The Vikings have continued their unbeaten season with a comprehensive 76-16 win over the Sydney Stars in Canberra this evening.
After a slow start for the home side, they put their foot on the accelerator with Nigel Ah Wong snaring four tries in the dominant 11 tries to two win.
The Match
The Stars took it to their more fancied opponents in the opening minutes but blew their chance of opening the scoring with a knock on ruining that chance.
It only took the Vikings one chance in the opposition 22 before they scored the first try of the match with quick ball after a good run from James Dargaville in the lead up, saw Nigel Ah Wong go over for the opening try.
Soon after the Vikings had their second try of the game with hooker Robbie Abel rolling his way over from close range and Lealiifano’s simple conversion had the home side out to a 13-0 lead.
After that, the floodgates opened for the home side with two more tries in quick succession. Ita Vaea barged over from close range off the back of a scrum for the third before fullback Isaac Thompson finished off a backline move with Rodney Iona giving a brilliant final pass for Thompson.
Before the 30 minute mark the Vikings had all but sewn up the game with Vaea’s second of the game in a carbon copy of his first and then soon after Ah Wong had his second of the night after going over from close range with the nod from the TMO to make the score 42-0. Just before the break, the Stars went down a man with hooker Tom Coolican given a yellow card.
It was more of the same in the second half for the Vikings with James Dargaville getting on the try scorer sheet against his former side.
To the credit of the Stars, they kept trying and were rewarded for their effort with centre Jim Stewart making the most of an attacking chance to get the visitors on the board.
That seemed to give the Stars a spark as they started to muscle up in defence with some big hits on the Vikings but another yellow card, this time to Tolu Latu, halted any momentum they had.
The Vikings scrum had been dominant throughout the night and that dominance earnt a penalty try to put the Vikings over the 50 point mark.
Nigel Ah Wong had been having a fantastic game and had secured his hat trick with 20 minutes remaining but the Stars would score again after using their rolling maul effectively and Tom Carter got the Stars second try, but sadly there was no sign of the monkey cloud.
There was still more scoring from the Vikings, with Frankie Fanifo finding space down the wing and managed to get the ball away to Rodney Iona and with just minutes to go, Ah Wong completed the rout with his fourth try of the game to give the Vikings a comprehensive 60 point win.
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The Game Changer
The Stars looked good for the opening five minutes but then it was pretty much all downhill for them after that with the Vikings dominating for the rest of the game.
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The G&GR MOTM
In such a dominant display there were a few to choose from, Nigel Ah Wong gets the nod with 4 meat pies.
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Oz Baabaa Watch
Robbie Abel – One of few contracted players in the Vikings squad, led the Vikings scrum well and managed to cross for a try.
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The Details
Score & Scorers
[one_half last=”no”]VIKINGS 76
Tries: Ah Wong 4, Abel, Vaea 2, Thompson, Dargaville, Penalty try, Iona
Conversions: Lealiifano 6, Thompson
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[one_half last=”yes”]STARS 16
Tries: Stewart, Carter
Conversions: McGregor 2
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Cards
40 mins – Tom Coolican (Stars) – Yellow
53 mins – Tolu Latu (Stars) – Yellow
Crowd: 1,223
Photos by Ben Morris
