Risdon Cup fixtures were put on hold over the weekend for the South Queensland Championships that were held in Dalby.
Representative sides from the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Darling Downs regions, travelled to Dalby to battle it out for the South Qld title.
On Friday night our Darling Downs Colts (U19s) took on the Sunshine Coast Colts. The Downs boys started exactly how they didn’t want to, falling off tackles with a lack of line speed and plenty of unforced handling errors saw Sunshine Coast score two tries within 10 minutes to make the score 12-0.
After regrouping and starting over the boys found their form and rhythm, fighting back to make the score 12-7 at the halftime break. The crucial 10 minutes after halftime was a nightmare for Downs and exactly like the first half Sunshine Coast made our boys pay for it quickly making the score 22-7. Our boys tried to fight back again but it was too little too late Sunshine Coast walking away with the win 22-14 in Dalby.
After the Colts game finished it was time for the seniors to kick off. Sunshine Coast men had all the field position in the first half camped on the Downs try line. Sunshine Coast were throwing everything at them and to our boys' credit their character showed and soon enough Darling Downs had weathered the storm as both sides went to the break nil-all.
Sunshine Coast came out in the second and quickly piled on a penalty kick, followed by a try five minutes later to make the score 8-0. But that was the end of Sunshine Coast as Downs showed their class and played exciting running rugby scoring four tries in the second half to take the win 24-8 over Sunshine Coast in Dalby.
On Saturday, both Downs sides had a day to recover as Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast battled it out. The Sunshine Coast Colts were all class against Gold Coast and walked away with the Colts South Qld Title with two wins beating Gold Coast 46-15.
Gold Coast seniors were too good for Sunshine Coast playing a very territorial game of rugby and with great field position the side was able to play an exciting brand of attacking rugby and walked away with a 31-17 victory.
The last day of the fixtures were played on Sunday as our Downs boys were ready to take on the Gold Coast Sides. The Colts kicked off at 1pm and came out firing as they had a point to prove, the Colts forwards stepped up and really out powered the Gold Coast boys as Downs continued to march up the field through simple pick and drives and pods of the halfback. This front football gave the backs plenty of time and space who ran around and through the Gold Coast boys all game. As the Downs Colts recorded their first win 43-19 over Gold Coast to finish second in the competition.
It was time for the seniors to kick off, in what was set to be a big game with both sides walking away with wins against Sunshine Coast it was one win apiece. Gold Coast got an early penalty kick against the Downs to make the score 3-0 but that was where Gold Coast's scoring stopped for the remainder of the game, as Downs lifted and ran riot on Gold Coast shutting down any attacking plays that Gold Coast threw at them.
Downs quickly turned defence into attack as they ran in a number of tries. Downs outside centre Harry Hawker scored a double and got his side to a 23-3 victory over Gold Coast, as Downs seniors left Dalby with the South Qld title for the second year running.
