Round 10 saw University of Queensland prove far too studious for the defending champions, while Norths pulled off a second half comeback against Sunnybank.

Easts clawed their way back to draw with Wests, and Brothers ground out a win against Souths to increase the margin at the top of the table.

University of Queensland 40-31 Bond University

University of Queensland came out on top in the battle of the Students, closing it out with three consecutive tries in the second half to secure a much-needed win at home.

Sustained pressure from the visitors saw them cross first through hooker Nik Mitchell, before Reece Tapine forced his way over from in close to level the scores.

And the Red Heavies added to their tally almost immediately after play restarted, when Lachlan Sperling broke away from his own 22 to set up Tiarnan Neville to cut through the edge a few phases later.

Then Willy Rua barged his way over just before the break to add Bond’s second, with it locked up at 12-all and anyone’s game to take.

Both sides traded blows early in the second 40, as tries to Kobe Walters and Chris Humphris for the Bull Sharks were matched by Flynn McDermott and Navi Tiko for the home side.

But UQ rode the wave the best, taking it up a notch after Tiko’s score to add another try through their maul almost immediately, before Tom Robinson ran one in on the left wing to seal it with five minutes to play.

An intercept by Luke Depiazzi saw him go 60 metres after the bell, but the conversion was pushed wide, leaving Bond with just one bonus point for their troubles.

A finals appearance is now a very real possibility for the Red Heavies, who move into fifth and sit just two points behind their round 10 rivals.

Norths 30-21 Sunnybank

Sunnybank relinquished a solid half-time lead and failed to score any points in the second 40 as a four-try haul for winger Sam Dickie saw the Eagles run away with it at Biggs Field.

The Dragons started well, with an impressive solo effort from centre Junior Laloifi seeing him beat four would-be defenders and open the scoring after just three minutes.

Then a break down the left wing by Netani Volitiviti put Taisei Higuchi into space for Sunnybank’s second, before Dickie touched down for his first of many.

A break by Jeneiro Wakeham saw Saipele Tamilo extend his side’s lead, then Will

McCulloch found a weak shoulder close to the line for Norths’ second.

The home side led 21-10 at the break, but the second half painted a very different picture.

Norths forced their way over from close range as the half neared its mid-way point, then Dickie put on a show to help his side pull the rug out from underneath the Dragons.

Three tries in 15 minutes made it four in total for the winger, giving Norths a nine-point lead with only a few minutes left on the clock.

The win would have been more comfortable had it not been for a difficult day off the tee, as Harry Langbridge left 12 points out on the pitch with not one of his side’s six tries converted.

Regardless, the result was enough to keep Norths in third place, while Sunnybank failed to add any competition points to their tally at the bottom of the ladder.

Wests 38-38 Easts 

Wests put on an impressive display at home in round 10 despite playing with 14 men for 70 minutes. But a try after the final whistle saw Easts draw level with the final kick and split the points down the middle.

The Tigers’ trademark driving maul kicked off the scoring, with Max Craig the recipient of yet another five-pointer courtesy of his forward pack.

Then the visitors picked up a significant advantage as Timma Faingaanuku misjudged a tackle and caught Gordie Lloyd high, landing himself on the sideline for the rest of the game after being shown a red card.

Nuku Swerling crossed a few minutes later at the back of another dominant maul, before Matt Smit touched down in the right corner to mark his 100th appearance for Easts in style.

Netani Baleisomosomo forced his way over from close range to put Wests on the board after 30 minutes, then Denzel Samoa crossed to put his side within five points and give the Bulldogs plenty of momentum heading into the sheds.

That momentum continued into the second half, as Samoa picked up a double almost immediately with a pick and go through the middle from the 22 metre line.

Tries to Harry Raff and Alosio Bera followed as Wests looked as though they would run away with it, before a mistake just after the kick off saw Timoci Naivaluwaqa put Easts back in the hunt.

The home side responded almost immediately as Bera secured a double, but it was the final few moments which proved the most defining for the Tigers.

An intercept deep in the Easts’ half saw Smit kick through for Billy Kirk who won the footrace with time almost up. Then in the final play of the day, Naivaluwaqa was on the end of an overlap to give his side the opportunity to level it.

The kick from the sideline by Lachie Kirk was enough to steal a draw at the death, with Easts lucky to walk away with three points and hold onto second place.

Wests will be disappointed with the result having held on until the final minutes, but still maintain their place in sixth spot on the ladder.

Brothers 34-22 Souths

The competition leaders were tested by a powerful Souths outfit, but Brothers proved too good in the second half, adding to their growing tally at the top of the table.

First points of the afternoon went to one of the Hospital Cup’s top performers in Benn Dalle Cort, who carved his way through the Souths defensive line from 20 metres out.

The Magpies responded quickly through their maul with George Francis diving over the line, before the Brethren got their second as Henry Smith went straight through the middle on the first phase at scrum time.

The maul proved pivotal as both sides secured another score each just before the break, with Brothers leading 21-12 as they headed into the sheds.

The visitors stepped up their attack in the second half, with their bonus point try coming from a scrum on the 40-metre line when a slick first-phase backline play ended with Graham Urquhart crossing in the far corner.

Souths added two quick tries midway through the second half to get back within one score, but Brothers finished strongly with five points for prop George Tuineau securing the win in the dying minutes.

A frustrating result for Souths at home, who now drop down to seventh place, while Brothers sit six points clear at the top of the table.