Isaac clan put the union into reunion
THE Nerang Bulls will field as many as five players from the same family in the biggest game the club has played since the 2008 grand final.
The Bulls made the Gold Coast District Rugby Union semi-finals last year in their first season since returning from a year in second grade but could not progress any further.
This time, players pledge, nothing will stop them from reaching the grand final again.
The bond shared by the team is unbreakable, not just
because of the friendships the players have formed.
In search of recruits for the 2020 campaign, coach JohnHenry Maniapoto put out the call for his 2019 squad to bring a mate or two down to the club. No.8 Jovi Isaac listened. His first recruit was his little brother Danen. Then his uncle Willie’s grandsons, Tyran and Ezra, and more cousins in Luther and Addi.
Before long the Bulls pack and sidelines had been transformed into an Isaac family reunion.
“It’s an amazing feeling to run out there with your family,” said Jovi, a former Mel
bourne Rebels training squad member.
“Not to say that playing with others is different but it’s very special when you’re playing with your blood.
“It’s a big thing in rugby to bleed for your teammates but when you’re family that connection is just that little bit deeper.”
All six Isaac cousins play in the forwards but Jovi, Addi, Ezra and Tyran are the diesel engine that has powered Nerang’s first grade side into a semi-final showdown with the Helensvale Hogs on Sunday. The sides have history.
Helensvale slammed shut
Nerang’s fairytale book in last year’s preliminary final, 31-15, en route to its own incredible premiership win.
Nerang has bounced back to sweep the champs in the regular season, 25-15 at home in Round 3 and 17-24 at Helensvale in Round 10.
The game on Sunday will be live streamed on goldcoastbulletin.com.au from 4pm.
There will be no second chances with a place in the final, to take on the winner of Griffith University Colleges Knights and Palm Beach Currumbin Alleygators in Saturday’s semi-final clash.
The Knights capped off
their dominant regular season, securing 64 of 65 possible competition points from Round 2 onwards, with a 31-10 victory over PBC just last week.
That win knocked the Gators from second on the ladder to fourth, booking a rematch one week later in the semi-final with even higher stakes.
The Gators have had seven days to learn from their mistakes.
If they haven’t, they will share the same fate as Nerang in 2019 – eliminated at the penultimate hurdle in their first season back in first grade.