni with a "scholarship" of sorts after leaving year 12. To find out later some of these youngsters aren't even going to university is arrogant in the extreme.

One example: Phil Waugh lived on the northern beaches as a little tacker and played his junior rugby with Narrabeen Tigers before choofing off to Shore. He was a very talented youngster and ended up captain of Australian Schoolboys. First year out, does he roll up for the Rats? No, bloody Sydney Uni seduce him with a promise of a "scholarship" and future representative honours. Same with Laurie Weeks, a Wests Junior player before he went to Joeys. Have a look through Uni's colts list last year; if you haven't made school or junior representative teams, never mind First XV, don't bother turning up. Any points system to even out the available talent has my full support. I have no objection to talented young players turning out for Uni, as long as as they study there. But poaching other clubs' juniors isn't on.

 

[rugbywhisperer]

Dont want to be picky, but Laurie Weeks is playing for UQ in QLD this year, so im not sure on the accuracy of that team list.

Im not trying to turn this into a pissing contest, but this is just a example of the QLD contracted players at Sunnybank in 2009. Not withstanding that they have also lost a lot of talent in recent years as well.

1. Dayna Edwards
2. Albert Anae
3. Greg Holmes
4. Rob Simmons
5.
6.
7.
8. Jake Schatz
9. Ben Lucas
10. Stefano Hunt
11. Brendan Vaalu
12. Charlie Fetoia
13. Digby Ioane
14.
15. Mark Mclinden

Isnt Stefano Hunt still a schoolboy???