The 3rdTier – Weekly Wrap and Preview 2

This week, sitting in the stands enjoying the sunshine, great rugby and a sausage sanga and a beer, I got the idea to post a photo of said Sanga, Beer and Rugby. So as discussed on last nights podcast, the competition is open to you. Post us the your photos of a Sanga (steak or sausage), drink (Doesn’t have to be beer, kids can enter too) and club rugby to win a prize. The prize is a BBQ apron signed by Beau Robinson, who jumped on the #3rdtier with gusto, tweeting from the GPS v Souths game in Brisbane. You can post the photo to twitter, including the #3rdtier hash tag or post it to 3rdTier’s facebook page wall (you should probably like that page too…). We will choose the best entry based on it’s creative merits.

I will continue to trawl the forum threads for each competition when putting this post together for match reviews, so if you are at a game, jot a couple of lines down, post them in relevant thread and I will include it in next weeks edition. Thanks to those who posted reviews this week.

Remember, If we come, they will build it.

Queensland Premier Rugby

Join the conversation in the forum here

Round 2 Results:

Brothers 60 v Wests 19
Easts 19 v Rugby Gold Coast 6
Review from tigerland12

Easts Tigers vs Gold Coast Breakers
Bottomely Park

Easts were heavily favoured to win this one, but with the loss of skipper Matt Brandon and winger Kieran Ross, there was a level of uncertainty about how the Tigers would perform against an always aggressive Gold Coast side. The opening exchanges were fairly physical, with Easts consistantly making big tackles and not allowing the Breakers across the advantage line. But in attack Easts failed to capatilze on their chances with David Skelton breaking the line twice before the play breaking down the next phase. Credit to the Breakers they managed to stiffle the Easts attack, but the home side was holding most of the possession through patient play and good build up from the forwards. For the second week in a row, 8 man Jarrad Buttler was immense in this work with the ball in hand and also the line out. Cox and Buatava traded penalites with the score 6-3 to Easts at half-time.

Buatava scored the Breakers last points after the interval. But from then on Easts dominated most aspects of the match, with Sam Cox directing the play. I will admit personally I had concerns how the Tigers would look in attack without star 10 Matt Brandon and rising Reds member UJ Seuteni, but Sam Cox was brilliant in all aspects of his game, threw some brilliant passes to his men out wide while also running, tackling and kicking well. One of his kicks to the corner allowed speedy winger Chris Mansell to place alot of pressure on Breakers fullback Langback, forcing him in goal. From the ensuing 5m scrum, the Tigers cleared the ball and a few phases later big centre Toby White crashed over.

As Easts continued to put pressure on the Breakers, their scrum continued to dominate. Young Bermingham and Parraka had a field day with the Gold Coast never seemingly moving forward at scrum time. Sam Cox added another penalty to make the score 14-6 nearing the end of the match.

Easts final score of the game came after persistant forward play from ball runners such as Buttler and Enever lead to the ever-present Dom Fuller to scoot through and put Parraka over in the corner. Final score 19-6

Solid performance from Easts, and credit to the Gold Coast who were persistant in defence. But Easts controlled most of the game, lead from strong performances from Sam Cox, David Skelton and Jarrad Buttler. But my personal MOM was fullback Johnny Wilder. He’s played consistantly on the wing or at 15 over the past couple of seasons, and despite not having much meat on him, he is always a threat in attack. His kicking game and security under the high ball is also something to be applauded.

FInally, a word on the referee. I don’t usually complain, but this ref was appalling. Free for all at the breakdown, and he missed many knock ons and forward passes. His ability as a ref was probably why the game was so stop start at some points. Would like to see him spend a few weeks as a touchie before getting another Premier gig.

GPS 25 v Souths 22
Sunnybank 44 v Sunshine Coast 21
Review from Jets:

In Premier grade Sunnybank came out all guns firing after their disappointing outing on Tuesday night. They scored 3 tries in the opening half and look crisp and precise in most areas of the game to take a 30-0 lead into the half. After half time Sunnybank crossed for their fourth try and secured the bonus point but then seemed to switch off and tried to play some razzle dazzle rugby. They stopped doing the simple things, like clearing out at the breakdown and not trying to throw miracle passes. As a result they turned over a lot of ball. With the increase in possession the Stingrays looked a more composed team and managed to cross for 3 tries, one a 70m intercept. Sunnybank had the final say in the match with a try at the end that couple have gone either way. The Stingrays winger went for the intercept and must have been close to pulling it off but the ball ended up in the hands of the Dragons winger who strolled over to end the game 44-21.

