Another round, another week closer to the finals. In Brisbane, Brothers, Easts and University are jostling for the minor premiership; in Sydney Eastwood sit immovable atop the table while Sydney Uni’s challenge gains irresistible momentum; in Canberra, Wests, Tuggeranong and Gungahlin are booked for the play-offs. Just for the record, I tipped the winner in 13 of the 14 matches played last Saturday.
Queensland Premier Rugby
Round 14 Results:
GPS 13 def. Sunshine Coast 6
Norths 29 def. Wests 26
Brothers 47 def. Gold Coast 6
University 39 def. Sunnybank 18
Easts 22 def. Souths 0
Report unavailable.
Ladder:
Brothers 60
Easts 55
University 53
GPS 48
Sunnybank 46
Sunshine Coast 20
Wests* 19
Norths 19
Gold Coast 18
Souths* 16
*game in hand
Round 15 Fixtures:
Brothers v. Sunnybank at Jack Ross Oval, Saturday 3:00pm
Easts v. GPS at Bottomley Park, Saturday 3:00pm
Norths v. Gold Coast at Hugh Courtney Oval, Saturday 3:00pm
Sunshine Coast v University at Noosa RC, Saturday 3:15pm
Wests v. Souths at Sylvan Road, Saturday 3:00pm
Team lists
Preview unavailable.
Sydney Premier Rugby
Round 18 Results:
Manly 85 def. Penrith 7
Sydney Uni 52 def. Souths 20
Randwick 21 def. Norths 13
Easts 47 def. Parramatta15
Eastwood 61 def. Gordon 5
Warringah 44 def. West Harbour 17
By the time the leftover sausages had cooled on Saturday, Manly and Uni had locked in their finals places and the Beasties and Wicks were confirming their bookings. Half of the round’s matches produced cricket scores and I’d say that reflects that the season is really dragging for non-contenders like the Emus, who let the Marlins run in 13 tries (including four to JP du Plessis and three to Lui Siale). The Rebels stayed with the Students for the first half and then lost them in the second; Wallaby-watchers will be glad to hear that Berrick Barnes played well and kicked truly and Rob Horne looked strong and balanced in his second game. There wasn’t much to enjoy in the Wicks–Shoremen match and I thought Matt Giteau’s contribution was somewhat overstated in reports. Easts went west and ran the show from the outset against the Two Blues, while the Woodies just obliterated the Highlanders, with skipper Hugh Perrett bagging three of their nine tries. That evening the Rats ran up both the power bill and a good score against the Pirates, doing them by six tries to three and nearly catching them on the table in the process.
Ladder:
Eastwood 81
Manly 66
Sydney Uni 64
Easts 59
Randwick 57
Norths 52
Souths 42
Gordon 36
West Harbour 32
Warringah 30
Parramatta 26
Penrith 19
Round 19 Fixtures:
Penrith v. Warringah at Nepean Rugby Park, Saturday 3:00pm
West Harbour v. Parramatta at Concord Oval, Saturday 3:00pm
Norths v. Manly at North Sydney Oval, Saturday 3:00pm
Souths v. Randwick at Forshaw Rugby Park, Saturday 3:00pm
Sydney University v. Gordon at University Oval No. 1, Saturday 3:00pm
Eastern Suburbs v. Eastwood at Woollahra Oval, Saturday 3:00pm
Team lists
The Rats, who are now quite comfortable exterminating visitors under lights at home, need to show the same resolve when they head westward in daylight. The Emus always dig in hard at home but I suspect the long season has taken a toll on the club. Lately the Pirates have been up and down like a bride’s nightie, as they used to say in the days when brides saved themselves for their wedding nights, and I see them bouncing back against the Two Blues whose recovery season is running on for about a month longer than they’d like. If Norths want to play finals footy they should start doing it right now (I’ve been saying that since Round 10, I think); the Marlins have form and a finalists’ mindset on their side and should prevail. The Rebels present a genuine danger to the Wicks and this should be a really good match, with two hardened packs going at it and Giteau and Horne out in the backlines among plenty more talent; Wicks to win it. I can’t see the Highlanders presenting much a problem to the Students and that leaves the Beasts and the Woods — ABC1’s televised match — to provide the round’s other highlight. Woodies are just brutally resolute at the moment and should have control from the kick-off, but there won’t be a cricket score on the board.
ACT & Southern NSW Premier Division
Round 17 Results:
Uni-Norths 34 def. Easts 7
Tuggeranong 44 def. Gungahlin 12
Wests 44 def. Queanbeyan 19
Yay Owls. Not just a win but some actual try-scoring form, with the midfield reportedly right on top of their game. And the Vikings powered on, dishing the Eagles with surprising ease and in the process just spoiling my tri-cities tip sheet. The Whites were never in it against the Lions and their finals ambitions are looking shaky.
Ladder:
Wests* 68
Tuggeranong* 67
Gungahlin* 61
Queanbeyan 45
Royals* 45
Uni-Norths* 35
Easts 21
*game in hand
Round 18 Fixtures:
Uni-Norths v. Gungahlin at ANU North Field 1, Saturday 3:05pm
Wests v. Tuggeranong at Jamison Oval, Saturday 3:15pm
Queanbeyan v. Royals at Campese Field, Saturday 3:05pm
(Easts bye)
Team lists
Just want to mention that the ladder looks about as good as you could hope for a seven-team comp in the fifth month of home and away, and now the draw tosses up 1 v 2 and 4 v 5! I’m tipping the Owls to win at home against the Eagles, because I think they have some good combinations in the forwards and backs, while on the other side Coach Finegan has had to make some changes in both departments after last week’s loss. Lions and Vikings… both in form, both coming off dominant wins… the Lions like being at home but the Vikings caned them at the last meeting… I’ll tip the Vikings just because they’re unbeaten since April. It was the Royal Blues who came closest to breaking that winning streak a few weeks ago; now they’re coming off the bye to visit the vulnerable Whites and I think they’re up for the job.
