St. George Queensland Women's XV Through to Super W Grand Final

Sun, Mar 31, 2019, 1:00 AM
Reds Media Unit
by Reds Media Unit

The St.George Queensland Women’s XV have secured a second consecutive Super W grand final berth after overcoming the Brumbies 39-10 at Ballymore.

After the Brumbies pressured the Queensland defence for much of the first half, it was a dominant second-half that delivered the side victory, scoring four unanswered tries in the second stanza.

Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea and Millie Boyle were standout performers for the side, while vice-captain Lori Cramer bagged 12 points of her own.

The side will head south for the decider next week, when they meet NSW at Leichardt Oval in a replay of last year’s grand final.

Head coach Moana Virtue said: “Today’s match was a tale of two halves, we let the Brumbies dictate the pace of the game and we gave them too much possession.

“We addressed what areas we needed to improve at half time and the girls responded.

“The forwards were more direct and created opportunities for our backs, and as always, the reserves came on and changed the momentum of the game.

“We still have lots to improve on, but we’re excited to go through to the final and have another chance to play NSW. We have a big week of training ahead to ensure we’re ready.”

After they withstood an early attacking assault from the Brumbies, it was Queensland who crossed for the first points of the game with Lori Cramer running 40-metres through a slight gap in the visitors’ defence to find the line. Lavinia Gould converted to give her side a 7-nil lead after the opening 14 minutes.

Although the Brumbies continued to pressure their defensive line, Queensland added their second in the 33rd minute through Ivania Wong, who scored her sixth try of the season on the back of a draw and pass play by inside-centre Lefau-Fakaosilea. Cramer missed the difficult conversion from the left touch-line, the score 12-nil to the home side.

The Brumbies hit back on the stroke of half-time to lessen the deficit to five points, after Biola Dawa scored and Sammi Wood added the extras to make the score 12-7 as the sides headed into the sheds.

Queensland were reduced to 14 players in the opening stages of the second-half after Christina Sekona was yellow-carded for a high tackle in the 41st minute, but it didn’t faze the home side, who soon crossed for their third try through Alana Elisaia.

Elisaia received the ball close to the right sideline with work to do, before a diving effort secured the winger her sixth try of the season and a 17-7 lead for Queensland.

Cramer extended the lead to 13 in the 54th minute with a 37-metre penalty goal, before the Brumbies responded with a penalty of their own in the 57th minute through Wood to make the score 20-10 with half-an-hour of play remaining.

A bullocking Hana Ngaha run proved too much to stop for the Brumbies defence in the 62nd minute, as the prop charged over for her sides fourth try. Cramer again converted to put the Queenslander’s lead out to 27-10.

Millie Boyle continued Queensland’s dominant second half six minutes later, the lock powering her way through a horde of Brumbies defenders to take the score to 32-10, before Amy Turner crossed another five-pointer on the back of another Lefau-Fakaosilea break. Cramer slotted the conversion to seal a 39-10 win and a Grand Final berth for the Queenslanders.

The Queensland Women’s XV will face NSW in the Super W Grand Final next Sunday at Leichardt Oval, Sydney.

St.George Queensland Women’s XV 39 def (Tries: Cramer, Wong, Elisaia, Ngaha, Boyle, Turner Conversions: Gould, Cramer 2, Penalties: Cramer) Brumbies Women 10 (Tries: Dawa, Conversions: Wood, Penalties: Wood) at Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane, on March 31, 2019.

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