Emus down injury-hit Rangers to stay top
RUGBY UNION: Goondiwindi continued its unbeaten start to the Wagners Wellcamp Risdon Cup season with a comfortable win over an injury-hit Toowoomba Rangers at Gold Park on Saturday.
The Emus notched their fourth straight win with a 33-15 triumph to remain at the top of the ladder after five rounds.
Rangers were looking to back up their spirited effort against premiers Dalby seven days earlier but came up short with injuries also taking their toll on the hosts at regular intervals throughout the game.
Rangers’ walking wounded included forwards Matt Roberts, Kieran Wagstaff and Rob Paterson while five-eighth Hugo Marks was also assisted from the field late in the match following a head knock.
Goondiwindi dominated the first half with tries to winger Sean Cairns and lock Levi Power helping it to a 14-0 lead after 26 minutes.
But Rangers clawed back to 14-10 three minutes before the break through a converted Lachie Sperling try and a 37th minute penalty goal only to see their hard work dashed on the stroke of half-time.
With only seconds remaining on the first-half clock Goondiwindi struck through a converted try to halfback Sam Jobling after a scrum win on Rangers’ line to set up a 21-10 half-time scoreline.
Ten minutes after the break Emus prop Jack Cook forced his way over for another converted try to basically seal Rangers’ fate at 28-10 centre Harry Hawker also joined the try-scorer’s list in the 67th minute to blow the scoreboard to 33-10.
Replacement Rangers’ winger Nisi Ipi completed the day’s scoring with a try in the corner six minutes from time.
Coach Sam Hannant said although his team was out-gunned on the day he doesn’t think it is necessarily a sign Goondiwindi has Rangers’ season measure.
“I think the intensity of last week’s game against Dalby took a bit out of us,” Hannant said. “But injuries haven’t helped our cause today either.
“Goondiwindi I thought were good today without being great and we weren’t good enough on the day to match them.
“But I believe they are beatable and there is a lot of football still to be played this season.”