Cranbrook 43-3 Waverley (10-3 half time) 6 tries -0
Totally dominant performance by Cranbrook forwards who won many tightheads and line outs on the Waverley throw. Very hard play at the breakdown by Cranbrook back row of Makkas Mahoney and Summerhayes
Defence across the park very solid and organised.
Back line has plenty of pace and run some good hard lines with quick hands.
Renton at 10 was again outstanding but the score could have been more if he had had his kicking boots on
Agree that Cranbrook forwards destroyed Waverley's set pieces and both the no 6 and no 8 were excellent. I would disagree that the back line was good or that no 10 was outstanding - the no 14 is certainly quick though. To me Cranbrook appeared to play in the way that a professional coach would teach them how to play (given they have one it is no surprise). In other words, play to your strengths, infringe as much as you can within the limits of what the ref will tolerate and pin the opposition in their own territory. They indeed carried out their instructions which didn't make for much of a spectacle.
The ref must have the patience of Job because he continually penalised both teams for killing the ball; both captains were spoken to twice and Waverley individually once and Cranbrook two or three times. I would have yellow carded Cranbrook at least once for the amount of times they infringed at the breakdown but it was always outside their half and, given they dominated the set piece it don't cost them.
Waverley tackled manfully until they tired in the last 5-10 but I don't think they got in the Cranbrook 22 at all in the second half. My summation is that Cranbrook has big and skilled forwards, are defensively sound but don't offer much in the back line in attack except for pace on one wing. They will seek to wear down opponents and force errors rather than seek to win the game outright. In tight contests this may see them get over the line 9 times out of 10 but it won't be pretty.
For Waverley, they tried but don't have the players to threaten much. Structure is also an issue but not really today as they were strangled to death by Cranbrook. Still, the Waverley 16s show much more promise than last year's vintage so hopefully normal programming at QP will be resumed shortly.