For the second consecutive week a top of the table clash will headline the Queensland Premier Rugby competition with current leaders Brothers taking on defending Minor Premiers University on Saturday at Jack Ross Oval.
It’s shaping up to be an intriguing round six of the competition with five St.George Queensland Reds squad members preparing to take the field for their local club.
With the Wallabies Test series underway, Reds talents Eddie Quirk, Radike Samo, and Guy Shepherdson have all committed to their Premier Rugby teams this week, while Extended Playing Squad members Dallan Murphy and Kevin Davis face off in the table topping affair.
A bolstered University pack of Shepherdson and Davis will be pitted against playmaking connoisseur Dallan Murphy, who has been the instrumental force behind Brothers early form.
Brothers confirmed their outright lead on the table last week, narrowly downing then second-ranked GPS by four points to emerge as the only undefeated team remaining in the competition, the Galloper shifting back to third.
Despite losing to GPS the previous week, University proved their class against Sunnybank at the weekend where they incredibly came back from a 22-3 deficit to claim a ground-breaking 47-25 victory.
A captain’s knock from Tim Buchanan launched the Red Heavies comeback at the backend of the first half, before tight defence allowed them to claim the bonus-point win and second spot on the ladder—one point ahead of GPS and three points behind Brothers at the top.
But, with slow starts impeding the majority of their games this season, University will have to come out of the blocks firing against Brothers, who have proved apt frontrunners this season with the leading defensive record in the competition.
With Brothers and University set to battle, GPS will have the chance to level the win-loss score with the leaders this week when they take on the sixth-ranked Gold Coast at Yoku Road.
After suffering their first loss of the season last week to Brothers, GPS have shuffled their line-up for their encounter with the Breakers, shifting Reds number eight Radike Samo to lock while enduring flyhalf Pat Smith has been named at fullback as Sione Kite takes the playmaking role.
The Breakers suffered a disappointing 20-13 loss to the lower-ranked Souths last week, but having shown impressive form earlier this season they will favour their underdog status against Jeeps on Saturday.
The win was Souths first since their round one upset of Sunnybank, and they will look to gather speed this week when they face the Sunshine Coast, who after five rounds are yet to secure a competition point.
The Stingrays lost their best chance for points last week—going down 37-21 to Norths in the bottom of the table encounter—and after losing starters Tom Kearney and Brendan Mitchell to injuries during the match they will take to Chipsy Wood Oval with nothing to lose.
Boosted by their first win of the season and six-try haul against the Stingrays, Norths will take renewed confidence into their game against Easts, as they look to separate themselves from the bottom of the table.
But, the fourth-placed Tigers pose a daunting task for the Eagles, who are bolstered by the inclusion of Reds star number eight Eddie Quirk after putting their offensive prowess on display last week with a 38-15 victory over Wests, which gave them a five-point buffer ahead of Sunnybank in fifth spot.
After letting go of a commanding lead against University last week, the Dragons will be determined to quell the eighth-ranked Wests on Saturday, having played top four teams the past three weeks and facing an encounter with top-ranked Brothers in the ensuing round.
With the Bulldogs now placed just two points below Sunnybank, having both claimed two wins this season, the evenly-matched contest could prove a must-win for both line-ups this week at Old Mac Oval.
Queensland Premier Rugby Round Six- Saturday 2 June
Brothers v University
Jack Ross Oval at 3:15pm
GPS v Rugby Gold Coast
Yoku Road at 3:20pm
Norths v Easts
Hugh Courtney Oval at 3:15pm
Souths v Sunshine Coast
Chipsy Wood Oval at 3:00pm
Sunnybank v Wests
Old Mac Oval at 3:00pm