Big wins in Risdon Cup finals
RUGBY UNION: Condamine fired a timely shot over the bow of its Wagners Wellcamp Risdon Cup rivals when it kept its premiership hopes alive with a thumping elimination semi-final victory at Riddles Oval on Saturday.
The Cods ended the plucky season performance of Toowoomba Bears to send them packing for the year with a 43-5 victory.
The win reverses Condamine’s two previous season losses to the Bears and moves it into another elimination match against Toowoomba Rangers on this weekend’s Super Saturday 2 finals’ day at John Ritter Oval.
Bears’ day started on the worst possible note with a player red carded during the first 10 minutes of play.
Condamine pounced on their under-manned rivals with tries to Carel Lubbe, Emosi Vunivosa, Doug McNicholl and Roger Geldard setting up a 22-0 half-time scoreboard.
The Bears were first to score in the second half through a Reece Rosengreen try to pull the scoreline back to 22-5. But the comeback was only brief as the Cods ran in three further tries through Jone Navosa and a second each to McNicholl and Vunivosa.
Downs Rugby general manager Mitch Simpson said the Cods’ expansive back-line play proved too strong for the Bears.
“Bears were on the back-foot from the first 10 minutes when they had a player red-carded,” Simpson said from Riddles Oval.
“But Condy’s backline was quite electric with a couple of long range tries featuring and their very open style proved tough for the Bears to handle.”