NSW Country Rugby Union

           Cockatoos Pipped in Cliff Hanger

The GrainCorp NSW Country Cockatoos opened their 2011 representative season with a heart breaking 41 – 38 loss to the ACT Griffins.

The match was played as the curtain raiser to the Brumbies v Western Force SupeRugby match at Canberra Stadium on Sunday, 17 April 2011.



In a seesawing match the Cockatoos dominated the first half to set up a commanding 31 – 14 halftime lead which had them well on the way to registering back to back victories over the Griffins.

The second half was a complete turnaround, with the Griffins taking over where the Cockatoos left off to score twenty seven points to seven and hold out for victory.

A sensational converted try from the kick off by debutant winger Tim Walton in the first ten seconds of the match saw the Cockatoos take a seven point lead after a minute of play.

The Cockatoos continued to have the Griffins on the back foot, and after nine minutes the lead was increased to 10 nil via a penalty goal, and then 17 nil in the twelfth minute when fullback David Kennedy crossed for a converted try.

The Griffins managed to settle the play down and work play into the Cockatoos’ half, and after mounting pressure they were rewarded when centre Matt Hawke crashed through several attempted tackles to score a converted try to make the score 17 – 7.

Play continued to flow up and down the field, and it was the Griffins who were rewarded in the twenty eighth minute when a quick tap was taken from a penalty and fullback Yuji Ito gathered in a flick pass to score a converted try to narrow the score-line to 17 – 14.

The remainder of the half was dominated by the Cockatoos, and their efforts were rewarded in the last five minutes of the half when winger Chris Jack regathered a chip kick to score, and half back Tom Hollis sliced through a gap to score.  Both these tries were converted and the Cockatoos went to the break with a handy 31 – 14 lead.

The second half opened with the Griffins attacking strongly and after four minutes halfback Tom Marshall snapped a field goal, and then seven minutes later he charged down a clearing kick to score a converted try and the score was 31 – 24.

A string of penalties against the Cockatoos had them on the back foot, and the Griffins were keen to keep the ball in the Cockatoos’ half with kicks to both corners of the field.

The continued pressure started to take its toll which saw handling lapses start to creep into the Cockatoos’ play, and after forcing a knock on in the Cockatoos twenty two the Griffins’ five eight Simon Uphill sliced through for an unconverted try to close the score to 31 – 29.

The Cockatoos were finding it hard to get out of their half, and when they did they either turned the ball over or were penalised by the referee.

A twelve point scoring spree in the space of six minutes which saw replacement lock Matt Hirst cross for a converted try and winger Vili Longi score a try took the Griffins out to a 41 – 31 lead with fifteen minutes left on the clock.

The Cockatoos refused to give up and after finally working play into the Griffins half centre Sam Stewart backed up a great run by flanker Ben Colley to race twenty five metres to score a converted try and close the score-line to 41 – 38 with five minutes left on the clock.

The last five minutes again saw the Cockatoos pinned in their own half, with the Griffins content to slow the play down and run down the clock to hold out for victory.

The Cockatoos as team all played well, with the standout players being Flanker Ben Colley and Centre Sam Stewart who shared the Player’s Player Award.

The GrainCorp NSW Country Cockatoos will play the GrainCorp Queensland Country Heelers in the curtain raiser to the Reds v Waratahs SupeRugby match at SunCorp Stadium on Saturday, 23 April 2011.

ACT Griffins 41 (6 Tries, 4 Conversions & Field Goal)

Defeated

GrainCorp NSW Country Cockatoos 38 (Tom Hollis, Chris Jack, David Kennedy, Sam Stewart & Tim Walton Tries, David Kennedy 5 Conversions & Penalty Goal)