From the Vikings site;
Five Teams In
Saturday, saw Vikings play arch-rivals Royals in the last round of play before finals begin this Saturday 30 July at Viking Park. Due to poor weather conditions leading up to the day, the games were split between Phillip Oval and Viking Park. Colts and 1st Division played early at Viking Park with the key match-ups between the Women, and Premier 1st and 2nd Grade held at Phillip Oval. Both 1st Division teams finished their seasons on a high with convincing wins as did the Women and Premier 2nd Grade. Colts and Premier 1st grade didn’t fair so well in their lead up to finals.
Three Vikings teams clinched Minor Premierships, and all five teams heading into finals will play in the Major Semi Final on Saturday at Viking Park. 1st Division 2nd Grade and Premier 1st Grade won minor premierships again, and the Women earned their first Minor Premiership since 2010.
1st Division 2nd Grade
Vikings took the field earlier than expected with a 10.30 am kickoff at Viking Park on a crisp and damp morning in Wanniassa. The team needed a win and the bonus point to clinch the Minor Premiership as Wests tooks on ADFA for double points. Unaware the Wests game had been called off, the boys came out firing. Richard Joyes crossed the line three times and Ryan Slater two times as they lead the team to a solid 48-14 victory.
Vikings head into Finals at Viking Park with only one loss this season to Wests, and the confidence to change the outcome of last year’s Grand Final. 1st Division 1st Grade kicks off at 9.40am on VP2, Saturday in the Major Semi Final.
1st Division 1st Grade
This was the team that need the most luck on the day. They were four points out and needed a bonus point victory and losses by Queanbeyan and Uni Norths to squeak into finals. The seesaw battle saw the Vikings start out strong, but give the lead back to Royals midway through the 1st half. The defence picked up with some hard hits from Carlos Amar and great team work which kept them in the game. The 2nd half saw the Vikings pull away and grab the victory they so desperately needed. Lix Lealiifano scored two tries, and Matt Wafer, Siope Naeata, and Nathan King each added a try for a 33-17 win.
It was clear at this time that Uni Norths was going to lose their game, but news later in the day from Cooma wasn’t as good. Queanbeyan had defeated Cooma to claim the last spot in the finals for 1st Division 1st Grade. The boys had a great season that didn’t start out how they had hoped. The season finished on a high with four strong victories, and gives optimism for the 2017 season.
Women
The ViQueens headed to Phillip Oval for the afternoon match looking for the Minor Premiership. Leading Royals by four points on the ladder going into the game, ViQueens only needed a victory to secure the top spot. From the kickoff anyone watching could see the ViQueens were the better team, holding possession for most of the first half and playing stellar defence when required. The end of the 1st half saw the ViQueens leading Royals 10-0. The second half saw more of the same with dominant play by the ViQueens and another try tallied to the score for a 15-0 lead.
With 20 minutes remaining in the game ViQueens leader Michelle Milward went down with what looked to be a severe leg injury. The game was ended as an ambulance was called to take Milward across the street to Canberra hospital. With the win the ViQueens grabbed the Minor Premiership and pushed Royals down to the third spot on the ladder as Uni Norths defeat Gungahlin in a bonus point win. Peta Leddy was named the Players Player and the Canberra Elite Player of the Round.
ViQueens take on Uni Norths Owls on Saturday at 1.10pm on VP2.
Premier Colts
Royals and Vikings met for a game that didn’t matter much at Viking Park. Both teams were looking to get some game time in with byes and forfeits by East in the last few weeks. The ladder had already been decided with Royals winning the Minor Premiership and Vikings finishing second. These two teams will be battling again Saturday at Viking Park from 11.50am on VP1, so neither team wanted to show their cards this week.
It was a calm game with Royals bolting out to a two try lead and Vikings answering later in the half. Vikings couldn’t dig themselves out of the early hole and dropped their final game of the regular season. The game ended with a 31-22 Royals victory, but the Vikings getting an up close look at their opponents for the Major Semi Final on Saturday.
