ReportIn a round 17 IDRU Builders Club Premiership match of contrasts at Vikings Oval on Saturday, University held out a hard finishing Vikings side to win 31 – 24. With the sides locked at 12 - 12 at half-time the match was in the balance. The Bulls came out after the break and lifted the tempo of the game showing more intensity than the Blueys scoring three tries to put the game out of Vikings reach by the seventy minute mark. Vikings lifted late to salvage two important bonus points from the match with two late tries.
The match was four minutes old when
Jason Hughes posted first points for Uni after a well-constructed phone number list driving maul took the Bulls into the Vikings in goal. The try was converted by Rapine Mason for Uni to lead 7 – 0. With both sides willing to play running rugby the healthy crowd was entertained with an evenly balanced contest with Vikings next to score in the twenty fifth minute. Wingman Ryan Anderson finished off several phases of controlled play by the Blueys to score wide out on the right. The try went unconverted and Vikings trailed by two.
Ten minutes later University, after putting together some consistent attack, produced a smart backline play which resulted in Tyler Aitkin touching down in the corner. Uni out to a 12 – 5 lead.
In the shadows of half-time a gift intercept to Caleb Rae saw the Vikings center run fifty meters to score under the posts with Michael Maidment’s conversion locking the match up 12 all at half-time.
After the break Vikings failed to go with
Bulls as their forward pack lead by Jason Hughes found some of the form and effort required to be a force at this stage of the year. It was Chris Miller joining in from the back who posted the first of the Bulls three second half tries. The diminutive fullback showed plenty of pace as he swerved his way to the Vikings line. With the Bulls pack dominating at the scrum and powering forward at the break down center Jake Gardner surged onto to a pass from scrumhalf Alex Simms to power over for the second. Converted by Don Nepia, the Bulls were out to 24 – 12.
The last Uni try came with Miller again showing his electric pace to cheekily post a try in the blind side corner off a scrum at close range. With a side line conversion from Nepia raising the flags the Bulls were comfortable leaders at 31 – 12.
A string of penalties to Vikings and with Uni clearing their bench Vikings could sense a bonus point opportunity and responded with two late tries. With Simon Watts prominent they made space wide on the right for replacement George Rixon to find his way to the line. Three minutes later with the final whistle seconds away, one of their best front rower Joel Diggins barged his way over to register try number four and with Michael Ashby converting, the Blueys managed to secure two important bonus points.
Bulls coach Sean
McCready will be looking for a more consistent eighty minute effort from his side in two weeks time against the Wombats in the Major Semi-Final at Camden. Jason Hughes, Rapine Mason and Chris Miller were outstanding for the Bulls.
Vikings can now claim a slight edge on next week’s opponent Kiama in the race for a berth in the Minor semi-Final against Camden at Vikings Oval in two weeks. Simon Watts was prominent once again for the Blueys with Joel Diggins and Troy Tomkin strong in the forwards and Andrew Barrett’s return from injury most welcomed.
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