Match Winner: Fullback Jamie-Jerry Taulagi slides home for Queensland Country’s third try
Photo: QRU / Sportography

by Paul Cook –

Queensland Country have finally got the monkey off their back as they overcame Greater Sydney Rams 24-13 at Ballymore last night to secure their maiden win of the 2014 NRC.

A blistering start saw them 8-0 to the good before two yellow cards gave the Rams a foothold in the game and a 13-8 lead by half-time. However, Country weren’t to be outdone and as their scrum began to dominate and the Rams lineout crumbled, they fashioned enough set-piece ball to plunder two more tries and notch up their first victory of the inaugural competition.

Head coach Steve Meehan was a relieved man at the final whistle. “I’m happy that the team was able to capitalise on their opportunities and secure their first win tonight,” he said.

“The team had to show a lot of spirit tonight to overcome the challenge of being down to 13 men during the first half, they only conceded one try in that time and that is indicative of the values that we have instilled in this team.

“Our forwards had a tough battle at the scrum in the first half, but in the second half they were dominant and forced a number of penalties and a yellow card. Overall it’s very pleasing to see the boys rewarded for their efforts over the opening rounds of the competition.”

Rams skipper Jed Holloway had no complaints despite his side’s half-time lead. “It’s the NRC, it’s very open and five points doesn’t mean a lot,” he said. “Props to Queensland Country, they were very good at the set-piece and they definitely capitalised there with a couple of yellow cards in defence and that took the breath out of us.

“We’ve just got to dig deep and work hard this week. There’s not many games left in this tournament so we’ve just got to get a bit of momentum going and keep on rolling through.”

A scrappy start was brought to life by a fine piece of opportunism to open the scoring. The Rams had yet to concede in the opening 20 minutes of their previous four matches but that record was soon quashed when Queensland halfback Sam Grasso spotted a gap in the Rams ruck defence to snipe his way under the posts in the 4th minute.

The try only fuelled what was a positive beginning from the winless Country side, the hosts pinning the Rams in their own half with some impressive continuity and plenty of eager ball runners. A succession of penalties helped them keep the foot on the throat but the pressure valve was released by some poor lineout work, cruelling a chance to add to their tally from good field position.

Rams scrumhalf Mark Swanepoel helped his side gain ascendancy by half-time after a slow start
Photo: QRU / Sportography

The visitors were offered a way into the game on 15 minutes when fullback Jamie-Jerry Taulagi was sent to the bin for taking out his opposite number, Dane Chisholm, in the air. But the subsequent kick to touch was overcooked and put dead in goal from the normally impeccable Ben Volavola, bringing play to halfway and no doubt forcing some colourful language from the Rams coaches’ box.

Volavola didn’t help his cause a few minutes later as the Rams finally got some go forward ball of their own and made inroads into enemy territory. Running off a set play, the silky flyhalf did everything right to glide through a gap but with numbers on his outside, he chose to go it alone and was wrapped up just shy of the line.

However, Queensland skipper Anthony Fainga’a was pinged for slowing down the ball from the ensuing ruck and as the second quarter began, the home side were down to 13 men. It proved to be the breaking point and from the next scrum, the Rams ran straight to suck in defenders before flinging it wide for Michael McDougall to put Jarome McKenzie in for his third try in three games.

The numerical advantage gave the Rams a chance to exert some control and with captain Jed Holloway leading by example in his customary all-action style, and abrasive halfback Mark Swanepoel carrying the fight from the base of the ruck, they got themselves into a striking position on numerous occasions.

As with their opening two matches though, execution in the red zone was all that was lacking to put some icing on the cake of their fine approach play and despite the best efforts of a fleet-footed Dane Chisholm in particular, they were unable to trouble the scoreboard again before Queensland returned to their full quota.

But with only three minutes til the break, Chisholm finally got some reward for his artistic industry, taking a pass from McDougall to drift in between a couple of retreating Country defenders and find the line. Volavola couldn’t add a second conversion from out wide and the teams went to the sheds at 13-8 in favour of the New South Welshmen.

Handling errors from the Queenslanders and a persistently collapsing scrum as the Rams front row started to creak, was the story of the first 10 minutes of the second stanza as the hosts tried to rebuild some fluidity back into their game. They were given a boost when Hugh Perrett – in what was actually a case of  mistaken identity, the real culprit being fellow flanker, Chris Alcock – was shown a yellow for illegally bringing down a rolling maul with the line in sight.

That decision predicated a period of sustained scrum pressure for Country on the Rams line, with referee Rohan Hoffman issuing a warning to Rams’ tight head Guy Millar regarding his apparent inability to hold up at the engagement. When yet another scrum went to ground, Hoffman’s patience had worn thin and he ran under the posts to signal a penalty try, duly converted by Matt Brandon.

Queensland flyhalf Matt Brandon breaks free of Guy Millar’s tackle – Photo: QRU / Sportography

The game then dropped several notches in both intensity and quality as the clock ticked past the hour mark, both sides perhaps paying the price for their lightning starts. They each forged one gilt edged opportunity amongst the increasing melee; Volavola bouncing one off the chest of a rampaging Holloway as he surged through the line from 10 metres out before Queensland flanker James Turner showed some neat skills to dance his way towards the chalk but fluffed his offload to hooker, Ryan Freney, with the tryline begging.

The one trump card Queensland now had in their locker was their scrum advantage, and when they found themselves 10 metres out once again, they went for the throat. Milking penalty after penalty, the Rams were on their final warning when a clearly frustrated Hoffman sent replacement loose head Dave Lolohea back to the sideline from whence he had emerged only minutes before, to cool his heels for a further 10 minutes.

Somehow, the Rams held firm at the next put-in to clear upfield but their respite didn’t last long and in the 73rd minute, they conceded the match sealing try. Attacking off a lineout, Queensland went coast-to-coast for winger Giles Beveridge to pop up a lovely pass for the overlapping Taulagi and the fullback showed a clean pair of heels to find the corner with precious little room to work with.

Matt Brandon added the extras from a tight angle to cement his side’s vital opening win and give Country plenty of confidence ahead of next week’s Queensland derby against Brisbane City at the same stadium. The Rams now return to Sydney to lick their wounds and presumably work on their set-piece as they prepare for an all-Sydney encounter against the North Harbour Rays at Brookvale Oval.

Bond University Queensland Country 24 (Sam Grasso, penalty try, Jamie-Jerry Taulagi tries; Matt Brandon 3 cons) People+Culture Strategies Greater Sydney Rams 13 (Jarome McKenzie, Dane Chisholm tries; Ben Volavola con)