Premier 2nd Grade
Vikings 2nd grade returned from the bye weekend having previously been in good form and were keen to finish the season strongly leading into semi-finals. The extra incentive was the outside chance that the side could return to second place and have the double chance in the finals, with a win and Uni Norths defeating Gungahlin.
The match started poorly for Vikings with an energetic Royals side led by Craig McMahon taking an early penalty and a try after great try line pressure to lead 10-0.
Vikings had plenty of the ball and eventually the Royals line was cracked with a great scoot from Blake Henman sending Dan Blackmore crashing over. McMahon again stamped himself on the game for Royals with his second try following a chip and chase and Royals deservedly led at halftime 15-7.
The boys came out firing in the second half with deserved team tries to Travis Pula and Damien Gubler from close range getting Vikings in front 17-15. More pressure on the Royals line resulted in Henman crashing over for the bonus point, with the conversion Vikings had breathing space at 24-15. Vikings had enjoyed an excellent second half combined with Uni Norths close win on the other side of town, sent Vikings back to second position and into a Major Semi Final with Queanbeyan Whites this Saturday at Viking Park from 1.30pm on VP1.
Premier 1st Grade
by Keiran Deck
Two penalty kicks proved the difference as Royals held-on for a 30-28 victory over Vikings in the final round of regular competition.
On a cold and windy day at Philip Oval, Vikings had to avoid a bonus point defeat to concede the minor Premiership.
Meanwhile, Royals were playing for their spot in the finals series. A run of recent losses meant Uni-Norths Owls were in striking distance for the last finals spot.
For the Owls to snatch the position, they had to defeat Gungahlin in a game played at the same time at ANU North Oval, and Royals had to lose this game.
Heavy rain had fallen in the days leading up to the game and Brumbies had to ask ACT ground carers for special consideration. The match was allowed to go ahead because of its bearing on the finals.
Vikings had the first attacking opportunity but Royals’ defence repelled the attempted rolling maul, leading to a passage of broken play.
Royals would score first. They took a quick lineout on the right side of the field, opening up a channel for Jason Swain to cross in the first five minutes.
Another lineout error lead to Vikings’ first points minutes later. Vikings scrumhalf Ryne Bowden sniped the line around the ruck after Royals’ restart was crooked. Isaac Thompson added the extras and Vikings had the lead 7-5.
Royals’ strong defence rebounded several Vikings attacks and it soon paid off for the home side. Winger Seth Going sliding around Tuggeranong’s defence.
Royals added another three on half time to take a 13-7 lead into the break.
Vikings looked fresh in the second half. Jake Rakic made a break up the left side, linking with Jake Knight who snaked his way under the posts.
The Vikings converted the momentum into another seven points as Jackson-Hope made a break on halfway. 21-13.
Another ten minutes of scoreless rugby followed before Pedro Rolando narrowed the gap off a penalty for the hosts.
Brumby Tom Staniforth backed up after the previous night’s Super Rugby final to make an impact in the second half for Royals. A run at the line opened a gap for Ben Johnston to score and Royals regained the lead, 23-21.
Royals had wrestled back the momentum and they backed themselves from a set-piece on half way where Steve Sione scored on the left wing. Rolando added the extras and the Vikings had a nine-point difference to negotiate.
Tuggeranong capitalised on good field position with 10-minutes to go, Dean Oakman-Hunt nearly taking out a goal post reaching for the chalk. But the try was too little too late.
The home side held on in the final minutes to retain the two-point lead and their sport in the final four.
Vikings host Queanbeyan Whites on Saturday in the major semi-final. The winner will go straight to the Grand Final, while the other team will play the victor between Royals and Gungahlin in the minor semi-final.
Vikings
Tries – R. Bowden, J. Knight, J. Jackson-Hope, D. Oakman-Hunt
Cons – I. Thompson 4
Royals
Tries – J. Swain, S. Going, B. Johnston, S. Sione
Cons – P. Rolando 2
Pens – P. Rolando 2