The Queanbeyan Whites have taken revenge on Uni-Norths Owls for their Round 4 defeat in style as the home side piled on a monster 55-14 point win over the since-winless Owls to cap off the their Old Whites Day celebrations.
The beginning of the fixture would prove to be an arm-wrestle for both sides as they seemed to be on complete even footing as they exchanged territory with no substantial advantage to either side.
Queanbeyan number nine Cullin Cooper-Jones would get his side on the scoreboard early through a 5th minute penalty goal for a narrow advantage.
Eli Sagala would however break the try drought in the 18th minute as the Queanbeyan Centre was able to find the line after collecting the ball at pace before wrestling the ball down despite Uni-Norths best efforts to hold him up.
Just 11 minutes later, Uni-Norths would finally open their scoring account after heavy possession in the Queanbeyan red-zone. With a slow ruck centimetres before the try-line Owls Polynesia Crichton would capitalise as the scrumhalf dove over the dogpile for a try. Converted by Samuel Toa Queanbeyan would lead 10-7 after 30 minutes of play, which would complete the scoring in the first half.
Coming out as strong as ever in-front of their Old Boys Day crowd, Queanbeyan would score in the 44th minute through the ever-consistent number eight Riley Turner making the most of a dominant Whites scrum within 10 metres of the Owls line.
However, Uni-Norths did not take the early jab lightly, launching their own early attack just two minutes later as they would camp themselves in Queanbeyan territory as the Owls were determined to pick and go for a try.Eventually they wore down the Whites just enough to create an opportunity for the crafty Polynesia Crichton to nab his second try of the afternoon as he wrapped himself around the ruck for the put-down. Converted by Toa the Whites held onto a narrow 17-14 lead with just over 30 minutes remaining.
The Whites would then begin a display of home dominance as they went onto score six unanswered tries for a fairy-tale ending to the match.
A scrum on halfway would still prove to be within scoring range for the Whites in the 50th minute as a backline shift to Jackson Stuart on the wing saw the speedster race away for a five-pointer in the right corner.
The man with the pinpoint boot Cooper-Jones would cross the line for a three-peat effort next in the 53rd, 66th and 69th minutes respectively. His first effort resulted from a short-ball putting Davea Teoteo through the defensive line untouched before the nine was there in support to happily complete the effort.
His next five-pointer was thanks to another dominant Queanbeyan scrum giving him an opportunity to show his class once again with a show and go which took him straight past Uni's defensive efforts.
Finally completing his three-peat, Cooper-Jones had his forwards to thank once again as his support running proved the difference, after Waisea Tudulu managed to find his way into some open space before handing off the Gilbert to his scrum-half for another try on the left side. Converting two of his three efforts Cooper-Jones would almost single-handedly extend his sides' lead to 43-14.
Jacob Church would then pick up a try-double with two long range efforts at the death of the match in the 78th and 80th minutes. His first effort followed a Whites scrum feed around the halfway mark, where a shift to Hudson Creighton would see him poke his nose through the Owls' defence before passing of the ball to Church who turned on the afterburners cruising away for his first try of the match.
Just two minutes later a loose ball bouncing around in Whites territory was toed on by fullback Nate Carrol which was looking for all money to go out of play until Creighton miraculously kicked the ball back in field to a determined Church still running in support which proved to be the difference in the final try of the match. Converting one of Church's efforts Carroll would take the final score to 55-14.
Queanbeyan Whites 55 (Tries: Eli Sagala, Riley Turner, Jackson Stuart, Cullin Cooper-Jones 3, Jacob Church 2; Conversions: Cullin Cooper-Jones 5, Nate Carrol; Penalty Goals: Cullin Cooper-Jones) def. Uni-Norths Owls 14 (Tries: Polynesia Crichton 2; Conversions: Samuel Toa 2)
