Competition leaders Nedlands turned on their own celebration with a sizzling 71-12 win over struggling Perth-Bayswater at Pat O'Hara Reserve on the home side's big Hundred Years of Perth Rugby weekend, in the RugbyWA club competition sponsored by KWIK Crane and Transport Hire.

The young, home-grown Perth team that has been quite competitive against quality opposition in recent weeks but any hopes that they would rise to the occasion by threatening the competition's number one team were quickly dashed as the Royal Blues ran tries in from all directions.

Perhaps the weight of expectation was too much for the young home side but their inexperienced back line had no answers to Nedlands' fluid attacking combinations and instinctive support play. The Perth forwards struggled for any sort of possession from the set pieces and while the home team had periods of attack, they managed few genuine threats although the loose trio of Jake Buist, Lance Hamilton and Dave Walshe had huge games against the odds.

Nedlands led 31-5 at half time after Perth-Bayswater restricted Nedlands to just 10-0 for the first half hour but once the flood gates opened there was no stopping the deluge.

Perth-Bayswater attacked with vigour to open the game but knocked on after five minutes over the half way line. Neddies attacked, spinning the ball wide where fullback Jake Stevens kicked ahead and regathered a helpful bounce to score close to the posts. Flyhalf Mike Denton converted for an early 7-0 lead to the competition leaders.

Neddies stayed on attack and Denton landed the second of two angled penalties for offside after 12 minutes to go ahead 10-0.

Nedlands camped in Perth's half, ruling the scrums and kicking for the corner for attacking lineouts, but suffered from ordinary hands in the face of desperate Perth defence.

The pressure had to tell but it wasn't until the 32nd minute that Neddies' forwards mauled up from a lineout and then sent the ball wide for wing Nic Stratford to score on an overlap. Denton converted and the visitors went ahead 17-0.

Perth-Bayswater made a rare foray into enemy territory as the half wound down and kicked for a corner lineout. The ball sped scross the field for a try in the corner to wing Nick Wybrow.

The sideline conversion missed but any hopes of revival faded as Neddies replied immediately when wing Alvin Lau caught high ball from a wayward clearing kick and ran up, handing out to Stevens for his second try, close to the posts.

Denton converted and Neddies went straight back on attack from the kick off, Denton shooting through indifferent defence to score beside the posts. He converted and the visitors took the 31-5 lead into the break.

Perth-Bayswater worked hard to open the second spell and put in ten minutes of solid but uninspiring attack before Neddies kicked clear, stole Perth's lineout and swept across field where number 8 Joe Egan broke down the blindside from a wide ruck to score in the corner. Denton converted from the sideline and Neddies took a 38-5 lead after 12 minutes.

Minutes later Nedlands were in again, pushing downfield from a penalty and swinging the ball wide for a 30 metre sideline sprint by reserve wing Paul Badham. Denton again booted a perfect sideline conversion as all of Perth's hard work of recent weeks was swallowed by a horribly familiar Royal Blue avalanche at 45-5.

Worse was to come as Perth lost captain and lock Kereopa Pirikahu to the sin bin after taking out a player in the air, and Stevens grabbed his hat trick try when he scored in the same corner from another enterprising attack. Denton slotted another sideline conversion and Nedlands hit the half century after 20 minutes.

Perth kept battling away to stem the tide but with little joy in the set pieces and limited penetration in attack they were forced to scramble and scrap for every bit of ball.

Neddies ran from everywhere and when Denton broke through confused defence over the half way line he had only to draw the last defender and hand on to fkanker Richie Naylor for a try under the bar. Denton converted the sitter to lead 59-5 with ten minutes to play.

Nedlands were relentless and wing Alvin Lau finished off another wave of attack that had the defence grasping at air, touching down beside the posts. Denton added the extras as the score mounted towards the embarrasing at 64-5.

Returned to the field, Pirikahu read his troops the riot act behind the goal line and they responded by tearing into the kick off and charging for the corner where experienced reserve prop Ash Murphy claimed the try. Reserve flyhalf Ethan Reed converted from out wide for a speck of respectability at 64-12 with five minutes on the clock.

Perth forged back on attack and thumped away at Neddies' line but Neddies kicked clear and moved play back downfield where reserve Jayden Scorringe took the ball up out wide and passed back in for a final try to Lau beside the posts. Denton converted the sitter for a 71-12 win as the ref blew full time several movements later.

In other games, Wests Subiaco caused the boilover of the round with a 29-24 upset of Kalamunda at Rosalie Park, Associates defeated Rockingham 30-13 at Lark Hill, Cottesloe and Palmyra staged a thrilling 22-22 draw at Harvey Field and Wanneroo managed a narrow 14-8 win over University at Kingsway.

by Rick Boyd

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