Young Eagles "out-enthuse" Souths

A young and spirited Norths outfit have won their opening Trinity Premier Rugby clash, defeating Souths 29-15 at Shaw Park.

The match opened at a cracking pace with both sides displaying good ball movement, but it was Australian Sevens representative Blair Connor who opened the scoring with a 30 metre dash to the try line.

Souths Anthony Ongoles put the visitors on the board with a try under the posts but the conversion was unsuccessful, leaving Souths trailing 10-5 at the break.

A piece of individual brilliance from Connor, a QAS Reds Academy player who shone in last year's Australian Rugby Championship, led to Jesse Mogg scoring in the corner off a well-executed scrum play to increase Norths' lead to 20-8.

Souths struck back minutes later with a try to debutant fullback Rhys Meredith to set the game up for an exciting finish, but ill-discipline and missed opportunities haunted the visitors, with Norths' Matt Petersen slotting three long range penalty goals to secure the win.

Norths Coach Chris Roche was delighted with the victory against what he describes as a very good Souths team.

“We had a particular style that we wanted to play and the boys seemed to achieve that with what was a real team effort,” Roche said.

“We have had a bunch of guys come up from the colts that are real competitors individually and collectively, where in the past we have had positions where we have been really light, but now we can put out a team across the park that is competitive.

“It’s been a five year plan and it seems to be, touch wood, at this point going okay.”

Roche was delighted with the team effort shown throughout the match.

“I don’t want to single anybody out as that was a real team effort.  You couldn’t beat that Souths outfit any other way,” Roche said.

Souths Coach Dan McKellar said his side was out-enthused from the opening whistle and tipped Norths to win more games than they lose in 2008.

"We put a plan together to try and nullify how they play, but we just didn’t put it into action, unfortunately,” McKellar said.

“When we build pressure and maintain pressure we are as good a football team as any, but we aren’t maintaining possession or building pressure for any long period of time.

“In patches we showed what we can do, but patches just aren’t good enough.”

Norths 29 (B Connor, J Mogg tries, M Petersen 2 con, 5 pen) def Souths 15 (A Ongoles, R Meredith tries, R Meredith con, pen)

Reporting by Brendan Altadonna