Canberra Vikings vs Fijian Drua: NRC live scores

Thanks Fiji Drua, you will learn more from this loss then all the wins you had so far, look back at the preparation and the training you did this past week, that's where your downfall lays...back to the drawing board, regroup, re-analysis, remember they all watching your games inside out, so there's no harm for a double BLUFF phase. Keep the Faith DRUA!

A Brumbies back-row of Valetini-Pocock-Naisarani with Cusack as bench cover is looking distinctly likely.

Where did Cusack come from and is he wild eyed enough for Chekko to notice him ? There are a lot of promising players going around in the NRC and it must be the same with the coaches let's hope that none of them lose it by coming under the Kremlin like control of Chekko and Kaffo . Patience ; all the favouritism and BS will come to an end after the WC . In the mean time listen to your coach he will inveribly be better at making you a better player than Chekko and Co .

Pocock might need to win his Wallabies jersey back playing from the Brumbies bench.

Passing to a guy standing looking back at you! Maybe admire the use they've made of it, but Canberra has certainly had the rub of the ref.

Did Angus Gardner just call one of the players 'bro'? Hahaha

64th min and T.Cusack wins another breakdown turnover penalty. MASSIVE scrum penalty by Canberra about 5m from the Drua line. Complete opposite to the Fijian Drua scrum domination early in the game. Vikings player over the line but penalised for double movement. 67 mins: BIG run, right through the middle of the ruck by the #5 Filimoni Seru. Ball kicked through,Tom Banks does a nice run but then blots his good work with a forward forward. Fabulous run by the Drua #21 but foot into touch. 70mins: Canberra kick forward and again win a ruck turnover (#11 A.Muirhead steals the ball). Another ruck and the reserve prop Robbie Abel crashes over for another Canberra try. This is getting embarrassing to Fijian Drua. Missed conversion but who cares, its now 52-5.

That wasn't a forward pass, that was offside...he was already in front before the ball left the hand!

Is David Pocock playing disguised as Cusack?

That's true, and Gardner seemed to miss a knock-on by the Fijian #8 also.

51 mins. Now Fijian Drua get a couple of penalties and are hammering the Viking's line. The Canberra rush defence is smothering the Fijian attack before it can gather steam. Wow, Joel Pender looks like he has eaten a hell of a lot of meat pies. Lose 20 kg and he just might score a meat pie or two. Commentators say that 6 of the Fijian Drua have test match experience. 53 mins: Penalty to Fijian Drua after being held up over the line. Vikings defending for their lives and finally come away with the ball. Slowly work the ball up to about 35 m, quick ball to the left hand edge and a great run by Muirhead. Gets tackled but the big Robbie Abel simp,ly picks the ball up, runs 15m along the touchline and passes infield to Tom Banks (I think) for a really nice try. Converted and Canberra leads 42-5. 58 mins: and Tom Cusack wins a ruck penalty. He has been a real pest for the Fijian boys, attacking every ruck. I hope the WB #7 is watching. :) A couple quick phases, the Vikings attack on the right hand side, a nice kick through followed by three Canberra chasers. Tom Banks wins the race and another try. Not converted so its now 47-5. Fijian Drua is getting flogged.

Was any one of them ten or behind the line? Poor refereeing.

43 mins: And another meat pie for Tom Cusack, laid on by a nice run and pass by #14 Andrew Muirhead. The Caberra boys put on about 12 rucks with the ball. Watching the Vikings halfback, he was at every ruck and all his passes landed on the runner's chest. The only problem I can see is he doesn't seem to have a long pass. Canberra 28-Fijian Drua 5. 47 mins: Another penalty for a high shot and Canberra are agains pounding the Drua line. Lots of Pick of Go and the big prop Faalelei Sione gets his 2nd try of the match from 1m pick-n-go. Vikings now lead 35-5.

I'm at home watching it on the TV empire, mate, I had tennis and only got home from it when the match was 10 mins in. I'm really enjoying it but am not sure if the Vikings are playing very well or if the Drua are just not up to their usual form. That was a really good try to see though. Cusack is doing really well. Dargaville, Muirhead and Valetini are all impressing me also.

G'day Fionn, are you at the game or watching it on Emperor Palpatine's pay tv empire? Not a bad game of rugger, pretty fast and furious. The Fijian Drua seem to have shooters flying out of their line aiming at ball receivers running at the ball. Great tactic if you nail them but if they see you coming, good sides like Canberra will exploit the hole. James Dargaville and Andrew Muirhead got nice breaks from those shooters.

26 mins: Now Thomas Cusack, the big openside scores a captain's try near the posts. Canberra keeping it tight, harassing the Fijian Drua running with in-your-face defence and its working. Lots of errors by the Fijian boys so far. Canberra 21-Fiji 5. 30 mins: the #6 Rob Valetini steals a ruck ball 10 m out and saves his side. There is some heavy duty tackling here with lots of ball being lost in the big shots. Some scrappy play now, each team doing 5 odd runs then conspiring to lose the ball, then the other side has 4-5 runs and loses the ball. 35 mins: The Viking OC Andrew Robinson passes the ball to the nice lady in row 14 of the stands, now Fijian Drua almost score with captain John Stewart making big yards with some nice runs. Almost over the Canberra line and the ball is dropped. 39th min: Now I've seen everything; Canberra take a 22m kick, the Fijian bloke allows the ball to strike his legs, which promptly bounces forward off him allowing a Canberra chaser to fall on it.

Fantastic turnover tackle that!

The Drua's defensive spacing is really poor, too slow to realign, and too often they have Wallaby-esque shooters that just create gaping holes.

Not great from Tom Banks there

Canberra is doing a great job of absorbing the pressure then taking their chances. Basically doing to Fiji what Fiji did last week.