BACKS LEAD THE WAY FOR TABLE-TOPPING SOAKS

Associates showed their competition lead is no fluke with a slick, impressive 52-23 win over an improved, energetic University team at Allen Park in Friday night's rugby club competition match of the round, sponsored by KWIK Transport and Crane Hire.

University didn't lack possession, impressing in the scrum although they had a few jitters in the lineout, and they competed strongly in the loose. Neither did they lack commitment, giving 100 per cent for the full eighty minutes. Their major problem was a defence that bordered on theoretical at times, and they lacked what Soaks had in spades -- confidence, combination and polish.

Soaks' first few tries were opportunistic rather than structured, leading 21-6 at half time a little against the run of play, and their lapses of discipline could be exploited by more experienced teams. But in the second half they showed they are genuine finalists, running in tries with electrifying combinations between a talent-stacked back line and a capable forward pack.

Associates back line is an attacking unit that other potential finalists will neglect at their peril. Centre pairing Tukia Muli and Nathan Cummins are as good as anything in the competition, and halfback Justin Turner, flyhalf Matt Dreyer and fullback Zac Holmes are all enterprising, dangerous runners. Soaks regular Charlie Norcross and Darren van Wyk on the wings cap off a slick, skilled unit. The absence of Force flyhalf Scott Daruda was barely noticeable.

University powered into the opening minutes and fullback Wynston Cameron-Dow kicked a penalty for holding on after three minutes.

The game continued at a cracking pace with both teams running the ball from all quarters but the lights didn't help with handling and few scoring opportunites materialised until 16 minutes in. Uni threw a stray pass over their 22 and Dreyer snapped it up, shooting onto attack and passing inside to blindside flanker Jason Missen for a try beside the posts. Veteran goal-kicking prop Damien Elton converted the sitter and the home team grabbed a 7-3 lead.

Soaks struck again after 23 minutes when Cummins stole Uni's ruck ball on Soaks' 22 and sprinted blind over the half way. A phase later the ball went wide and Holmes cut through for a try out wide. Elton slotted the difficult conversion and Soaks led 14-3.

Uni replied after 27 minutes with an angled penalty goal to Cameron-Dow and continued to compete energetically for possession despite Soaks increasingly dominating territory.

Associates hammered Uni's line in the final ten minutes of the half with a long series of attacking lineouts and scums, flanker Tristan Winnall eventually breaking through the midfield to score under the bar shorlty before half time. Elton completed the formalities as Soaks took charge, but in the final moments the team lost veteran hooker Adam New to the sin bin after joining a fracas that developed from a head high tackle, and the home team took a 21-6 lead into the break.

Uni lifted to gain parity in territory early in the second spell and Soaks helped with further discipline problems. Then from a penalty lineout after ten minutes, Uni flanker Jeremy Smith shot blind from the ensuing ruck and crashed over for a try out wide, the visitors trailing 21-11.

Uni's good work was undone five minutes later when Cummins picked up the ball from the base of a ruck on Uni's 22 and shot through non-existent Uni defence untouched to score beside the post.

Elton failed to convert but virtually from the kick off Dreyer sped wide, dragging a tackler over the line to score in the same place, and this time Elton's kick was good. Uni's brief rally was clinically extinguished 33-11. Soaks stayed on attack, running width of the field movements with quick, accurate support play, Van Wyk scoring out wide after 27 minutes to finish a long series of phases.

But Uni stayed in the fight, wrestling back downfield for a try to halfback Matt Shaw on the half hour to trail 38-16.

It hardly slowed the Soaks machine, Turner diving over under the bar from a free kick two minutes later, and Elton converting the difficult goal kick.

Again Uni took the game to the home side, inside centre Lloyd Johnson regularly making inroads in the midfield, and lock Tim Carslaw charged over from a tap penalty 37 minutes in, trailing 45-23.

But Uni remained their own worst enemies, a defence vacuum allowing Turner to again slip through untouched from a scrum 15 mteres out, and Elton converting just before full time for the 52-23 win.

At Thompkins Park, Palmyra's astonishing 2009 revival suffered its first setback, losing 17-15 to a determined Cottesloe team.

Seagulls fullback Dave Cloete finished off a see-saw final stanza with a penalty goal on the bell to steal the game, after the home side led 12-9 at half time.

http://rugbywa.com.au/news/article,55716.html