NRC Rnd 9: Queensland Country vs UC Vikings

[Hugh Jarse]

vs

Queensland Country v UC Vikings

When: Thursday 15 October, 7.30pm AEDT
Where: Sunshine Coast Stadium, Sunshine Coast

Match Referee: Graham Cooper
Assistant Referees: Rohan Hoffmann, Jordan Way
TMO: Greg Milne

Broadcast Information: LIVE on FOX SPORTS 502

2015 Canberra Vikings Form Guide: BWWWWWWL
2015 Queensland Country Form Guide: LLLWLWBL

Last Time They Met: 6 September 2014; UC Vikings 26 defeated Queensland Country 21; Viking Park, Canberra

Match Notes: The Vikings' 100% start to the season ended last week with defeat at home to Brisbane City. The Vikings need to win and hope Brisbane City slip up against the Greater Sydney Rams to secure the minor premiership. Captain Jarrad Butler is the competition's second top try scorer with seven.

Whats at Stake?:

Canberra Vikings (Currently 2md)
They will host a final in either 1st or 2nd place. The Minor Premiership is at stake, but they require results the Brisbane City v Rams to go their way to achieve that.
Win: Win with a BP and if Brisbane lose to Rams, the Minor Premiership will be the Vikings. If Brisbane lose with a BP, then Vikings must win by more than 14 points to take the Minor Premiership. If Brisbane win, then Vikings stay in the Silver Medal position regardless of the outcome of this match. If Brisbane Draw with Rams, then Vikings must win with a BP (3 tries for the BP is more than the 14 PD needed) to claim Minor Premiership bragging rights.
Lose: The Minor Premiership will be Brisbane City's.
Draw: The Minor Premiership will be Brisbane City's.

Queensland Country (currently 2nd on the Grid for the Wooden Spoon Race)
No show at making the play offs
Win: If the Vikings lose to Country, then QCountry are out of the running.
Draw: Country move to 11 points equal with Rays, and Rams if they latter manage to defeat Brisbane City without a BP, and Rays lose against the Eagles by more than 8. In this highly unlikely scenario, it will be a scrap over F & A, and Country are not looking good as they will stay on -72.
Lose: It's Hello my little Friend if Rams defeat BCity. If Rams draw with BCity, then QCountry must get a losing BP in round 9 to avoid the Wrong Premiership.


G&GR Preview (@RugbyReg) says: http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/nrc-round-9-preview/
This match won’t have much (any ?) on the final ladder as Canberra are secure in 2nd spot and will host a final. There is still a chance for them to put themselves in an even better spot by winning and winning well, and then hoping that Brisbane has a shock loss to the Rams. The Vikings have opted to rest some of their key players including Christian Lealiifano and Ita Vaea whilst giving some of their youngsters a shot. If it all goes pear shaped however they still have the likes of Alexander, Smiler, Powell and Fainifo on the bench to try to right the wrongs.
For Queensland Country they will be determined to avoid the wooden spoon and record their third win of the season. Unfortunately all the good work they showed in a hard fought win over the Eagles a couple of weeks ago was undone with a thrashing at the hands of the Rays last weekend. This will be a homecoming for a handful of the Country lads as the game is to played at one of the best regional stadiums in Australia on the Sunshine Coast. Haydn Hirsimaki and Conor Mitchell both played their early rugby on the coast and are sure to be well supported by friends and family.
Key Matchups:
Check out the battle at scrum time and most notably the matchup between Country Loose Head Prop, Haydn Hirsinaki, and Viking Tight Head Prop, Leslie Leulua’iali’i-Makin. The two are a couple of the shorter front rowers going around at 175cm and 174cm respectively, but both have immense power. The Country lads have relied heavily on their scrum this year and will see it as a big edge in their clash with the Vikings. The Vikings are no slouches however and their battle up front with Brisbane last week was epic.
At flyhalf we have two of Queensland’s brightest young playmakers facing off against each other in Sam Greene and Mitch Third. Whilst Greene has secured a contract with the Reds for next year, and has been a stand out player of the competition, Third had hoped his time with the Vikings may provided him a leg up into the Brumbies organisation. The signing of Nicolas Jooste from out west perhaps murkies the water in that regard, but Third will see his selection as a big chance to show his wares to important people in both states.


