NSW Country Cockatoos opened the scoring against Brumbies Provincial about seven minutes in and in fitting style on the Brumbies home patch – a driving maul from a lineout as they eventually soared to a 39-27 victory.
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Narrabri halfback Matt Schwager started the game while Pirates centre Jake Douglas played the last 15 minutes or so off the bench at inside
centre.
Schwager was involved in the lead-up to the first try too, kicking the ball into open space from a turnover and forcing Brumbies Provincial to scramble the ball into touch leading to a lineout around the 22.
From the ensuing play the Cockatoos earned a penalty, and from that they opted to go for the line and mauled their way over for a 5-nil lead.
It was a sign of what was to come with the Cockatoos forwards really muscling up and providing a lot of thrust.
“The forwards laid a good platform,” Schwager said.
“We were disappointed with that against Subbies.”
The backs had their moments too, with Sireli Bainvalu particularly lively out on the left wing, but it was the forwards who did most of the damage on the scoreboard.
Tuala really put his stamp on the game in the last five minutes of the first half as the Cockatoos kicked out to a 24-10 lead after the home side had levelled at 10-all with around 12 minutes to go.
First he set up winger Rapini Mason with a 40m burst off the back of the scrum.
Lurking out the wing he then played finisher after some enterprising interplay from the Cockatoos after the half-time siren.
After dominating the first five minutes of the second half drop off for 10 minutes or so they then dropped off and allowed the Brumbies to pull back to within nine with half an hour to go, but they switched back on after that and never looked like being run down.
Schwager said they always felt like they were in control, even though the Brumbies drew to within 12 with about 12 minutes to go.
“We did a few things a lot better,” he said.
“We got a lot cleaner ball and our line defence was a lot better.”
They also didn’t panic. When they got in their 22 they – for the most part – played good controlled football.
