Eagles grounded by Royals

Royals flyhalf Craig McMahon drills home a conversion against Gungahlin

The Royals have marched into the preliminary final after an entertaining 40-24 win over a brave Gungahlin Eagles side today at Viking Park.

Despite dominating territory and possession for extended periods of the match, the Eagles failed to convert their chances and were in trouble early after a try in just the fourth minute to Royals flanker and 2008 Macdougall Medallist Sokai Tai.

There were expectations of a try fest and Gungahlin soon locked the scores up, with outside centre Tevita Halaifonua dummying and stepping his way through the defence just four minutes later. 

After such a frenetic start to proceedings, both sides settled and the game developed into a thrilling arm wrestle, with Royals flyhalf Craig McMahon slotting a penalty goal for a 10-7 advantage. 

Halaifonua again proved hard to stop shortly after, but some committed defence out wide stopped what had looked like a certain try.

Royals were holding on and their work without the ball had given them the ascendency.  Their work with ball in hand, however, was even more irresistible as Jason Swain finished off a sharp move in the left hand corner for a commanding 17-7 score line. 

Both sides were leaking linebreaks on their right edges and again Halaifonua nearly powered his way over the line in the twenty-fifth minute. 

However, it would be Royals who would score next when yet another Gungahlin infringement close to their line led to another straightforward Craig McMahon penalty goal.

Soon after a similar bust over on the left hand touchline was the catalyst for Royals hooker Robbie Abel to scoot down a short blindside and blow the score out to 22-10.

Royals were living on rations of possession but continued to thrive on the scoreboard and just as it appeared the Phillip boys would crack under the blowtorch, the Eagles continually turned the ball over, eventually culminating in another McMahon three-pointer and a handy 25-10 half-time ledger.

With their season on the line, Gungahlin stepped up a notch early in the second half and weren’t to be denied when big prop Derek Leefe strolled over under the sticks to cut the margin to eight. 

Smart lead-up work led to other near-try just moments later, but another infringement in the ruck ruined the chance.   Just as in the first half, Gungahlin had all the ball at the business end of the field but mistakes were killing their confidence and only brilliant goal-line defence stopped prop Eugene Mulipola from sealing the result at the sixty minute mark.

The Royals remained patient and took a rare opportunity with a scintillating backline play that saw AJ Abel score a brilliant try out wide.  McMahon was unable to nail the conversion, but his side looked home at 30-17 with ten minutes left on the clock. 

Fans had barely caught their breath from the last passage of play when Gungahlin No.8 Ben McGee set up a grandstand finish with his five-pointer of his own to reduce the deficit at 30-24. 

Class under duress was required and the in-form Royals delivered and booked their place in next weekend’s preliminary final when Swain dotted down for try number two as they again sliced through down the left hand side after some excellent lead-up work from prop Kesomi Lolotonga and fullback Ben Johnson. 

Matt Hogan acted out his team’s sizeable frustrations with three minutes to go when he received a yellow card for a late, high tackle on Royals scrumhalf Brent Hamlin. McMahon coolly kicked the ensuing penalty for a 40-24 final score.

Royals will face off against Easts in Saturday’s Preliminary Final for a shot at the defending Champions, Queanbeyan, in the grand final.

Royals 40 (Jason Swain 2; Tim Cornforth, Sokai Tai, Robbie Abel tries; Craig McMahon 3 conversions, 3 penalty goals) defeated Gungahlin 24 (Derek Leefe, Ben McGee, Tevita Halaifonua tries; Daniel Callaghan 3 conversions, penalty goal) at Viking Park

Other grades:

Reserve Grade: Tuggeranong 39 defeated Wests 25
Colts: Uni-Norths 64 defeated Wests 10
Third Grade: Gungahlin 31 defeated Royals 13
Fourth Grade: Royals 56 defeated Uni-Norths 15
Women: Queanbeyan 21 defeated Tuggeranong 13