Vikings grand final bound
Andrew Johnston
The Tuggeranong Vikings have advanced to the John I Dent Cup grand final after producing a season's best performance to shock minor premiers Royals 42-21 in the preliminary final at Viking Park on Saturday.
It was a gut-wrenching result for Royals who lost just one game all season but suffered consecutive finals series defeats to bow out of the competition, continuing the clubs' 18 year premiership drought.
Royals would have been especially disappointed after holding a seven-point lead at half-time, only to watch Tuggeranong run in five tries to one in the second half.
After some scratchy form in the back end of the season, Vikings coach Glen Christini said that the much improved display come largely down to attitude.
"It was all about self belief, we did a video session earlier in the week and even though we hadn't quite put a polished performance on the field we knew we'd been building to it," Christini said.
"For the last three weeks we've put the same side out and that's the first time all year we've been able to do that so it was coming, it was in us, and we just built the self belief all week and then came out and executed which was always on the cards."
Tuggeranong opened the scoring inside the first 10 minutes through fullback Tim Curran but the home side was on the back foot for much of the remainder of the half.
Powerful outside centre AJ Abel levelled the scores in the 19th minute before halfback Tim Ferrari cut through some non-existent goal line defence off the back of a five-metre scrum.
Vikings had the opportunity to narrow the gap just before half-time but inexplicably turned down what appeared a certain three points to go for the try, only to be immediately bundled into touch and trail by seven at the break.
Tuggeranong came out firing to start the second half and a moment of magic from winger Jake Knight after just four minutes turned the match.
Knight showed the pace and skill that saw the slightly built flyer take out the competitions top try scorer award during the regular season to regather his own kick and score in the corner.
When Brumbies fly half Christian Lealiifano nailed an audacious penalty attempt from just inside his own half moments later the momentum had clearly swung in Tuggeranong's favour and the home side took full advantage.
Two tries in five minutes to Pat Toumoua and Ed Stubbs blew the lead out to 13 points with 20 minutes to play before a try to Royals flanker Sokai Tai gave his side a brief glimmer of hope.
There was to be no comeback however, as Stubbs grabbed his second try of the afternoon before Lealiifano was rewarded for his impressive showing, scoring the final try of the match.
Following the win, Christini said that having a player of Lealiifano's calibre going into next weeks grand final was a huge asset.
"He's a special player and just when you need things controlled and executed properly he does it," Christini said.
The first play he slotted into fly half he threw a sweet ball to Stubbs who ran the perfect angle off him and that was always the plan to work things that way in the second half."
Tuggeranong Vikings 42 (E Stubbs 2, T Curran, P Toumoua, J Knight, C Lealiifano; Lealiifano 4/6 Conv, 1/1 Pen, E Wessell's 1/1 Pen) def Royals 21 (AJ Abel, T Ferrari, S Tai; C McMahon 3/3 Conv) at Viking Park on Saturday.
GRANFINALS THIS WEEKEND!!!!
A BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL PLAYERS, COACHES, SUPPORT STAFF AND SUPPORTERS FOR THEIR EFFORTS OVER THE YEAR. LAST WEEKENDS SUPPORTERS WHERE THE BEST THAT I HAVE SEEN HERE AT VIKING PARK FOR 2 YEARS!!
LETS GET DOWN TO VIKING PARK THIS SATURDAY FOR ANOTHER GREAT DAY FOR THE RED!
THE DAY WILL START WITH THE 4TH XV TAKING ON WESTS AT 10.15AM. THE NEXT GAME WILL BE 3RD XV, WHEN THEY TAKE ON UNI-NORTHS AT 11.50AM, FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY COLTS WHO KICK-OFF AT 11.55. THE VIQUEENS START AT 1.25PM AGAINST UNI-NORTHS THEN 1ST GRADE TACKLE QUEANBEYAN AT 3.15PM.
PRESENTATION NIGHT
A REMINDER TO ALL PLAYERS INVOLVED THAT WE NEED NAMES AND TABLES BY CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON THURSDAY. TICKETS ARE $50 FOR ONE AND $75 FOR A DOUBLE. ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT MYSELF AT THE OFFICE ON 02 6209 5514
RUGBY CLUB MEMBERSHIPS
PLEASE TAKE THIS WEEKENDS GRANDFINALS AS A OPPORTUNITY TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIPS, FAILING THAT YOU CAN COME INTO THE OFFICE DURING BUSINESS HOURS AND PAY THEN.