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Here is the winners are grinner's version of events.
Doesn't quite match with what I was hearing unfold over the phone but will leave that for those who where at the ground to comment on when they return:
Vikings upstage Spirit:
17/08/07, ARU
The Canberra Vikings have notched their first win of the Mazda Australia Rugby Championship with a convincing 17-8 victory over the highly-credentialed Perth Spirit at Members Equity Stadium on Friday night.
After a try-less first half, the visitors broke the game apart after the break, with tries to outside centre Matt Carraro and flyhalf Christian Lealiifano sealing the impressive win in front of 5111 fans.
Spirit winger Ratu Siganiyavi gave the home side a consolation try in the dying minutes but it was Canberra who were the more efficient on the night and took their chances.
The Vikings, eager to atone for their 32-27 loss to the Melbourne Rebels last week, dominated possession in the opening 30 minutes but failed to convert their ascendancy into points, with both sides restricted to a single penalty goal in the first half.
Canberra drew first blood through a Carraro penalty in the fifth minute as Perth felt the pinch early.
Spirit prop Pek Cowan was stretchered off and required an oxygen mask in the seventh minute after suffering ligament damage in his right ankle in a heavy collision with Vikings number eight Jone Tawake.
Cameron Shepherd tied the scores at three apiece after 14 minutes with a tough penalty goal from the touchline, and was forced to make a try-saving tackle shortly after as Canberra launched its assault.
But Perth held firm, and when Canberra's Jack Vanderglas was sent to the sin-bin for back-chat in the 31st minute, the Spirit dominated the remainder of the half.
Vikings Hooker Saia Faingaa limped off in the 33rd minute as Perth continued to surge, with winger Nick Cummins bundled into touch just metres from the try line by some resilient Canberra defence, leaving the scores tied at 3-3 at the break.
Carraro broke the deadlock eight minutes after the restart when the Vikings cut through Perth's defences and the outside centre found himself on the end of the move and crossed untouched.
Carraro nailed the conversion as Canberra sprinted out to a 10-3 lead.
Shepherd had two penalty attempts to close the gap but missed both kicks as Perth started to wrest back control.
However, against the run of play Lealiifano sealed the win when he intercepted a wayward Spirit pass and sprinted 45m to cross for the five-pointer, with Carraro's conversion making it 17-3 in the 63rd minute.
With their backs against the wall the home side launched a spirited attack in a bid to claw back the deficit, and a clever dribble kick from stand-in captain Scott Fava sent substitute Ratu Siganiyavi over the line in the 79th minute.
But it was too little, too late for the Spirit, with the Vikings celebrating a deserved victory one minute later and Vanderglas named man of the match.
Canberra Vikings 17
Tries: Carraro, Lealiifano 1
Conversions: Carraro 2/2
Penalties: Carraro 1/2
Perth Spirit 8
Tries: Ratu Siganiyavi 1
Conversions: Nil
Penalties: Shepherd 1/4![]()
Crowd: 5111@Members Equity Stadium, Perth.![]()
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
it was a good game but vikings played alot better and they deserved the win. the handling skills wernt to good and they kept losing possesion from it.
henjak was a big loss for the spirit. good luck next time.
dropped ball & turnovers by the Spirit from start to finish
good defence by the Vikings though
WAAAHHHHHH!!!!![]()
Success is not final, failure is not fatal:
it is the courage to continue that counts.
- Winston Churchill
yeah the defence from the vikings was top notch.
If I had a dollar for every dropped ball I would be a very rich woman.![]()
Disappointing stuff from the Spirit I think. A step backwards from last week for sure.
But a good crowd turnout. 5111not bad at all
I made Happy sad...
excellent defence from the Vikings tho.....
we just didnt seem to click tonight....hope we go better next week in Sydney....will be a damm waste of a trip if we dont....thanks to Burgs for the typing skills of my rambling commentary...![]()
A very stop start game. The main thing I noticed was that the boys are not quite there yet with the "new" ruck. But then again neither was the referee. I reckon the The Spirit turned the ball over more than 50% when taking the ball into contact. BUT I saw 4 definates when Canberra players "won" those turnovers when they weren't on their feet. I won't even mention that the tacklers are still supposed to roll away. AND I'm only citing instances where I could see clearly.
Still you play to the ref and our boys need to get a handle on the new rules FAST. Particularly taking the short arm penalties quickly. Canberra made great inroads that way whereas our boys were dawdling around as if they'd been given a penalty.
All in all not a great advertisement for the ELV's but I'm still optomistic about them.
MES is gonna make Subi seem even worse. Also if you complain loud enough about Hahn Light and tell 'em your gonna complain in writing this time, they soon find some real beer in the cheap seats. They also give you a couple of freebies as a sweetener
PS Burgs you'll be pleased to know that Dan Bailey didn't look at all out of place.
well done Shatsa.....you will be named the beer pioneer......![]()
Thanks shasta, I think Bails is still floating around here too so he will be chuffed I'm sureOriginally Posted by shasta
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"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
Thought Sheps was off his game tonight. Mightily dissapointed with his boot but even more so by his lack of speed. He just wasn't running!
Really pleased with Stannard....thought he played absolutely brilliantly and handled the pressure really well. I think they missed Henners stability and direction...not quite sure where Fava was on that front.
Also though Cummins show some impressive form and wished he could have got over the line.
Thank god someone finally passed the ball to Ratu! If i had to watch that hand up one more time...hehe...
Again though we just died in the second half...though seriously...the ref...man...i hope no one saw him walking to his car afterwards cos i can't imagine him featuring in the next home game if they did...
Best call i heard of the night goes to someone in front of me who asked the ref where he'd put his viking helmet![]()
"Remember lads, rugby is a team game; all 14 of you make sure you pass the ball to Giteau."
Don't know what anyone else thought, but Sheps looked a bit sore to me...he didn't seem to be moving as freely as he ought to be....Mum wanted him to come off so that "Jonah-look-a-like" could come onOriginally Posted by Jehna
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Bit disappointed with Sheps set kicking, doesn't seem to be kicking the same since his knee injury, maybe they should've given Daruda a crack?
I agree that Cummins was impressive...he definitely has got the goods!!
Loved Pelesasa's grubber kick in to the corner and Ratu's swan dive for the try...looked good but was just a case of too little too late by the Spirit.
All in all, just too many handling errors and turnovers by the Vikings...the Spirit just struggled to finish things off last night and hopefully they can turn themselves around for the remainder of the competition![]()
Yeah sheps was limping for a while and then just never seemed to get his pace back for the rest of the match. Think that might have affected his kicking too which was a bit off.
I'm so stoked the big fella got that late try! Makes up for his lack of ball last week. Ratu is the new Lomu.![]()
I made Happy sad...
Yea - wish I had been at the Game - good to hear Dan Bailey had a good one too.
Cheers
Bails
(Dan's Dad!)
I saw all you guys in the grandstand by the way.![]()
Borrowed OMC's binoculars and did some old fashioned spying and found coach first which led to the discovery of everyone else.
Looking very sharp coach!
I made Happy sad...
i noticed after his try, Ratu was limping.Even well after the game he was hobbling around.Hope he hasn't done his ankle again, which put him out of the club comp for the best part of the season.