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Vikings advance to rugby final
By ALWYN NIX
Tuggeranong Vikings will meet
University in the ACT rugby union
preliminary final next Saturday after
beating Easts 18-0 at Manuka yester
day.
In a match that was marred in the
fifth minute when Easts' classy
young five-eighth George Gregan
was heavily concussed, Vikings
scored two tries, one by centre Nick
Scrivener and the other by winger
Vaughn Crowe.
Vikings' full-back Andrew Apps
kicked two penalty goals and con
verted Crowe's try from the sideline.
Vikings led 5-0 at half-time.
Gregan was held up in a tackle by
Vikings with Easts on attack and it
appeared that one of his team-mates
crashed into him as he went to
ground.
Scrivener had already registered
first points for Tuggeranong when it
won a scrum on the 22m line after
just three minutes. Vikings went to
wards centre field with the maul and,
as the ball was won, Todd Louden at
half, dashed back to the left just as
Scrivener swept past him. Louden
weighted the pass perfectly and
Scrivener-was well on his way to the
line despite the attentions of Easts'
defenders.
The injury to Gregan came almost
immediately after he had injected
himself into the game with a
high-speed mn straight through the
Vikings' defence to the 22m line.
The game was halted for many
minutes as Gregan was treated and
i
Picture: COLLEEN PETCH Easts' rugby union five-eighth George Greaan is tended to by Vikings' second-grader Dr Richard Lendon at Manuka yesterday as Easts' trainer Archie Vanderglas signals for a stretcher. Help
Picture: COLLEEN PETCH
Easts' rugby union five-eighth George Greaan is tended to by
Vikings' second-grader Dr Richard Lendon at Manuka yesterday as
Easts' trainer Archie Vanderglas signals for a stretcher.
then stretchered off (he was later
found to have suffered a fracture be
hind his left car).
The break took the early promise
out of the match and it plodded
along towards half-time with Vikings
in complete control through the line
out dominance of locks Craig Swee
ney and captain Steve Moore.
Vikings should have had more
points but for Easts' scrambling de
fence.
Easts' coach Charlie Bamford, in
what turned out to be his last half
time address before he retired, must
have had some very good advice for
his line-out men. They turned a 21-5
drubbing at half-time into an almost
respectable 26-14 full-time count.
The final try by Crowe flattered
Vikings.
Vikings hoisted the ball into the
Easts' quarter as the final whistle
went. The ball ran along the touch
line refusing to leave the field as
Easts' winger Gordon Scott escorted
it towards his try line. Finally, his
desperate attempt to hack it out went
terribly wrong and he pushed it into
the in-goal. Crowe could not believe
his luck and dived on the ball for the
try.
The look of despair on Scott's face
and the amazed elation on Crowe's
told the story of Easts' day.
Penalties and free kicks went to
Vikings 14-10, as did the scrums
17-13.
Louden was the best on the field
for Vikings, with many good options
that weren't taken by his back line.
Hooker Marty Bowen had more runs
with the ball than a hooker is entitled
to and toiled effectively at the mauls.
? THE preliminary finals next Sat
urday will be between University
and Vikings in all grades. Easts drew
seconds 6-6 with Uni (Uni was
higher on the table and goes forward
to next week), lost 0-3 in thirds, also
to University, and Vikings complet
ed Easts' misery by winning 11-0 in
fourths.
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