REPLAY: Day 1 of the 2024 Australian Rugby Shield has wrapped up on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
Queensland Country and NSW Country celebrated early sweeps across the men’s and women’s field while ADFRU and ACT & SNSW also enjoyed Wednesday wins.
Scroll down for full match replays and key talking points from each game:
Black Falcons clipped by Defence Force fightback
SA Black Falcons Men 27 (Nakarawa 2, Vi tries; Wilkes 3 con; Wilkes 2 pen) def by ADFRU Men 36 (Wanstall 2, Stone, Cochrane, Smith tries; Muller 4 cons, Muller pen)
A late double to Conor Wanstall has seen the Australian Defence Force men snatch victory from South Australia on Day 1.
Black Falcons ace Pita Nakarawa opened the scoring before ADFRU rallied to build a 19-14 lead at oranges.
Nakawara’s second after half time looked to shoot SA clear alongside a pair of Ed Wilkes penalty goals but ADFRU had other ideas with Wanstall bagging a final quarter brace to clip the Black Falcons’ wings.
Orchids collar Kelpies in Queensland derby
QLDC Orchids 14 (Johnston 2 tries; Harris 2 cons) def QSRU Kelpies 5 (Pienaar try)
A fiery start from hosts Queensland Country proved enough to hold of their Suburban rivals on Field 2.
Anna Johnston crossed twice for the Orchids with Shannon Harris’ unerring boot pushing her side ahead 14-0 at half time.
Kelpies flanker Alecia Pienaar managed to claw back a try to give Suburban a late sniff but it was too little too late as Queensland Country took control to grind out a nine-point win on home soil.
Cockatoos fly high against Subbies
NSW Country Cockatoos 57 (Beach 4, Hubbard, Sinoti, Gibbon, Hobbs, Quigley tries; Grant 6 cons) def QSRU Subbies 10 (Cunningham try; Niupopo con; Niupopo pen)
NSW Country have stamped their early claim to the men’s Shield with a nine-try thrashing of Queensland Suburban on Day 1.
Dubbo Roos winger Tim Beach stole the show with a four-try haul but it was the Cockatoos heavy ball carriers who laid the platform against a brave Subbies outfit with Tumua Cunningham crossing after half time to give the Queenslanders some joy.
Kestrels clinch flock-buster against wasteful Falcons
ACT & SNSW Kestrels 17 (Turnbull 2, Brewer tries; Edwards con) def SA Black Falcons Women 14 (Tangitau, Giannikouris tries; Kelly, Cousins cons)
South Australia were left to rue a slow start and missed opportunities late as ACT & SNSW opened their 2024 account with a narrow win.
The Kestrels led 12-0 early but couldn’t shake the dogged Black Falcons, who cut the margin to five at half time before Zoe Giannikouris’ try sparked life to the contest.
However, it wasn’t to be for South Australia who butchered multiple chances late, including a penalty goal attempt to tie score with four minutes remaining.
Queensland Country bring Jackies to Heel
QLDC Heelers 62 (Bezombes, Ford, Loughnan, Curran, Salee, Hansson, Johnston, Ronavuso, Wigan, Kautai tries; Mason 4, Davison 2 cons) def TAS Jack Jumpers 7 (Lovell try; Kazarine con)
Hosts Queensland Country made short work of a brave Tasmanian side in their ten-try opening rout.
The Jackies fought until the end with a popular 60th minute try but were outclassed across the park with the Heelers’ lineout and defensive line speed causing headaches all afternoon.
Missed tackles also cruelled the Tasmanians with Queensland Country benefitting from soft shoulders to rack up their half century.
Defending champs Corellas corral Defence
NSWC Corellas 31 (Walklate, Duff, Miller, Winsor tries; Colman 3, Walklate cons, Colman pen) def ADFRU Women 7 (Tijou try, Marshall con)
Defending women’s Shield holders NSW Country rounded out the day’s proceedings with a clinical four-try performance over ADFRU.
A fast start saw the Corellas lead 14-0 after just 20 minutes before Defence struck back through Stella Tijou.
NSW Country, however, were always in control of this one with Teagan Miller and Callie Winsor bagging second-half tries.
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