Teams:

UC Vikings
1. Allan Ala'alatoa
2. Robbie ABEL
3. Leslie LEULUA'IALI'I-MAKIN
4. Rory ARNOLD
5. Blake ENEVER
6. Dean OAKMAN-HUNT
7. Rowan PERRY
8. Jarrad BUTLER
9. Brent HAMLIN
10. Mitch THIRD
11. Lausii TALIAULI
12. Rodney IONA
13. Nigel AH WONG
14. James DARGAVILLE
15. Isaac THOMPSON

16. Albert ANAE
17. Sione TAULA
18. Ben ALEXANDER
19. Jordan SMILER
20. Dan PENCA
21. Joe POWELL
22. Jake RAKIC
23. Francis FAINIFO

Queensland Country
1. Haydn HIRSIMAKI
2. Alex MAFI
3. Sef FA'AGASE
4. Milton SIKUEA
5. Phil POTGIETER
6. Tyrell BARKER
7. Maclean JONES
8. James TURNER
9. James TUTTLE
10. Sam GREENE
11. Pierce FITZGERALD
12. Tyrone LEFAU
13. Campbell MAGNAY
14. Tom PINCUS
15. Tom BANKS

16. Campbell WAKELY
17. Reuben LEILUA
18. Taniela TUPOU
19. Richie ARNOLD
20. Conor MITCHELL
21. Scott MALOLUA
22. Dion TAUMATA
23. Mack MASON

 

[Brumby Runner]

Christian Lealiifano??

 

[Happy]

I don't think he's played any of the away games.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Lilo has played rounds 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8 for the Canberra Vikings. Round 6 was away to the Rays.

Round 1 was a Bye, so he has only missed out on Round 2 (Away to Eagles in Woollahra), Round 4 (Away to Perth in Perth) and Round 9 (Away to QCountry at the Sunnie Coast).

 

[TOCC]

QLD Country will be beaten in the backline but their scrum is arguably the best in the competition, they will need to use that to grind out points. If it turns into a free flowing and high paced game then they will be handed a flogging.

 

[Eyes and Ears]

QC (Quade Cooper) scrum wasn't as strong last weekend and while they got dominance at times against the Ryas, they didn't decimate them like others have done. Maybe it will be a different story with Hirsimaki back in the starting lineup.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Looking forward to the two Arnolds competing in the lineouts if Richie gets on early enough.

 

[MonkeyBoy]

Lilo has played rounds 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8 for the Canberra Vikings. Round 6 was away to the Rays.

Round 1 was a Bye, so he has only missed out on Round 2 (Away to Eagles in Woollahra), Round 4 (Away to Perth in Perth) and Round 9 (Away to QCountry at the Sunnie Coast).

I think he was with the Baa Baas for some of them?

 

[Brumby Runner]

Half time, Vikings up 21 - 8. Scrums are absolutely massive. Almost no movement forward or back when Qld Country feed, but Vikings scrum massively overpower Country on their own feed.

 

[RugbyReg]

Yeah. Scrums are huge aren't they? Both loose heads doing a number on their tight head opponents.

Handling poor in the backs.

 

[Brumby Runner]

42 - 8 to Vikings at the end. Vikings scrum finished well on top of Country's. Rory Arnold will go close to MOTM. Bonus point win in what was a very tough encounter.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Huge battle up front, as predicted by many.

Battle for Minor Premiership has become simple.

Brisbane defeat Rams, they win Minor Premiership.
Brisbane lose or draw with Rams, Vikings win Minor Premiership.

Wooden Spoon Battle is slightly more simple.
Our little Friend heads north if Rams defeat or draw with BCity.

Rays have lost their battle for the Spoon. It's now a two horse race between QC (Quade Cooper) and Rams.

 

[kiap]

Caught a bit of this. As coach Gilmore said, both scrums will be "knackered"

Enever was also good. As was Magnay for Country; powering into the oppo backline and making ground at will.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Mitch Third official MOTM. I thought it should have gone to one of the forwards in recognition of the epic battles in the scrums.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

^^^ Typical. No many appreciate what the fat boys actually do for the hairdressers.

The Pot Plants looked really buggered. Scrums can be good and exciting when there aren't the never ending time wasting resets for pedantic reasons.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Crowd attendance for ‪QLD Country‬ v ‪UC Vikings‬ - 1,151.


Qld Country 8 (J. Tuttle (27) try, S. Greene (28) con) defeated by UC Vikings 42 (M. Third (5), B. Hamlin (14), J. Dargaville (22), L. Lealua-iali'i-Makin (44), L. Taliauli (49), D. Penca (56) Tries; I. Thompson (6), I. Thompson (15), I. Thompson (45), I. Thompson (56) Cons)