Uni 45 v Norths 24

Ladder:

1. GPS 9
2. Brothers 9
3. Souths 5
4. Uni 5
5. Easts 5
6. Sunnybank 5
7. Gold Coast 4
8. Wests 1
9. Norths 0
10. Sunshine Coast 0

Round 3 Fixtures:

Norths v Brothers, Hugh Courtney Oval 1500
Gold Coast v Wests, Pizzy Park 1500
Souths v Uni, Chipsy Wood Oval 1500
Sunnybank v GPS, Old Mac Oval 1500
Sunshine Coast v Easts, Stockland Park 1500

Sydney Premier Rugby

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Round 4 Results:

Parramatta 22 v 18 Warringah
West Harbour 25 v 23 Penrith
Manly 28 v 15 Northern Suburbs
Randwick 24 v 40 Southern Districts
Gordon 25 v 27 Sydney University
Review by Country Kid

Uni 27 Gordon 25.

Uni half-back scores in the corner right on full time to make it 25-all. Great sideline conversion gets a win for Uni.

Poor decision making by Gordon in the last 10 minutes cost them the game. With a less than two minutes on the clock, the Gordon no. 10 had plenty of time and space to kick long and relieve pressure. He opted against this sensible play. He ran at the line with no close support – was isolated and was rightly penalised This ‘gifted’ an opportunity for Uni to attack in side the 22 – and they duly scored.

In the last 10 minutes, there were two or three other opportunities for Gordon to shift the play into Uni territory – but dropped ball, ineffectual kicks, or poor kick chase by Gordon presented Uni with territory and possession, so it was more a case of Gordon losing the game with errors rather than Uni overpowering them.

Eastwood 18 v 48 Eastern Suburbs

Ladder:

1. Manly 18
2. Southern Districts 17
3. Sydney University 16
4. Eastwood 14
5. Eastern Suburbs 14
6. Parramatta 13
7. Gordon 11
8. Northern Suburbs 7
9. Warringah 7
10. West Harbour 6
11. Randwick 2
12. Penrith 1

Round 4 Fixtures:

Warringah v West Harbour, Pittwater Rugby Park 3:00pm
Penrith v Manly, Nepean Rugby Park 3:00pm
Northern Suburbs v Randwick, North Sydney Oval 3:00pm
Southern Districts v Sydney University, Forshaw Rugby Park 3:00pm
Eastern Suburbs v Parramatta, Woollahra Oval 3:00pm
Eastwood v Gordon, T. G. Millner Field 3:00pm

ACT & Southern NSW Premier Division

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Round 5 Results:

Royals 22 v Queanbeyan 29
Easts 19 v Tuggeranong 46
Review by Empire

Certainly not what you’d want, but East’s 1st XV played competitively against the Vikings although losing 46-19 – not the whitewash some were predicting.

East’s pack was strong, but the backs defensively struggled at some times – it’s a relatively young backline and will only get better. Majority of the boys are local, so hopefully these are combinations that can develop over the next couple of years.

Uni-Norths 18 v Wests 25
Gungahlin Bye

Ladder:

1. Tuggeranong 24
2. Wests 20
3. Uni-Norths 20
4. Royals 13
5. Gungahlin 13
6. Queanbeyan 10
7. Easts 4

Round 6 Fixtures:

Gungahlin v Easts, Nicholls Oval 3.05pm
Uni-Norths v Queanbeyan, ANU North / Field 1 3.05pm
Wests v Royals, Jamison Oval 3.15pm
Tuggeranong Bye

VRU Dewar Shield

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Round 4 Results:

Boroondara 13 V Melbourne 38
Harlequin 12 V Endeavour Hills 18
Footscray 14 V Power House 16
Moorabbin 27 V Box Hill 10
Melb Uni 12 V Southern Districts 19

Ladder:

1st Melbourne 20
2nd Sth Districts 16
3rd Moorabbin 15
4th Power House 10
5th Footscray 9
6th Endeavour Hills 8
7th Harlequin 7
8th Box Hill 5
9th Melbourne Uni 4
10th Boroondara 0

Round 5 Fixtures:

Power House v Box Hill, Power House Senior3:10
Sth Districts v Endeavour Hills, Southern Districts 3:10
Boroondara v Footscray, Boroondara 3:10
Harlequin v Melbourne Uni, Harlequin 3:10
Melbourne v Moorabbin, Melbourne 3:10

WA Premier Grade

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Round 3 Results:

Associates 13 v Nedlands 22
Cottesloe 25 v Kalamunda 12
Wests Subiaco 27 v Perth Bayswater 21
UWA 36 v Rockingham 7
Wanneroo 12 v Palmyra 20

Ladder:

1. Nedlands 13
2. Wests Subiaco 10
3. Wanneroo 10
4. UWA 9
5. Cottesloe 9
6. Palmyra 8
7. Perth Bayswater 7
8. Associates 6
9. Rockingham 1
10. Kalamunda 0

Round 4 Fixtures:

Associates v Rockingham, Allen Park, Swanbourne 15:30
Wests Subiaco v UWA, Rosalie Park, Subiaco 15:30
Palmyra v Nedlands, Tompkins Park, Alfred Cove 15:30
Kalamunda v Wanneroo, Hartfield Park, Forrestfield 15:30
Perth Bayswater v Cottesloe, Pat O’Hara Reserve, Morley 15:30