Sunnybank swat GPS away
GPS provided target practice for reigning Premiers Sunnybank as the Dragons test fired their big guns in the Trinity Queensland Premier Rugby semi-final.
Ahead 43-5 at halftime, Sunnybank eased off in the second half to win 57-10.
The Dragons came from third place last year to sweep all before them on their match to the Premiership and served notice they were primed for a repeat performance in 2008.
GPS had fought and scrapped all second round to get to the semi-finals, but had nothing to trouble Sunnybank, who scored at better than a point a minute in the first half and even managed to create overlaps when playing one man down with centre Ben Lucas yellow carded over a first half altercation.
Wings Digby Ioane and Junior Sovala were always looking for work and were rewarded for their industry with two tries each, while flyhalf Ben Gollings finished with a personal tally of 17 points.
GPS coach Mick Heenan said Sunnybank were a class above his side.
"Sunnybank were just too good for us today. There's not much to say: I think it was fairly clear by the scoreboard," Heenan said.
"You don't need to give Sunnybank an invitation because they'll take it every time.
"I reckon they'll be hard to stop this year."
Sunnybank coach Roy Saunders said they knew beforehand the game would be won and lost in the first 20 minutes, which is when the Dragons streaked out to a 24-0 lead.
He was particularly pleased that five of their tries came from the outside backs, "which is what you want to see".
Ominously, Saunders said Sunnybank would look to improve on their impressive display.
"You can always improve. There's still work to do at the breakdown (and) our go-forward can be better," he said.
Sunnybank 57 (Digby Ioane 2, Junior Sovala 2, John Dart, Ewan McGregor, Ben Lucas, Richard Kingi, Ben Gollings tries, Gollings 6 con) d GPS 10 (James Kite, Donovan Slade tries).
Additional reporting by Evan Shay
