New South Wales Rugby

Top two go down as Easts, Warringah deliver upsets

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Saturday, 19 July 2008
NSWRU Media Unit

Easts scored a bonus point victory to hand the Students their second defeat of the season, while Gordon missed an opportunity to go to the top of the table after their two-point loss to Warringah.

Eastwood had a big victory over Penrith but failed to move into the top six due to Easts and Warringah's victories.

Randwick's big guns were too much for a Timana Tahu-inspired West Harbour at Coogee, Norths defeated Southern Districts at Forshaw, while Parramatta and Manly played out a 22-all draw.

GORDON V WARRINGAH at Chatswood Oval
With Super 14 stars Brett Sheehan, Beau Robinson, Mark Gerrard and Salesi Ma'afu all returning for Warringah, the Rats showed a new resolve to hold on for a 20-18 victory over Gordon at Chatswood Oval.

The Highlanders led at half-time, however Warringah scored two important tries midway through the second half to set the platform for victory.

The opening quarter of the match saw both sides enjoy periods of dominance, however points were not forthcoming.

On the back of Gordon flyhalf Dave Harvey and Warringah fullback Mark Gerrard's raking boots, both sides were able to get themselves out of trouble with the hard Chatswood Oval surface seeing some huge kicks.

While both sides went close, errors close to the line cost them points and it wasn't until the 21st minute when first points came through a Mark Gerrard penalty.

However Gordon hit back within 30 seconds when Viliame Ratu tapped back the kick-off into the hands of Craig Thomas who ran 25 metres to score.

Harvey's conversion attempt went wide but Gordon held a 5-3 lead with 17 minutes remaining in the first half.

Gerrard had the chance to retake the lead for Warringah in the 27th minute with a 40m penalty attempt however the kick went well wide.

Gordon's counterattacking twice reaped rewards after Warringah squandered field position with the Highlanders sending the ball downfield, and when Beau Robinson broke early from a scrum in front of his own posts, Harvey slotted a penalty to extend the lead to 8-3.

Warringah then almost produced a try from their own kick-off, and when Gordon centre Billy Rainima was shown a yellow card for a high tackle, the Rats had a one-man advantage six minutes from half-time.

That advantage resulted in a try to Ed Doyle in the 36th minute which began with a Mark Gerrard counterattack on half-way and great hands from almost half of the Warringah side.

Gerrard's sideline conversion attempt went wide leaving the scores locked up, however a Dave Harvey drop goal after the bell gave the Highlanders an 11-8 advantage at the break.

The second half began much like the first, with defence dominating spirited attacks from both teams.

Warringah's most dangerous foray resulted in a penalty in front of the posts in the twelfth minute, however the Rats declined the opportunity to tie up the game.

The decision proved a masterstroke when after a lineout, a free kick and some quick hands to the left, Salesi Ma'afu dived over in the corner.

Brett Sheehan took over kicking duties however the third conversion attempt of the day went wide leaving Warringah with a 13-11 lead in the 56th minute.

Gordon started to get more width into their attack with the competition's equal leading tryscorer Sisa Waqa starting to look dangerous.

However a penalty again gave Warringah good field position, and when the Rats kept it in tight from a five metre lineout, Western Force squad member Scott Fardy burrowed over within millimetres from where Ma'afu scored.

Sheehan this time bounced it in off the left upright to give Warringah a 20-11 advantage with 13 minutes remaining.

With six minutes remaining Willie Bishop took an intercept and the ensuing Rats attack looked like they may be able to source a bonus point victory, however within a flash the ball was in the hands of Waqa who streaked away from inside his own half to score under the posts and it was a two-point game.

Gordon had two good attacking opportunities in the final five minutes, however twice play broke down and the Rats had delivered a huge upset to win 20-18.

The win moves Warringah to within a point of fourth place, while Gordon will be ruing a missed opportunity to go on top of the table given Uni's loss to Easts.
Warringah 20 (Ed Doyle, Salesi Ma'afu, Scott Fardy tries; Brett Sheehan con, Mark Gerrard pen) d Gordon 18 (Craig Thomas, Sisa Waqa tries; Dave Harvey con, pen, drop) at Chatswood Oval. Half-time: Gordon 11-8. Referee: Ian Smith.

EASTERN SUBURBS V SYDNEY UNIVERSITY Woollahra Oval
On a day where the 200th match between these two sides was celebrated in grand style at Woollahra Oval, Eastern Suburbs pulled off a huge upset to hand Sydney University a 27-18 defeat.

Despite the Students boasting Wallabies Dan Vickerman and Dean Mumm in the pack, Easts continued their charge towards the finals with a victory built on the back of a huge first half.

The Beasts, decked out in a commemorative black jersey, scored all of their 27 points in the first half, with 2007 Catchpole Medallist Gavin Debartolo scoring two tries on the way to a 17-point haul.

