On the Front Foot: Rams prop Guy Millar leads the charge – Photo: J.B Photography

by Paul Cook –

The University of Canberra Vikings have opened their account for the 2014 NRC season, downing the Greater Sydney Rams 37-18 at Pirtek Stadium in Parramatta last night.

A promising start for the Rams failed to produce the advantage on the scoreboard it deserved as a break in Sydney’s weather gave them the chance to offer a glimpse of the attacking threats they possess. Up 10-0 through tries from Vasa Falealifii and Atieli Pakalani, they could/should have had a couple more, the absence of rain in the air not reducing the moisture on the turf as time and again, a gilt-edged opportunity went begging with a handling error.

That opened the door for a Canberra side that offered precious little in the opening quarter before playing their way into the game off the back of a sound set-piece and some rigid defence. A try to Isaac Thompson in the 26th minute bolstered confidence and a bolder approach towards half-time brought further reward when loosehead Les Makin went over for a 16-10 lead.

The second half was bossed by the visitors, increasingly dominant at scrum time and with a driving maul that was proving to be a potent weapon, they took the game away from their hosts with further tries from Jarrad Butler (2) and replacement Tom Cusack. Captain Jed Holloway poached an intercept with 15 to go to give the Rams hope but the Vikings held firm to record their first win of the season and leave the Rams searching for a foothold in this fledgling competition.

High Ball: Viking Jordan Smiler wins this clash over Rams’ Atieli Pakalani – Photo: J.B Photography

Vikings skipper Fotu Auelua was pleased with his side’s efforts but admitted it took some time for them to hit their strides. “We started really slow and I guess we needed to build pressure and we needed to get down in their half and play some footy. We pride ourselves on our set-piece and we showed that we were dominant tonight and we’re just glad to get the win,” he told Fox Sports.

His opposite no.,Holloway, cut a frustrated figure at full-time as he reflected on a second defeat from two games. “We lacked execution in the attacking zone and we paid for it,” he said. “They’re a good side and they capitalised on our mistakes and it showed on the scoreboard today. “It’s a tough loss but we will reassess … we still have eight games to go.”

Keen to make amends for last Saturday’s reversal, the Rams set their stall out early with a concerted assault on the Vikings line but the Canberrans were well set, ranging across the field to thwart their hosts. However, after camping inside the visitors’ 22 for a full five minutes, a couple of unsuccessful darts stretched the Vikings and scrumhalf Vasa Falealifii took to the air to dive over in the corner.

The Rams cause was helped by a 10th minute card for Canberra hooker Seilala Lam, who was pinged for not releasing, and the extra space was an open invitation for the home sides’ attacking weapons. A line break from Falealifii should have brought try no.2 but he delayed the offload to Hugh Perrett on his inside a second too long and the ball – and the opportunity – was lost.

Vikings coach Dan McKellar must have been disappointed with his side’s start. Missed tackles, a lack of invention or intent with ball in hand and some pretty ordinary kicking, particularly from an off colour Jesse Mogg who looks to be short of some confidence.

The Rams got a fortuitous second after 18mins. Dane Chisholm kicked in behind and what looked like a rudimentary grounding in goal for the retreating Mogg turned into disaster when the fullback slipped and Atieli Pakalani pounced on the loose ball to extend the Rams’ advantage.

Ben Volavola pushed a second conversion wide, that’s six precious points under the NRC laws, but the Vikings hadn’t shown anything in the first quarter to serve notice that it may prove pivotal. That soon changed in the 26th minute when, on what seemed like their first time inside the Rams’ 22, they concocted a try.

Given the ease with which flyhalf Issac Thompson glided through to find the chalk, they will be wondering why they hadn’t shown more intent early doors. Mogg, stepping up to take over kicking duties from a troubled Christian Lealiifano, found his radar off the tee to reduce the arrears to 2pts.

Buoyed by their success, the Vikings started to let the ball fly, one golden chance in particular going begging off the chest of Lealiifano as he looked set fair to slice through.

Dominance: Vikings’ scrumhalf Michael Dowsett clears from the back of a scrum
that held sway all evening – Photo: J.B Photography

Having failed to profit from their early ascendancy, the Rams suddenly found themselves on the back foot. The premature departure of the combative Chris Alcock on the half hour was a blow but as they tried to readjust and regain the control they had held over the game, the Vikings sniffed blood and ramped up the intensity, particularly through their hard working forwards.

Two minutes before the break, they got themselves in front, prop Les Makin brushing aside a soft tackle from Pakalani to cross and give Mogg a straightforward conversion. Somehow, from what seemed like a paucity of possession and field position, and off the back of an incredible 26 missed tackles, the Vikings had procured a 6pt half-time lead.

The Rams built some early pressure after the restart but a knock-on, followed by a collapsed scrum within 15 metres of the line, cost them a chance to hit back immediately.

The Vikings scrum had edged the first half without much reward but the introduction of the Smith brothers, Ruan and JP, cemented their ascendancy and they got on the referee’s right side in the 48th minute with a couple of penalties in succession.

That gave them the field position to prove their growing dominance up front, a rolling maul from 10 metres out allowing Brumby loose forward Jarrad Butler to find the chalk with a little help from his friends.

The Rams were then hit by a sucker punch as they tried to get back on the front foot. A loose pass across the line was scooped up by Vikings’ winger Brendan Taueki, who strode almost half the length of the field before an impressive chase from Jed Holloway hauled him down. However, his offload was seized upon by replacement Tom Cusack who rolled over for the Vikings’ 4th and Mogg converted to give the visitor’s a 29-10 advantage.

The Rams needed something, but taking a leaf out of the Vikings’ ill advised first half playbook, they resorted to kicking away valuable possession rather than chancing their arm. However, they caught a break when Holloway intercepted a loose lineout and raced home. Volavola slotted his first successful kick of the night and at 29-18 with over 15 mins to play, there was a glimmer of hope for the hosts.

Consolation Prize: Rams’ skipper Jed Holloway smiles as he goes in for his side’s 3rd try but it wouldn’t be enough on the night – Photo: J.B Photography

Jesse Mogg then butchered a certain try by ignoring the man on his outside, but the Vikings were gifted the impetus to bring this one home when pressure from a pack of forwards that had warmed to the task as the night grew colder, brought ill discipline from the Rams and Hugh Roach went to the bin.

The Vikings punished immediately, another 5 metre scrum driven towards the in-goal and Butler scooped up to dive home for his second.

With both sides going to the bench, it was replacements who played a starring role in the last play of any note. Incoming Rams scrumhalf Mark Swanepoel fed new halves partner Jai Ayoub, who put Henry Seavula through a gap and seemingly, away to the line.

But a terrific last ditch tackle from Sean Doyle kept the home side frustrated and three minutes later, the Pirtek Stadium siren put the Rams and their supporters out of their misery.

University of Canberra Vikings 37 (Jarrad Butler 2, Isaac Thompson, Les Makin, Tom Cusack tries; Jesse Mogg 4 cons) defeated People + Culture Strategies Greater Sydney Rams 18 (Vasa Falealifii, Atieli Pakalani, Jed Holloway tries; Ben Volavola con)