Souths Magpies extended their winning streak to three and wrested the Caxton Cup from the City Finance Gold Coast Breakers with a 24-19 victory at Albert Park in Round 13 of Queensland Premier Rugby.
The visitors were boosted by the late inclusion of six QR Reds players while the Coast was without Reds prop Ben Daley, Australia Under 20 reps James Slipper and Ben Tapuai and mercurial play-maker Billy Ngawini.
The Breakers forwards matched it with Souths in a sometimes spiteful clash, but it was the imposing Magpies backline which did most of the damage.
Souths centre pairing of Anthony Faingaa and Albert Vulivuli was an absolute handful for the duration.
The Breakers had their own chances late in the match but couldn’t find the big play under pressure.
Paula Kaho was outstanding for the visitors; dragging defenders with him when he ran, stinging them when he hit and scoring a crucial try late in the first-half.
Souths finished with four tries for the match to the Breakers' two, with Vitori Toma-Buatava keeping the home side in the contest with three second half penalty goals.
Souths scored first and played from in front but were never totally in control with the Breakers stretching them at every opportunity.
Wilisoni Tilagucaguca scored in the opening minutes on the end of a slick back-line move which featured Reds and Wallaby centre Quade Cooper's involvement from fullback, but the home side hit back quickly, as was the pattern of the game.
Nathan Eyres-Brown scooted down the right wing and flung a miracle ball back inside for Andrew Hollis to clean up and level the scores at 5-all after just 15 minutes.
Souths' opening try was all about precision, but the second showcased their power. Vulivuli charged straight over his opposite number and put Michael Zovko away to regain the lead.
With five minutes until half-time Toma-Buatava got quick ball from a scrum and put a floating banana kick across field, the ball landing on the chest of Eyres-Brown who fended-off Cooper on his way to the line.
But the Breakers turned over possession soon after the kick-off before Kaho broke from the back of a scrum to charge 20 metres and hand his side a 17-10 half-time lead.
Gold Coast opened the second half with another penalty goal, but their plan to catch up in threes was thwarted when they fumbled the restart and let the visitors in for their fourth try.
Again it was the power of Souths' outside backs that proved decisive, this time Zovko found a rampaging Vulivuli who ran 30 metres and carried two players over the line to go ahead 24-13.
With the game slipping away the home side tightened their defence, Hollis made one of the plays of the match when he ran down Souths winger Kelemidi Vosuqa who looked certain to score.
Toma-Buatava slotted two more penalty goals but the Breakers just couldn’t find the try-line to give them the five-pointer they needed.
Souths took a valuable bonus point from the game to join Brothers on top of the Queensland Premier Rugby ladder. Gold Coast slipped out of the top four, although they have a game in hand.
Souths 24 (P Kaho, M Zouko, W Tilagucaguca, A Vulivuli tries, K Vosuoa 2 cons) bt Gold Coast 19 (N Eyres-Brown, A Hollis tries, V Buatava 3 pens)
Match report by Matt Blomberg
Sunday, 28 June 2009
The Breakers Premier Colts were defeted 17 to 12 as Souths scored a length of the field try on full time to snatch the win from a derserving Breakers team.
The Breakers took the game up to the top of the table Souths team for 69 minutes and even the Souths camp admitted the better team lost.
Steve Finigan and Andrew Barnes scored tries for the Breakers while Marcus Watson kicked a conversion.
Souths Magpies extended their winning streak to three and wrested the Caxton Cup from the City Finance Gold Coast Breakers with a 24-19 victory at Albert Park in Round 13 of Queensland Premier Rugby.