Trailing by 19 points at the break, Daniel Halangahu did his best to close the gap scoring all of the Students' points, however it could not stop Sydney University suffering their second defeat of the season.
Eastern Suburbs 27 (Gavin Debartolo 2, Clyde Rathbone, Tom Azar tries; Gavin Debartolo 2 cons, pen) d Sydney University 18 (Daniel Halangahu 2 tries; Daniel Halangahu 2 pens, con) at Woollahra Oval. Half-time: Eastern Suburbs 27-8. Referee: Nathan Pearce

RANDWICK V WEST HARBOUR at Coogee Oval
Randwick has taken a step closer to the top two teams in the competition with a big victory over fourth-placed West Harbour at Coogee Oval.

While Timana Tahu scored a try in his first appearance for the Pirates, it was the man who will join him in the Waratahs squad next year who made the biggest difference.

Ratu Nasiganiyavi scored four tries for the Galloping Greens, bringing his season tally to 18 in just nine appearances.

He also proved he is not all power, slotting two conversions and a penalty to record a 27-point haul.

The win moves Randwick to within four points of Gordon, while West Harbour now has just a one-point advantage over Warringah and Eastern Suburbs on the table.
Randwick 63 (Ratu Nasiganiyavi 4, Sekope Kepu, Metui Maile, David Batiratu, Francis Fainifo, Ben Mowen, Tony Luxford tries; Danny Kroll 3 cons, Ratu Nasiganiyavi 2 cons, pen) d West Harbour 23 (Timana Tahu, Lester Salanoa, Dan Thomas tries; Nick Reily 2 cons, Ben Martin con, pen) at Coogee Oval. Half-time: Randwick 15-3. Referee: Damien Mitchelmore

PENRITH V EASTWOOD at T.G. Millner Field
Eastwood has scored the most points in any match this year to record the biggest victory of the season against Penrith at T.G. Millner Field.

With Wallaby Lachie Turner returning to the Woods to score 25 points from a try and ten conversions, Eastwood never looked back from their 54-0 half-time lead in their 85-17 victory.

Junior Waratah flanker Ben Coridas and Brumbies scrumhalf Josh Holmes each scored two tries for Eastwood, with all but one of their backs crossing the stripe.

While the win was a great one for Eastwood, they remain in seventh place due to the victories by Eastern Suburbs and Warringah over their more fancied opponents.
Eastwood 85 (Ben Coridas 2, Josh Holmes 2, Damien Fitzpatrick, Phil Mathers, Hugh Perrett, Gareth Palamo, Filipo Toala, Tim Corcoran, Rowan Kellam, Lachie Turner, John Grant tries; Lachie Turner 10 cons) d Penrith 17 (Shem Evans, Solomona Fainifo, Mike Paulo tries; Jeremy Su'a con) at T.G. Millner Field. Half-time: Eastwood 54-0. Referee: James Scholtens

SOUTHERN DISTRICTS V NORTHERN SUBURBS at Forshaw Rugby Park
Northern Suburbs has handed Southern Districts its 14th straight defeat with a 41-12 victory at Forshaw Rugby Park.

The Rebels were well in the game at half-time trailing 14-7, however the Shoremen ran in four second half-tries to deal the bonus point win.

Junior Waratah Andrew Smith scored a double for Norths, while Sam Norton-Knight also crossed in his first match in the red and black this year.
Northern Suburbs 41 (Andrew Smith 2, Penalty try, Ben Alexander, Jason Peseta, Sam Norton-Knight tries; Chris Burnett 4 cons, pen) d Southern Districts 12 (Craig Richards, Luke Milton tries; Michael Black con) at Forshaw Rugby Park. Half-time: Northern Suburbs 14-7. Referee: George Ayoub

PARRAMATTA V MANLY at Two Blues Park
Parramatta has dealt Manly's slim semifinal hopes a blow by holding the Marlins to a 22-all draw at Two Blues Park.

With recent form saying the Marlins would go into this match as hot favourites, only three points separated the pair on the table and Parramatta were keen to keep their season going as well.

The Two Blues came out firing in the first half and held an eight-point advantage at the break.

However the Marlins came back with three second half tries to earn a draw, with errant goal-kicking proving costly.

Manly come out of the game with three competition points from scoring four tries, however will be ruing two more points possibly left on the field at Granville.
Parramatta 22 (Andrew Cox, Steve Mafi, Tito Mua tries; Aaron Mattin 2 cons, pen) Manly 22 (Josh Gamgee, Luke Johnson, Adam D'Arcy, Matt Hopper tries; Adam D'Arcy con) at Two Blues Park. Half-time: Parramatta 14-5. Referee: Stuart Dickinson.

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