Navy Canberra Vikings fall in pre-season trial

[no.8]

The Navy Canberra Vikings have fallen to the Western Sydney Rams, 28-10, in their Mazda Australian Rugby Championship (ARC) trial match at Viking Park tonight.

The Rams led from start to finish scoring four tries to one; Rams flyhalf Ben Martin was impressive with the boot, kicking four goals from as many attempts.

The Navy Canberra Vikings take on the Melbourne Rebels in their Mazda ARC season opener at Manuka Oval on Saturday 11 August.

MAZDA AUSTRALIAN RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP TRIAL

WESTERN SYDNEY RAMS 28

Tries: Benn Robinson, Tom Egan, Lachlan Turner, Hugh Perrett

Conversions: Ben Martin 4/4

NAVY CANBERRA VIKINGS 10

Tries: Solomona Fainifo

Conversions: Matt Carraro 1/1

Penalty Goals: Matt Carraro 1/1

At Viking Park, Canberra

Half Time: Western Sydney Rams 14-3

Referee: Brett Bowden

The Navy Canberra Vikings have gone down to the Western Sydney Rams, 28-10, in their Mazda Australian Rugby Championship pre-season trial at Viking Park tonight.

The Rams capitalised on a 14-3 half-time lead, scoring four tries to one with flyhalf Ben Martin kicking four conversions from as many attempts.

Navy Canberra Vikings head coach Nick Scrivener said the trial was a learning experience for his players under the new law variations.

“I think we probably struggled to match the intensity of the opposition at times, particularly for the guys who hadn’t played under any new laws,” he said. “From that point of view it was a bit of an eye-opener but that was one of the things we wanted to take out of the trial.

“We had some pretty ordinary one-on-one misses, they scored some good long-range tries and we put down three passes on or near the tryline which was disappointing. But our main goals were to get a feel for what the new laws are about and finish the match injury-free, we’ve taken that first step and now we’re ready to go for the first match against the Rebels next week.”

The Rams drew first blood when prop Benn Robinson took advantage of 10 minutes of sustained pressure in the Vikings’ half. The Waratahs prop charged on to a short, well-timed Josh Holmes pass five metres from the Vikings’ line. Martin converted from adjacent to the uprights to extend the lead to seven after 15 minutes.

The Vikings responded eight minutes later with a Matt Carraro penalty goal after Rams No.8 Tom Egan denied the home side a certain five-pointer when he chased down Vikings winger Eddie McLaughlin 10 metres from the line.

After finding room down the Vikings right hand side, Rams winger Filipo Toala was denied a try after being bundled into touch by the Vikings combination of Eddie McLaughlin and Pauliasi Taumoepeau. However, the defensive effort was in vain as Egan charged over from the back of a Rams scrum five metres out and four minutes before the break. Martin’s conversion rounded out the 14-3 half-time score.

The players had barely taken the field in the second term when Fa’atonu Fili again found room down the left hand side before sending express fullback Lachlan Turner on a 25-metre, uninterrupted run to the tryline. Martin converted five metres in from the sideline to afford his side an 18-point buffer.

Egan was again involved in the 53rd minute when he combined with replacement scrumhalf David Rimmer from a midfield scrum to put Hugh Perrett away for the Rams fourth try. Martin maintained his flawless record, converting from 10 metres to the right of the posts.

The Vikings managed a lone try in the 60th minute when replacement winger Solomona Fainifo found himself on the end of a Navy Canberra Vikings overlap, to dive over in the corner. Carraro completed an impeccable night for the kickers with his sideline conversion.

The Navy Canberra Vikings will host the Melbourne Rebels at Manuka Oval in their Mazda ARC season opener on Saturday, 11 August. Kick off is at 2.30pm.

MATCH DETAILS
Western Sydney Rams (Benn Robinson, Tom Egan, Lachlan Turner, Hugh Perrett tries; Ben Martin 4 conversions) 28 defeated Navy Canberra Vikings 10 (Solomona Fainifo try; Matt Carraro conversion, penalty goal) at Viking Park.
Referee: Brett Bowden
Half time: Western Sydney Rams 14-3

[Evie]

... Rams No.8 Tom Egan denied the home side a certain five-pointer when he chased down Vikings winger Eddie McLaughlin 10 metres from the line.

That would have been a fair effort by Egan, Eddie is very speedy.

A lot of the Vikings first stringers were rested or injured, so the result doesn't surprise me. It will be a fairly different team that takes on the Rebels next weekend.