Wrapping up the weekend with some of the headlines from Round Six of Junior Reps and Round Two of the Jersey Flegg Cup.
Conti caps off unlikely Tigers victory
Facing a 10-point deficit and less than five minutes remaining in Saturday’s Round Six clash against Illawarra Steelers in the UNE Harold Matthews Cup, the Balmain Tigers looked to have run out of chances to come away with a win.
But there was some hope when prop Douglas Tuala crashed over for the Tigers before halfback-captain Alex Conti converted to trail at 28-24.
Then minutes later it was Conti’s moment of brilliance in the final moments that brought the visiting fans onto their feet. Catching a lofted pass from 10 metres out the No.7 stepped off his left towards the posts, sliced the defence with a grubber and won the race to score – touching down just shy of the dead-ball line. He had no problem converting to hand his side the 30-28 victory.
From the outset the contest was a seesawing affair, however, as the Tigers got out to a 12-nil lead in eight minutes with tries for winger Ilai Esau and hooker Jared Haywood.
That saw a near-immediate response from Illawarra when hooker Brodie Breakspear crossed in the 12th minute, followed by lock Daniel Meafou in the 16th.
Both sides went in for another try prior to halftime to bring the scores to 18-all, but the Steelers came out of the blocks for the second half with two more four-pointers – this time through centre Hayden Buchanan and No.22 Harry Middleton.
The Steelers held on to their four-point lead until the last five minutes of the of the match, which ultimately set the stage for a memorable Tigers win.
Click here for more UNE Harold Matthews Cup results.
Jersey Flegg Rabbitohs escape Penrith with one-point win
Like the corresponding NRL matchup on Thursday night, BlueBet Stadium was again the venue for Saturday’s enthralling clash between the Penrith Panthers and South Sydney Rabbitohs in Round Two of the Jersey Flegg Cup.
The contest was in the balance right until the final whistle as the visitors secured a 17-16 win, with no more than a Joseph Nohra field goal separating the two teams.
Panthers fullback Liam Ison opened the scoring, bagging his first try of the season in the 13th minute. Shortly after the Rabbitohs hit back through winger Carson Caho to trail 6-4.
Going back and forth again, Penrith extended their lead with a try for hooker Ryley Smith before South Sydney lock Jaxson Rahme kept the visitors in the contest, levelling the scores at 10-all.
Then came the shot at field goal by Rabbitohs halfback Nohra just over a minute from halftime, as a last-ditch attempt for an 11-10 lead at the break which would become a vital point in the end.
A 45th-minute try to South Sydney’s Deijion Leugaimafa made the task a little tougher for Penrith, with a late Cody Lawson four-pointer not enough to help the home side overcome the extra point deficit.
Click here for more Jersey Flegg Cup results.
Tarsha Gale Sharks jag crucial win over Eels
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks have kept their finals chances intact after a 22-16 win against Parramatta Eels in Round Six of the Harvey Norman Tarsha Gale Cup.
The match was very much a case of tries coming in bunches, with four in the first 17 minutes quickly followed by a scoreless half-hour.
Eels hooker Ashlee Pottinger scored first points for the blue and gold only two minutes into the game, before the Sharks replied in the eighth minute through winger Katalina Vavahea Faith Veikoso. Halfback Angie Tucker converted to go ahead by two.
Sharks prop Alena Pale Eli was next on the scoresheet just shy of the 15-minute mark, helping the visitors extend their lead to 10-4.
But Parramatta centre Caitlin Peadon had the last say before halftime with a try of her own. Alysha Bell, another Eels outside back, added the two points to even the ledger at 10 each going into the break.
It wasn’t until 16 minutes into the second half when the hosts broke the deadlock, as front-rower Liaina Dimech barged over from close range.
Entering the final 10 minutes of play, replacement player Zoe Topham crossed for the Sharks – their first points since the 14th minute – before five-eighth Olivia Herman made it 16-all from the tee.
Then to seal the win, a matter of minutes from full-time, Veikoso went in for her second try to put the Sharks back in front. Herman added the final touches with a successful conversion.
Click here for more Harvey Norman Tarsha Gale Cup results.
Click here for UNE SG Ball Cup results.
