• You are here:
• Premier Rugby /
• 2010 Premier Draw /
• University v Sunshine Coast

University triumphed 25-6 over the Sunshine Coast Stingrays at St Lucia for their first Premier Rugby win of the season.

Errors cost the Stingrays, who were trying to make it three wins in a row to start their campaign.

The Students dominated possession and were unlucky not have crossed the line more often.

University coach Mick Heenan was happy with his team’s performance, particularly in defence.

He said his side controlled the ball better than they did in their first round defeat to the Gold Coast Breakers.

 “We were patient today, maybe even too patient at times,” Heenan said.

“Last week it was the opposite, but the boys improved today. We controlled the ball very well.

“Defensively we were very good, you’d have to be happy to keep the Stingrays to six points after their first couple of games.”

It was a frustrating 80 minutes for the Sunshine Coast, who struggled with the basics throughout the game.

The Stingrays were on the back foot from the kick-off, conceding a penalty in the first minute directly under the uprights.

Sunshine Coast flanker Matt Blain said the Stingrays found it hard to recover after going behind early.

“We played catch-up footy the whole game and you can’t play footy like that,” he said.

“There is plenty we can take from the match, but there were just too many mistakes.”

The Stingrays best opportunity to score came in the first half with a break-away down the left wing, but University fullback Will Tuffley made a fantastic tackle to put the Stingrays attacker into touch.

University’s Luke Morahan was a constant worry for the Stingrays defence and was unlucky not have scored on the stroke of halftime with a brilliant run down the left wing.

He eventually broke through the Stingrays defence in the second-half to score his first Premier try of the season.

Stingrays coach Glen Panoho gave credit to University and said his team would have to prepare better for next week’s clash against Easts.

The Sunshine Coast failed to regain possession from any of their lineouts in the first half, something Panoho said they would have to work on.

“It was pretty bad – about as low as it gets from the lineout,” he said.

“We didn’t see any possession or field position. All round it was one of those games you have to move on from.”

Panoho said he expects teams to be fired up when they come up against the Stingrays, and his side will have to learn to prepare mentally for highly physical encounters.

“Uni really fought for this game better than we did. They were much more enthusiastic at the breakdown,” he said.

“You have to expect that. Teams probably looked at our first two games and thought we might have been a bit better than that.

“What they think now, who knows? (But) we can take positives from this game.”

University 25 (P Williams, H Tessman, L Morahan tries, J Lance, 2 cons, 2 pens) Stingrays 6 (T Bird, 2 pens)

Match report by Matt Grimson