The Griffith Dragons ran down the University of Queensland Hounds in a super display of the Universities Rugby League Queensland competition at Suncorp Stadium last night.
The two sides were pitted as the main curtain raiser to the Broncos-Raiders NRL clash and didn’t let the early crowd down.
It was literally a game of two halves, with the Hounds taking control from the start before the Dragons stormed home to win 22-18.
The Hounds had won the early collisions and racked up three tries in the first 13 minutes to take a 14-0 lead.
Dean Bichel scored first before fullback Chris Hanson grabbed the first of his two tries.
Halfback Brendan Baker then put strong American import David Todd over.
The Dragons then wrestled back some field position, but it was all going the Hounds’ way, with Hanson snatching a grubber on his own line and racing the length of the field to make it 18-0 in the 27th minute.
Dragons’ half Jake Fahey gave his side a chance when he scored off a kick just before halftime.
The early part of the second half was an arm wrestle, but speedy Dragons’ winger Patrick Robinson dashed over with 17 minutes left.
Two tries in two minutes from big centre and the URLQ competition’s leading try scorer Hale Vaihu had the Dragons in front 22-18 with 12 minutes to go.
The Hounds had a chance to snatch it at the death, but the Dragons cleaned up a grubber kick on their own line as the fulltime siren sounded.
The win allowed the Dragons to join the Australian Catholic University, Queensland University of Technology and the Griffith Logan Redbacks, all tied on 11 competition points.
The competition will now cease for the mid-semester break and return on July 27.
In the interim, the Queensland Universities Residents side will be chosen to play their NSW equivalent at Coffs Harbour on July 16.
A trial for the Residents team for invited players will be held at Bishop Park on June 25 to select the final side.
GRIFFITH UNI DRAGONS 22 (Hale Vaihu 2, Patrick Robinson, Jake Fahey tries; Jesse Domic, Mason Clarke goals) defeated UNI OF QLD HOUNDS 18 (Chris Hanson2, Dean Bichel, David Todd tries; Brendan Baker goal) at Suncorp Stadium.
URLQ LADDER
11 points – ACU, QUT Trouts, Griffith Logan Redbacks, Griffith Dragons
9 points – Uni of Qld Hounds
7 points – Gold Coast Griffith Panthers
