UNIVERSITY coach Sam Berry questioned when the "little blokes would get a rub of the green" after the Students were on the wrong end of lop-sided penalty count and had a match-winning try pulled back in a 31-28 loss to Hamilton at Passmore Oval.
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University, playing a bustling style, unsettled the Hawks on Saturday. They jumped to a 10-0 lead inside 10 minutes and held a 23-5 advantage at the break.
But in the end, a 25-11 penalty count against, including eight straight to open the second half, proved fatal.
The Hawks scored 19 points in the opening 20 minutes of the second half to go ahead 24-23.
They increased the lead to 31-28, but in a last-ditch effort University halfback Murray Sutherland burst clear from the base of a ruck and had open space to the tryline, but referee Richard Parker blew a penalty for an obstruction.
"Eventually the little blokes are going to have to get a rub of the green at some stage," Berry said. "It has been a similar story three weeks in a row against the top clubs. We just don't get any lucky breaks.
"I'm not really sure if you can win when there are 14-1 penalties in the second half. I don't know how you play a whole half of rugby and get one penalty, especially when you are in front and semi-dominating the game.
"Hamilton, to their credit fought back really hard. At the break down, our clean out wasn't effective enough. I am very proud of my blokes. We hung in there but is hard with things going against us."
Sutherland was dangerous for the Students, fly-half Brady Mather caused problems when he ran the ball and up front Sapati Peniata, Toa Havea and Dylan Heins were strong.
Hamilton coach Marty Berry delivered a spray to his troops at halftime and was happy with the response.
Barnstorming prop Chris Hemi was the hero, scoring a hat-trick of tries.
"We knew Uni were a good team. They pushed Wanderers and Maitland," Berry said. "We were obviously well off today. We like to run the ball but our selection on when to do it ... we were doing it from our own line and losing rucks. What I am happy about is that we were down 23-5 at halftime and came back to win."
Elsewhere on Saturday, outside centre Geordie Boyce scored 24 points as Wanderers humiliated a depleted Lake Macquarie 113-0 at No.2 Sportsground.
Boyce crossed for a double and landed seven conversions. Lian Brice, Bill Coffey and David Aoke-Tiamu also landed doubles. Winger Fesui Villiamu led the way with a treble.
At Rugby Park, Merewether ran in eight tries in a 55-12 victory over Singleton.
In the final game, Nelson Bay crossed for five tries but couldn't land a conversion in a 35-26 defeat of Southern Beaches at Strong Oval.
James Gardiner
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
