Dumped Wallaby lock Will Skelton has made an eventful return to the National Rugby Championship, spending time in the sin bin, scoring a try and making several bullocking runs in Sydney Stars’ 37-all draw with Canberra Vikings at Leichardt Oval in Sydney.
His start to the round 5 match was similar to Will Genia’s Brisbane City debut a fortnight ago, when he was yellow carded within the first 15 minutes.
But Skelton made up for his earlier indiscretion with a try that levelled scores at 29-all with 15 minutes to play.
After JP Smith crossed for the Vikings and Jesse Mogg converted from the sideline, the Vikings looked as though they would leave Leichardt with the four points.
But a try on the siren under the posts to the Stars handed the cellar-dwellers their first points of the season.
Elsewhere, Melbourne Rising opened up a nine point gap on top of the ladder with a 37-16 win over the second placed NSW Country Eagles at Orange.
It took 20 minutes for the competition leaders to open their account but three quick tries in the second quarter of the match opened up a 24-8 half-time lead.
An early second half try to Telusa Veainu – his seventh of the campaign – put the game to bed with 30 minutes to play, with the Eagles only adding one try, to Andrew Kellaway, in the final 40 minutes.
The Eagles’ loss leaves them with a 3-2 record after they started with three successive wins. The opportunity to break away from Brisbane City on the NRC ladder – who have the bye this week – has been missed.
On Thursday night, Queensland Country secured their first win of 2014 with a 24-13 win over Greater Sydney Rams at Ballymore.
It was a hard, gritty affair in front of another solid Ballymore crowd, as Country props Haydn Hirsimaki and Greg Holmes dominated at scrum time, with the Rams being penalised five times for scrum indiscretions across the 80 minutes.
Country fullback JJ Taulagi was awarded man of the match for his line-bending runs and match-winning try with seven minutes to play.
In Saturday’s late match, North Harbour Rays leapfrogged Perth Spirit into seventh spot on the ladder with an enthralling 32-29 win at Brookvale Oval.
Bustling No. 8 Sam Ward bagged a hat-trick for the Rays, as they claimed their second win in as many weeks.
Smiggle Jiggle
Roar Guru
His not a prop, and I'm sure they can last 80mins if required.
Kilbongteb
Guest
He is already more than a decent player
Mike
Guest
Who is not being humble? and why are you so fixated on a single kick - a thousand things could have changed the course of that game, not just one kick. the fact is that Tahs came top of the S15 table and then beat an extremely good team in a very close final. they are just as worthy as any other S15 title winner.
Chivas
Guest
Really, so he 135kg of hard muscle and bone. So his point of difference is his weight... maybe he should eat more chips and burgers, then he will have a real point of difference. The fattest and slowest.... but he has soft hands :-)
PiratesRugby
Guest
Poor Will Skelton. Never have so many, barracked so hard for someone so big who has done so little. He may one day become a good Test player. He's keen and he's had some success with the Tahs and the WBs. Does anyone seriously believe that Link is declining to use him for any other reason than he's not ready yet? The constant scrutiny over his development can't be good for him. There are plenty of young players out there who are also coming along really well. Sean McMahon comes to mind. Fortunately, his development is not surrounded by constant speculation over why he isn't in the Test team yet.
Stu. B.
Guest
While we are so often referring to winning a super title lets not forget the penalty that won the title,the ref apologised for his mistake.Re run the video from where the penalty was originally issued then add the 50 cm the ball was moved forward and look at how the kick cleared the back of the bar by 40 cm, In my honest opinion we should be a little more humble and refer to this win a little less, also I will add every super team next season will be wide awake and hunting a tahs scalp.
Stu. B.
Guest
Well if the boy hasn't 15 kgs to drop had best start looking for a bigger turbo charged motor,throwing bodies around for 8-12 mins per test match will not cut the mustard at this level,
Jameswm
Guest
He doesn't have 15kgs to drop. If he did, he'd lose his point of difference. It's not a question of weight, it's a question of fat levels and fitness.
Jameswm
Guest
How many prope have played 80 this year? It's why you have 5-6 forwards on the bench, almost a spare forward pack.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
The amount of attention this chap receives verges on the farcical.
Schuey
Guest
Wonder how hard the Tahs worked to get him?
Farthing
Guest
Where have u seen him? Has he been playing for anyone?
Chan Wee
Guest
if he was in the bin , that is like 60 , isn't it ? :D
Brett McKay
Expert
They haven't updates the official table Kunming, but it will read the same as this when they do: https://twitter.com/BMcSport/status/513552317459599360
Chivas
Guest
Does that mean if he loses weight he will go downhill?
Chivas
Guest
I told my gf that.... It didn't go down well
Ken Stewart
Guest
He is too fat when he drops 15 kilos and gets more aerobic fitness he could be come a descent player.
Squirrel
Guest
Won't be long for these 4,5,6 get dropped for impersonating a wallaby and then the power of Skelton gets a fair go. Tahs won the S15 ffs.
kunming tiger
Guest
Where is the points table?
jeznez
Roar Guru
By scoring with 15 to play he must have gone close to at least 70 in this game.