By TOM PRIMMER

The 2020 Hospital Cup Grand Final is upon us, with Easts taking on the University of Queensland at 3:30pm at Ballymore on Sunday. 

The sides have met twice this year, with the Tigers securing a 31-24 win in Round Three, while the Students proved too good in the major semi-final, running out 37-19 winners just two weeks ago. 

Let’s take a look where the decider will be won and lost and hear from both teams’ captains and coaches. 

THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND

It’s been another incredible year for the Heavies, with Mick Heenan’s men qualifying for their fifth straight Grand Final.

Youth has combined with experience once again at St Lucia, as the club welcomed back a number of favourite sons including Scott Gale and Con Foley, while youngsters Mac Grealy and Will Roach have enjoyed breakout seasons in the top grade. 

UQ have made just one change to their starting side after the major semi-final, with Fergus Lillicrap replacing the injured Angus Scott-Young in the second row. 

Scott Gale will be a key man at flyhalf, while Jock Campbell is a huge inclusion once again at fullback. 

Hamish Richardson, Josh Nasser and SJ Tamala will pack down in the front row, with Lillicrap partnering Connor Vest in the second row. 

Skipper Pat Morrey, Sam Wallis and Connor Mitchell make up an imposing backrow partnership as the Heavies shoot for their sixth premiership since 2010 this weekend 

Why they can win – Experience 

You can’t buy experience, and the Heavies are stacked full of title-winners this weekend. 

In the XV that will run on to Ballymore on Sunday afternoon, only Mac Grealy and Connor Vest are yet to taste premiership success with Uni, with Grealy in his first year out of school, while Vest is also in his first season in Queensland and has previously won a Shute Shield title. 

Finals Rugby is part and parcel of the season for the likes of Gale, Foley, Jock Campbell, Pat Morrey and Sam Wallis, and they’ll be undeterred by the pressure and flashing lights of Grand Final day. 

In contrast, Kirwan Sanday, Tom Milosevic, Eli Pilz and Michael Gunn are the Tigers’ only players who have played a Premier Rugby decider, giving the Students a significant edge this Sunday. 

Why they can’t – History 

It’s notoriously difficult to win back-to-back premierships, and the recent history books prove just that. 

The now defunct Canberra side are the last team to win consecutive Hospital Cups in 2003, while UQ last did it in 1990. 

The Students have had five chances to again go back-to-back since, with the side unable to re-write history with another title. 

They’ll get their chance this weekend. 

Coaches’ Corner – Elton Berrange 

“It’s always great to make a Grand Final. The excitement and nerves don’t get easier.

“It’s five in a row for some of the players and it’s a special time for some of our club stalwarts. 

“Having so many guys in the team that have won and lost Grand Finals is valuable experience. There will be nerves on the day & having experience in coping with that before is handy. 

“We’ll have to muscle up & ensure we can generate tempo out of our breakdowns. 

“We know there will be periods in the game when we’re under the pump & will just need to hang tough.”

Player’s Call – Mac Grealy

“We’re expecting the way they’ve played all year, they were minor premiers. 

“They had a great win on the weekend and I definitely think they’ll come out hard, it’s Ben Mowen’s last game so they’ve definitely got something to play for there.

“We’ve just got to stick to our footy and not worry about what they’re doing. 

“We’ve come a long way to get here, so this week will but a tough test but if we play the right footy it should go down well. 

EASTS

Easts will head into the decider high on confidence after a resounding 28-3 win over Bond University in last week’s preliminary final. 

Head coach Moses Rauluni has named an unchanged XV, as the Tiger’s look to take the hospital Cup back to David Wilson Field for the first time since 2013. 

Ben Mowen will pack down alongside Tom Milosevic and Michael Gunn in the backrow, with Rhys van Nek, Richie Asiata and Richie Asiata up front. 

Eli Pilz and Jack Frampton form a dynamic halves pairing, with Aidan Toua, Shane Kennedy and Dylan Taikato-Simpson providing strike in the back three. 

A premiership win would be the perfect swansong for skipper Mowen, with this Sunday the former Wallaby captain’s last outing on a Rugby field. 

Why they can win – Set piece dominance 

The Tigers have been the competition’s most powerful team at scrum time in 2020, and they’ll look to put that to use on Sunday. 

Easts’ front row of van Nek, Asiata and Francis relish set-piece opportunities and have put their dangerous backline on the front foot with some simply dominant displays in the scrum this season. 

The Tiger’s pack proved too much for Bond last weekend, while in their Round 3 victory over the Heavies, their pack was crucial in delivering the side the win. 

If van Nek and co can grab ascendancy at the set-piece, it may reflect on the scoreboard come full time.  

Why they can’t – Points scoring problems 

The Tigers have proved their ability to score plenty of points in 2020, but UQ nullified their attacking threats with ease in the major semi-final. 

Easts scored just one try in that match, with four Eli Pilz penalties keeping the side in touch on the scoreboard. 

Outside men Taikato-Simpson and Kennedy and centres Matt Smit and Landon Hayes will need to be at their best, as will the side’s playmakers in Pilz, Frampton and Toua. 

They may say Grand Finals are won in defence, but all the defence will matter little if the Tigers are unable to convert attacking opportunities into points this Sunday. 

Coaches’ Corner – Moses Rauluni 

“We’re very excited. It’s been a long time coming. 

“To have six teams in the Grand Final as a club it’s even better and it’s been great work from our sponsors, board, managemeant and staff. It’s a great club culture. 

“We learnt in the semi-final that we have to turn up to play. We didn’t do that last time and they are the experts of finals footy, well coached and always up for it. 

“Our boys definitely turned up for Bond last week but will have to be even better to beat a good Uni side. 

“Contact areas in defence and attack will be our focus. Slow down their ball and get quick ball for us as they are good at turnovers.”

Captain’s Call – Ben Mowen 

“We got a massive lesson from UQ around intensity in finals and making sure you put your best performance out there because anything less is not going to get you the result. 

“We’re pretty fortunate we got to have that lesson and still be alive in the finals. It was a much better performance against Bond but we know we have to go to that next level to win the Grand Final. 

“You know what you’re going to get from UQ in a Grand Final, it’s going to be a huge performance. In terms of surprises, there won’t be any, they’re going to be on, and we’re really excited to bring the intensity and momentum that we’ve created into the final. 

“I’m super proud of the club and the management and all the supporters and the volunteers that go into getting a club ready each weekend

 “It’s been a really rewarding year for the club as a whole, but we’d like to finish it off and make it more special. 

IMAGE: BRENDAN HERTEL / QRU