Sunshine Coast has recorded a boilover victory to defeat the highly fancied Sunnybank and win through to this year’s Brisbane Premier rugby grand final where they will face the red-hot Red Heavies next week.
In a game that was riddled with errors and the shrill of the referee’s whistle, former All-Black Caleb Ralph turned back the clock to score a try 8 minutes from time and make sure the three bus loads of Sunny Coast supporters went home happy.
The first 10 minutes of the match was played in slow motion with neither team looking settled or willing to knuckle down and play solid rugby. Perhaps Sunny Coast had an excuse missing captain Gareth Coulston and not having experience to draw on but with Bank having a decent smattering of professional players, such waste was hard to excuse.
After penalty goals to either team, the game lurched from knock-on, to forward pass, to penalty and back again until Sunshine Coast sprung a surprise in the 17th minute.
From a lineout just inside the Dragons half, Sunny Coast went wide and outflanked Sunnybank with dashing winger Thomas Cox burning his opposite and running 40 metres before offloading under pressure to inside centre Toese Lealamanua who scooted over.
Maurice Stone slotted the extras from just right of the poles and the lead was 10-3.
It was the brightest moment of the half which then returned to its earlier malaise. The only other highlight of the half was the punishing running of Leroy Houston who constantly made metres off the back of the dominate Bank scrum and around the ruck – including one dash with his shorts around his knees!
The Stingrays kicked another penalty goal through fullback Alex Millington just before halftime and went to oranges with an unconvincing 13-3 lead.
The second half started brightly for Sunnybank who secured the ball after a Stingray turnover and drove toward the posts. The Coast gave away a penalty and instead of going for the points, Sunnybank captain James Kruikelis opted for a lineout.
This decision paid an immediate dividend as the forward based game of the Dragons proved too powerful as they drove a maul from the lineout win with Kruikelis crashing over. Jason Hofmeyr couldn’t kick the conversion from wide right but Bank were back only 13-8 down and looking as if they had found their mojo.
Sunnybank failed to go on with it however and once again the game descended into an advertisement of how not to play rugby. With neither team capable of consistently winning their set piece, catching and passing and the added impairment of an officious official, it was pretty hard going.
On the 55th minute James Kruikelis was sin-binned for killing the ball as the Stingers pressed the Dragons line. The Sunny Coast tried to make the most of the opportunity but it was no surprise when they botched the attacking chance and Bank cleared.
The binning of their captain seemed to spark Sunnybank who produced their best rugby of the match. Finally they looked cohesive and moved the ball well putting the tiring Coast under pressure.
This pressure tolled in the 63rd minute when Leroy bashed over from 2 metres out after Bank had spurned another penalty goal opportunity for a lineout from close range. It wasn’t a pretty try but it was a try that was born out of sustained hard work, a first for Bank in the game.
With 15 minutes to go and the Dragons ahead by 15-13, it looked as if the Sunshine Coast’s castle was indeed made of sand as Kruikelis return from his enforced lay-off.
Toutai Kefu then went to his bench and the Stingers looked re-invigorated with Louis Fesolai and Isaac Helu adding spark and the Coast enjoying their best passage of play.
Inside the last 10 minutes Bank were still clinging to a slender lead and when the Coast were penalised for hanging on at a ruck, it looked as if the Dragons had the momentum and would see it through.
But, as with most things, Sunnybank made a hash of the simple stuff and failed to put the ensuing penalty into touch. To compound this error, Sunnybank fullback, Jason Hofmeyr, fumbled the return kick over the sideline to give away a lineout.
It was now or never type stuff and the Stingrays were able to win the lineout and send the ball wide. Replacement inside centre Lousi Fesolai chipped a ball through for his centre partner Caleb Ralph who surprised everyone by winning the race to touch down 10 metres in from touch.
Fullback Milligain kicked the conversion to give the Sunshine Coast the lead that would not be headed.
Sunnybank had a late chance to snatch a win with a lineout 5 five metres out with the clock ticking down however once again the ball was spilt the moment they tried to go any further than two passes wide of the ruck.
Despite a couple more heart palpitations in the closing seconds, Sunshine Coast came away with a win and the long suffering supporters raised the McLean stand roof as Damien Mitchelmore blew his over-used whistle for the final time.
Sunny Coast coach Toutai Kefu was fairly circumspect about the win but also had some words of warning for their opponents in the grand final.
“When we play top four teams such as Sunnybank we have to play to the best of our ability. We didn’t do that today, but it was enough to win.”
Kefu then fired the first shot of the grand final week mind games hinting that Sunny Coast had at least an even chance.
“There’s a lot of things, a lot of factors, the referee, wind, weather, a lot of things can go wrong. If we turn up mentally then we are in with a real shot.”
One thing is for sure, with 6 bus loads of Sunny Coast faithful making the trip to Ballymore next week they won’t lack for support, and with most of the neutrals backing the Coast, could there yet be a sting in the tail of this years comp?
