University 28 def. GPS 17

The victory over Jeeps at Yoku Road has to be one of UQ’s best performances of the year and could be a warning signal to the rest of the competition.

Uni are arguably the best front-running teams in the comp and they showed that on Saturday. The Students shot out to an early 17-0 lead in the first half and the Gallopers just weren’t able to peg them back.

The home side did mount a mini fight back – a penalty try from a scrum (shock horror) getting them back to within three points at 20-17 mid-way through the second half, but that’s as close as they got; a James Dalgleish penalty and a late try to veteran hooker Campbell Wakely, ensuring UQ reclaimed the Halley Appleby Trophy.

Sunnybank 27 def. Souths 22

What’s happened to the Magpies??? Two losses on the trot after winning five straight to start the year!

Souths got off to a flying start – as we’ve seen them do plenty of times this season – two tries in opening 15 minutes setting up what many though would be a long day for the Dragons.

But the visitors played the waiting game – patiently biding their time until nearly the half hour mark to score their first try, before drawing level on the stroke of half time.

It was Souths again who drew first blood after the break through a Jason Hofmeyr penalty, but Sunnybank didn’t wait to reply this time. They were next to score with a try to Josh Coward, taking the lead for the first time in the match and they didn’t look back.

Another try and a penalty to the men in green wrapped up the match; a late try to Souths just made te final score-line closer.

Norths 21 def. Brothers 17

The battle of the North was a real war of attrition – as you’d expect when John Snow and Bolton Ramsay come face to face.

Only this time it was the Brethren travelling to Hugh Courtney Oval to take on the Eagles – both sides showing some good signs in 2018 but neither displaying any consistency.

The home side got off to a flying start with a try to Wilson Enoka in the 11^th minute of a maul from a 5-metre line-out – made possible by a scrumptious touch finder by Nicholas Jooste.

The prodigious boot of the talented fly-half was the difference all day.

Brothers actually outscored the Eagles three tries to two, but Jooste’s accuracy with the shoe – kicking three penalties and a conversion, to Brothers’ one penalty – made the difference; continually edging the Eagles further and further in front, eventually just enough to keep them out of range when Brothers scored two second-half meat pies.

Harry Wilson was again impressive for the Brethren, but he can’t do everything.

Easts 34 def. Wests 27

This was the fourth and final clash from a weekend of really tight tussles. Most weeks we’ve seen at least one game turn into a one-sided affair, but not in round eight.

The Tigers have announced themselves as genuine Hospital Cup contenders; winning five on the trot now and sit third on the ladder, just a point behind UQ and Souths, and four points clear of GPS and Sunnybank.

But you have to feel for the Doggies as well. They play some really good footy, they’re an extremely gritty team, but they just don’t seem to be able to find the winning formula. Wests conceded two yellow cards in the first half and spent most of the opening 40 inside their own 22-metre zone. Through sheer grit and determination (and some poor options by Easts), Wests found themselves only down by seven at the break. A brilliant try by Liam Moseley after half time brought them back to within three points at 15-12; the double right foot step leaving multiple defenders clutching at thin air.

Skipper Jerry Lynch then carried his team into the lead with two decisive runs, the second leading to a try for Alec Fontalvo. The Doggies looked like they were going to have their day when Liam Dillon bounced and spun out of a tackle to score the home side’s third on the trot.

But when Lynch left the field at the hour mark, the momentum changed. Reds strike weapon, Izaia Perese scored a scorching try off the scrum restart – collecting a flat pass at the line before stepping past the last defender to dot down under the posts. A penalty try for an infringement by Wests trying to stop a rolling maul on the try line was the final nail in the coffin for the Dogs.