DOWNS DOMINATE
Representative side regains cup with impressive win
RUGBY UNION: Darling Downs’ coach Nathan Bradley paid tribute to his squad’s passion and commitment after it kicked off its 2018 rep year in resounding style on Saturday night.
Downs moulded a quality performance to regain the Cattleman’s Cup from the Central Queensland Brahmans with an entertaining 55-3 victory at Highfields Sports Complex.
The Brahmans were the cup holders following their 19-15 success last year in Biloela, but after a bright start the visitors were no match for a slicker and hungrier Downs’ outfit.
Replacement centre Todd Daniels, standing in for injured co-captain Michael Jamieson, got the scoreboard rolling for Downs when he crossed in the 15th minute.
The Brahmans had several first-half opportunities to bust the Downs’ goal-line defence but came up empty and a try to winger Sam Jobling five minutes before the break saw the home team up 14-3 at halftime.
A Downs’ overlap five minutes after the resumption helped put squad newcomer Declan Wheeler over for a try on debut and the writing was suddenly on the wall for Central Queensland.
Further tries to Rob Walton, Eddie Dean, Levi Power — a second to Jobling — and a double to Dan Merker helped complete a great night’s work by Downs as they clinically dissected the tiring Brahmans in polished fashion.
Saturday night’s Downs’ squad included seven newcomers.
Bradley said their emergence is providing the ideal team balance as Downs prepares for the South Queensland Championships at Dalby in May.
“We’re in a fortunate position with Downs rugby here at the moment,” Bradley said.
“We’re getting players to play in this rep team that have been together for a while now. “I think that showed tonight. “Everything we ask them to do, they’re doing it.
“We’ve got a great balance of experience and youth which is really great to have.
“We only got together twice before this game and to pull together like we did and put on that performance is excellent.
“We got the result we wanted.
Bradley nominated halfback Will Gilbert and fullback George Stacey amongst the strongest performers for Downs.
“We worked really hard on our structured footy,” Bradley said.
“It’s a simple game plan and as long as we carry it out for 80 minutes we’re going to win games of footy.”