Crunch time for Country
Faltering Premiers in battle to arrest the slide
DEFENDING premiers Queensland Country will be playing for their season when they return to the Gold Coast on Saturday.
After opening their National Rugby Championship title defence with three victories, Country yesterday fell to their second straight loss with a 39-24 defeat at the hands of derby rivals Brisbane City at Toowong’s Sci-Fleet Stadium.
“It was a frustrating game,” said Country coach Rod Seib.
“We really didn’t get into the way that we wanted to play.
“Our discipline was really not good enough and we gave City too many opportunities or we let them off the hook when we built a bit of pressure.
“There were a few crucial plays in the game that if we had again, I think we would play a different way but yeah certainly if there is one point of difference it was that their ruck speed was quite fast and ours was quite slow.”
Country had a sniff when they entered the final 20 minutes trailing 29-24 but a converted Sean Farrell try and Quade Cooper penalty shut the door.
Given the short, sharp nature of the competition – there are only seven regular season rounds – Country must arrest their slide immediately.
Victory in either of their next two games should be enough to secure a finals berth.
They will host the struggling Sydney Rays at Bond University – where Country lost 42-40 to the Western Force in Round 4 – before travelling to Tamworth to face the NSW Country Eagles.
Veteran Wallabies prop James Slipper and captain Duncan Paia’aua should be OK to face the Rays, while Harry Hockings and James Tuttle are due back.