‘Chibba’ Time: City hooker James Hanson makes a burst – Photo: Sportography

by Paul Cook –

Brisbane City will travel to Gosford for next Friday’s semi-final against the NSW Country Eagles after downing a spirited, if largely toothless, University of Canberra Vikings, 37-16 in a clash that doubled as a Bledisloe Cup curtain raiser at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.

Already assured of a top four finish, all City could do was go out and win and wait on other results to determine their location next weekend and a fast start had them 13-0 up and in control. The Vikings grew into the contest as half-time approached but were unable to trouble City’s line until the 46th minute when Jarrad Butler drove over.

That only served to re-ignite City’s fire and a double from Jake Schatz and a late effort from Will Genia, who impressed with his second half appearance, was enough to see them home.

City head coach Nick Stiles was pleased to see his side take their place in the finals. “We’ve worked hard for each other throughout the season, so it’s good to get the reward of a semi-final,” he said. “We knew this would be a difficult game, but I was really proud of the intensity across the park tonight.”

Conversely, Vikings skipper Fotu Auelua, was disappointed to see his team, one of the pre-tournament favourites, exit the competition with a whimper. “It’s a tough night for the team. We needed to win to get into the top four and other results to go our way but we kind of let people down in Canberra and let ourselves down tonight,” he reflected. “We didn’t get the chance to play with much ball, especially in the first half. Our set-piece was good but again, and it sums up our season, we play in patches.”

City scrumhalf Nick Frisby put in another impressive shift before making way for Will Genia in the 2nd half
Photo: Sportography

Chasing that potential home semi-final, City came out hard and fast looking to break their opponents’ spirits early, and with Reds and Wallabies’ representatives Jake Schatz, James Hanson and Lachie Turner bolstering the home side’s cause, they had plenty of weapons to throw at the visitors. Notoriously slow starters, the Vikings could boast the inclusion of Henry Speight as he made his return to the game following injury but the Wallaby-in-waiting was barely involved as the visitors were forced to soak up plenty of early pressure.

Despite being sliced open by a number of line breaks, their line speed and scramble defence combined to thwart City’s advances for the opening quarter of a hour. However, you can only hold out for so long when you’re permanently on the backfoot and with precious little football to work with and when ‘jack-in-the-box’ scrumhalf Nick Frisby shifted the ball wide of a ruck for Hanson in the 17th minute, the hooker moved it on in an instant for centre Jack Mullins to dive over.

Replays actually failed to show a clear grounding of the ball by Mullins but after last Thursday’s ‘own try’ in the Stars v Rays match, let’s not go there.

Less than five minutes later, City had a second. A lacklustre clearing kick from Vikings halfback Michael Dowsett took a favourable bounce into the arms of the predatory Jake McIntyre and the 23-year-old scooped up to race home down the sideline and dot down single-handed to build a 13-0 lead.

The Vikings thought they’d got on the board when Jordan Smiler stretched for the line just after the half hour but the TMO correctly ruled that the ball had been grounded short. However, the close call was a sign of the visitor’s growing intent as they turned around an early possession stat of 80%-20% to a 50/50 split by the shadows of half-time.

Finding the right pass in the red zone was their problem and the status quo remained on the scoreboard as the sides went into the break. City received a further boost with the introduction of Will Genia for the second stanza, the Wallaby star still making his way back into the game after long term injury. But the Vikings were unfazed and finally got on the board in the 46th minute off the back of City’s ill discipline.

Previously warned by referee Rohan Hoffman, another scrum collapse led to Curtis Browning seeing yellow and the Vikings pounced. Calling for another scrum they drove forward from 20 metres out, no.8 Jarrad Butler keeping the ball under control at the back until he sniffed the line, scooped up and barraged his way over.

Livewire: City winger Chris Kuridrani was a
constant threat with ball in hand
Photo: Sportography

Sparked into life. City put their numerical disadvantage to one side to respond within three minutes and it was a case of ‘anything you can do, we can do better’ as they promptly set-up their own driving maul. Genia cajoled and controlled his troops from the back and as the Vikings defence split, one final surge allowed Jake Schatz to find the chalk.

The potent flanker was at it again 10 minutes later, bursting straight through to go under the posts after a great run from McIntyre and re-affirm City’s dominance at 29-8. Just as well as Browning’s return to the fray was soon followed by a yellow for City replacement Chas Mahina, meaning they’d played two-thirds of the second half a man down and still held a 21pt advantage.

That was as much down to the Vikings’ benign attack as it was City’s ability to turnover ball near their own goal line and counter at pace through their speedsters in the shape of Turner, Chris Kuridrani and Matt Feaunati. The Canberrans have all the makings of a potent side with a more than competent set-piece, some big ball carriers in the midfield and a number of strike runners in Speight, Robbie Coleman, Jerome Nuimata, and the absent Jesse Mogg. But time and again it was their inability to convert good field position into points that costs them.

They did manage to keep Brisbane honest with another score as the clock ticked over to the 70th minute, replacement prop Allan Alaalatoa too big and too strong to hold out from a couple of metres. But it was the tiniest of flies in City’s ointment as the home side were happy to cruise along  in third gear in the closing stages, knowing that victory was already theirs and with an obvious eye on the semis six days later.

They put some icing on the cake in the 78th minute, Will Genia sending himself off on the Wallabies’ Spring Tour of Europe in fine spirits yet with another try on his favoured home turf. It was the halfback who forged the opening, firing a delayed pass into the hands of Feaunati who broke the line, carried for 15 metres and fed replacement Sam Greene. He in turn found Dave McDuling on his outside, the City skipper showing the composure and handling skills of a back to wait for Genia – shadowing play from his initial pass – to regather and finish off his own good work.

Greene slotted the extras with aplomb to confirm win number six for City from their eight regular matches of the NRC. Now it’s time for the real business to start.

McInnes Wilson Brisbane City 37 (Jake Schatz 2, Jack Mullins, Jake McIntyre, Will Genia tries; Jake McIntyre 3 cons, Sam Greene con) defeated University of Canberra Vikings 16 (Jarrad Butler, Allan Alaalatoa tries; Rodney Iona, Isaac Thompson cons)