Great rugby afternoon. I attended ACGS V NC. I comment below on just how I saw the game .In summary ,Both teams defence were outstanding , sustaining intense periods of ‘on the line’, in the trench warfare. They both experienced wave after wave of attack and were able repel. They both are very fit packs. The difference were a missed conversion and missed penalty otherwise, give the chocolates to Churchie.
After NC massive win last weekend against an impressive TSS outfit on paper, NC were brimming with confidence coming into this round especially as Churchie had suffered the humiliation of a loss to a lowly but deserved GT. Churchie should have been preparing for a bottom of the table finish after that GT performance, They obviously we’re out to right that wrong this week and set up an ambush for Nudgee with their star full back back in position after a week off.
16a s were a support act where a tight battle saw Churchie impressively hold Nudgee to a loss and then a ding dong physical battle in the 2nds where the score flattered Nudgee, as both teams went hammer and tongs at each other with real passion and feeling. Both games were wonderful precursors TO THE MAIN EVENT.
The first half started in the usual way with Nudgee scoring next to the posts in first 5 mins, and you could be forgiven for thinking another 50 plus score was coming. But Churchie had other ideas, having seen what the 2nd half had installed for TSS last week. They appeared to starch up and the usually confident Nudgee parents, looked around a little dazed and with raised eyebrows at half time- score 12-12 with their star team having to defend for their lives in the first half. However last weekend was close at half time, and Nudgee demolished the TSS defence , so they weren’t too worried. The Confidence still remained with their supporters. They’ll soon dispatch these Churchie upstarts.
However when Nudgee were down for 12-15 half way through the 2nd half, the penny was dropping, this Churchie outfit we’re not easy beats And Nudgee hadn’t got the memo. So Nudgee lifted and threw the Kitchen sink at the Churchie line and where usually other teams had cracked, Churchie stood their ground, and NC raid after raid failed. In the end, the NC set piece line out finally worked, and NUDGEE scored an unattractive rolling maul try in the corner With a magnificent conversion to get them home. A collective sigh went around the ground, and the confidence posture was able to be resumed as if nothing had happened.
However Churchie has done a huge favour to the rest of the competition with this tenacious loss. They have showed how to beat Nudgee and that this NC team is fallible. BSHS ,BBC , TGS and even GT Maybe able to topple Nudgee. Nudgee however showed their class this afternoon and it’s obvious they must be premiership favourites, but they also have a learnt a lesson that teams like Churchie need to be respected as any team could beat them as it is a very even and competitive competition this year.
I applaud both teams for a wonderful spectacle this Afternoon.