Back-rower Sione Tau takes on the Sydney Uni defence in Eastwood’s hard-fought 34-13 win over the defending champions – Photo: seiserphotography.com

by Brendan Bradford –

Eastwood is a club that seems to thrive under pressure.

Playing with 14 men for a quarter of the game against a Super Rugby laden Sydney University, the Woods withstood a mountain of first half pressure to lead 10-7 at halftime before storming home to win 34-13 at University Oval on Saturday. As it was in Super Rugby earlier in the day, this was a blockbuster match between the two most recent champions, and as happened in Hamilton, the 2011 winners notched up a bonus point win over the more recent victors. While the result surprised many, it is Eastwood’s sixth straight win over the Students dating back to 2010.

“We’re battlers and today we really aimed up,” said Eastwood coach John Manenti.

“We didn’t have any ball in the first half and our discipline let us down which kept them in our 22. All we did was defend and in fairness I thought we did a great job with that. I thought we looked really good when we got the ball and if we just improved on the things that let us down last week, I knew the scoreboard would take care of itself today.”

Uni coach Chris Malone said his side needs to improve on several areas of their game, but was confident things will click as the season wears on.

Despite a first half yellow card, Mitch Lees was a standout for Eastwood on Saturday afternoon
Photo: seiserphotography.com

“There’s a lot of inconsistency in our game and a lot of things that didn’t go right for us and we probably paid by not putting some pressure on them on the scoreboard when we had some dominance in the first half,” he said.

“It’s early in the season and we’ve got some young guys in key positions that we just need to keep developing. It’s going to be a gradual process but I’m certainly not getting too carried away with it.”

Eastwood stormed out of the gates, notching a penalty to Jimmy Hilgendorf after two minutes and a try to inside-centre Tyler Spitz shortly after. With the help of a couple of early penalties, Eastwood had amassed a 10-0 lead before the Students had even touched the ball.

Uni dominated the rest of the first half though, gaining an upper hand at the set-piece, winning a lineout against the throw and pressuring the Eastwood pack at scrumtime. With the Students camped in their 22, the burden on the gritty Eastwood defence gradually began to show as they gave away a succession of penalties which Uni kicked for touch.

Only a tremendous defensive effort on their own try line – coupled with some legal and not so legal slowing of the ball – kept Uni out, and it seemed the floodgates would open when Hugh Perrett was sent to the sinbin for repeated breakdown infringements. But the yellow card only spurred the visitors into a more determined defence of their line. Front and centre of those efforts was lock Mitch Lees, who threw his body at anything that moved and was one of Eastwood’s best all afternoon despite being sent to the bin just before halftime.

Virtually living inside Eastwood’s 22 for large portions of the first half after declining numerous shots at goal in favour of attempting to ruck and maul over the line, it’s ironic that Uni’s first half try came from a 50-metre Michael Hodge runaway after the Woodies dropped the ball in midfield.

The 10-7 halftime score didn’t reflect the weight of possession and territory Uni won in the first half and the writing was on the wall for Eastwood if they couldn’t retain the ball and cut down the penalties. But, as Manenti said afterwards, rugby’s a funny game…

Uni started the second half as fast as Eastwood started the first and quickly added two penalties for a 13-10 lead. Unfortunately for the Students, that was as good as it got.

Perhaps spurred on by their opponents’ reversion to kicking penalties, a return to 15 men on the pitch or the introduction of Lachie Turner from the bench, Eastwood kicked into overdrive in the closing half an hour and put Uni to the sword.

Not even Uni’s giant second-rower Will Skelton (L) or former Rabbitohs star Fetuli Talanoa (R) could breach the resolute Eastwood defence – Photo: seiserphotography.com

The first try to Marty Plokstys was something to behold. Battling out of their own half, Eastwood kept the ball alive with offloads and fast cleanouts before the hard-working prop barrelled under the posts and restored their lead.

After a similar build-up just a couple of minutes later, Turner dotted down in the left corner with one of his first touches for a 22-13 advantage and when winger Nick Reily pounced on a Uni dropped ball and sped down the right touchline to score, the game was quickly slipping through the home-side’s grasps.

Those three tries in the space of eight or nine minutes won the game for Eastwood, but the foundations were laid far earlier in the match with their spirited and ferocious defence. Reily’s second try – a brilliant 50-metre solo effort for the highlights reel – put the result beyond doubt with ten minutes to play.

To their credit, Uni kept coming but in signs of early season rust, they were a little off the mark as passes went astray and timing was out. However, championships aren’t won in Round Two and with a little more game time, this Uni outfit will once again be a force to be reckoned with.

In a solid team performance, Mitch Lees and hard-hitting new recruit Sione Tau were standouts for Eastwood all afternoon. Their work-rate lifted the side in an incredibly intense defensive display that didn’t relent until the final whistle blew. Jimmy Hilgendorf led the side well from flyhalf in a measured performance while Ben Batger was a constant source of chatter and involvement at 15. Eastwood will be tough to defeat if they turn in performances like that every week.

Sydney University play Eastern Suburbs in the ABC Game next weekend while Eastwood host Randwick at T.G. Millner.

Eastwood 34 – (Nick Reily 2, Tyler Spitz, Marty Plokstys, Lachie Turner tries; Jimmy Hilgendorf 3 cons, pen) bt Sydney University 13 – (Michael Hodge try; Daniel Kelly con, 2 pens)