By TOM PRIMMER

All four games of Round Three of the Hospital Challenge Cup were separated by 13-points or less over the weekend, as the race to the finals begins.

With competition points on offer, Easts, GPS, Bond University and Sunnybank claimed wins to secure their positions in the top-four.

Let’s take a look around the grounds.

Easts 31 v University of Queensland 24

Easts proved why they’re one of the teams to beat in this year’s Hospital Cup with a 31-24 win over defending premiers, University of Queensland in Round Three.

The Tigers scrum proved pivotal, with front rowers Rhys van Nek, George Francis and Richie Asiata setting the tone with a dominant performance at set-piece time which included two yellow cards and a red card to the Students as a result.

The rest of the Easts pack was just as impressive, with skipper Ben Mowen scoring a double and youngster Fred Fewtrell impressing at St Lucia.

Head coach Moses Rauluni was pleased with his side’s performance against a heavyweight side in Uni.

“It’s a great start to the season,” Rauluni said.

“We’re very happy to go to Uni and take away a win, it’s a hard place to go and play.

“They are a tough team and you can never fall asleep against them as they just keep coming back at you.”

UQ unearthed another star for the future in the loss, with 18-year-old Mac Grealy stunning the crowd in his Premier Grade debut.

The Toowoomba product scored two tries in the loss, while chiming in with another of classy touches out wide with his pace and canny stepping ability making him a threat across the park.

Uni Director of Rugby and assistant coach Elton Berrange lauded Grealy’s performance but said his side will look to improve on their set piece in the coming weeks.

“Mac Grealy had a hell of a debut, he’s a special talent,” Berrange said.

“Easts really hurt us at scrum time. It’s an area we will be much better at but we got two yellow cards and a red card from scrum infringements.”

UQ will take on Sunnybank away from home this week, while Easts will hosts GPS in a top of the table clash.

Easts 31 (Ben Mowen 2, Eli Pilz, Fred Fewtrell tries; Pilz 4 conversions; Pilz pen goal) d University of Queensland 24 (Mac Grealy 2, Tom Mellor, Kye Oates tries; Oates, Con Foley conversions)

Bond University 44 v Norths 43

A Mitch Third penalty after the siren has kicked Bond University to victory for the second week in a row, with Third’s boot downing Norths 44-43 on the Gold Coast.

In a seesawing affair at the Canal, the Eagles led early on, before Bond hit back to go into the half-time break with a narrow three-point lead.

Norths responded in the second stanza to lead 40-36, before a Bond try in the 75th minute look to seal victory for the hosts.

A penalty to Eagles flyhalf Jacob Prideaux sent his side back into the lead at 43-41, but it wasn’t to be for the visitors, as inspirational backrower Connor Pritchard again stepped up to secure the crucial penalty and give Third the chance to again snatch victory for the Bullsharks.

Third made no mistake, clinching a dramatic one-point victory against a gritty Norths outfit.

Bond captain Dan Boardman put the win down to his side’s attitude across the 80-minutes.

“It’s very pleasing to see how keen the boys were to keep putting in after the siren,” Boardman said.

“Norths kept in the fight and full credit to them. They were good all day but the effort from the boys was outstanding.

“You can go past the effort willingness to keep working for each other.

“Everyone was still continuing to get up and keep playing even when the game didn’t look like going in our favour.”

Norths will look to bounce back from the heart-breaking defeat when they hosts Wests, while Bond will travel to Crosby Park to take on Brothers.

Bond University 44 (Mitch Third, Max Dowd, Rhian Stowers, Gus Qasevakatini, Nick Turner, Lachlan Connors tries; Third 4 conversions, Third 2 pen goals) d Norths 43 Jonathon Reuben 2, Veresa Mataitini, Cody Blachurst, Liam Prendergast, Kenneth Taviri tries; Jacob Prideaux 5 conversions; Prideaux pen goal)

GPS 26 v Brothers 13

GPS continued their undefeated start to the season with a 26-13 win over Brothers in a bruising encounter at Yoku Road.

The Gallopers went to the break with a 14-10 lead in a tightly contested opening half, before gaining ascendancy in the second half against an improved Brethren side.

Lock Jamie Rickward continues to impress for Jeeps after filling the huge boots of stalwart Dan Gorman, while skipper Michael Richards led the charge as usual in front of the Ashgrove faithful.

Head coach Elwee Prinsloo said the win was a good test for his side ahead of a potentially minor premiership deciding clash against Easts next round.

“Brothers was a tough challenge and they’ve certainly asked some questions all around the park from us,” Prinsloo said.

“They are a team that can attack and defend for multiple phases and that challenged our ability to match them in intensity and stay patient to achieve some positive outcomes.

“Our physicality in defence certainly stepped up this week. I was pleased with the contact area especially in the second 40-minutes.

“I felt we left a bit out there in terms of our set piece and that’s something we would have to be very accurate next weekend against Easts.”

Although they were on the wrong end of the scorecard, Brothers continue to show signs of improvement after a slow start to the season, with the likes of Noah Nielsen
and Rueben Wall continuing to impress for the reigning minor premiers.

“Unfortunately we came up a little short at a few key moments,” head coach Anthony Mathison said.

“Our effort and intensity were real positives, but we just needed to be more accurate with executing our plans.

GPS showed great physicality in attack and defence. Their physicality and line speed in defence made it difficult for us to build momentum.”

Brothers will host Bond University this weekend.

GPS 26 (Adre Namalo Kauyaca, Bernard Nickel, Josh Collins tries, penalty try; Jono Kent 2 conversions) d Brothers 13 (Noah Nielsen try; Rohan Saifoloi conversion; Saifoloi 2 pen goals)

Sunnybank 14 v Souths 13

The southside derby went down to the wire in Round Three, with a late Tom Lucas penalty sealing a narrow 14-13 win for Sunnybank over Souths.

After trailing at the half, the Magpies ran in the only two tries of the second forty to hold a 13-11 lead as the game headed into its final minutes.

With time almost up, the Sunnybank pack forced a scrum penalty 40-metres out from the posts, and Lucas calmly stepped up to cap a memorable victory for his side.

Lucas was again among the Dragon’s best at flyhalf, while Lloyd Gorman also impressed after switching from loosehead prop.

Dragons head coach Sione Fukofuka was satisfied with his side’s first win after narrow losses in the opening two rounds.

“It’s very pleasing to get the win and some points on the competition board,” Fukofuka said.

“It was a scrappy game but we’re very happy that we were in the contest from start to finish and we learnt our lesson from last week against Bond to close out the game.

“We started the game well and set the tempo early, which was pleasing and I thought the boys showed real character, and defended for each other when the game was on the line in the final 10-minutes.”

The young Souths outfit will be left to rue their inconsistency at key points in the match, with the side falling short in the crucial moments at Oldmac Oval.

Brisbane Boys College old boy Lukas Ripley made his top grade debut in the loss, and shapes as an exciting prospect in just his first year out of school.

“I thought Sunnybank scrambled really well and just kept making good Defensive plays,” head coach Todd Dammers said.

“From our view we had some nice passages, but were just too inconsistent when we need control.

“We need to be better with execution. If we are able to work on that we will be stronger.”

Souths have the chance to rest this week with the bye, while Sunnybank will host UQ.

SUNNYBANK 14 (Lachlan MacElroy try; Tom Lucas 3 pen goals) d SOUTHS 13 (Khan Ah Wang, Kitone Toaono Junior Ng Lam tries; Ah Wang pen goal)

IMAGE: BRENDAN HERTEL / QRU