“Gill really dominated in the second half last week so for us it’s about meeting the physical challenge that their ball runners present and then sending big numbers to the breakdown so he doesn’t get a chance in there,” Heenan said. Overcoming the scrummaging power of Holmes and Queensland Country NRC squad member Hayden Hirsimaki will be imperative to a University win on the weekend, as the duo dominated the Gallopers scrum in the second half of the preliminary final. When quizzed on how his side would handle the pressure that the Dragons have applied on several teams this season at scrum time, Heenan provided a simple reply. “We will have to front up, we just have to,” Heenan said. “We hung tough in the major semi so hopefully we can do the same again on Sunday.” Despite being arguably their biggest asset on Saturday, Seib played down the role that his team’s set piece would have in Sunday’s result. “We will be a force at scrum time, as we have been in most games, but Uni are always strong at set piece so if we don’t dominate it we’ll certainly be looking to withstand their pressure and get some clean ball ourselves,” Seib said. Having locked up the Doughty Shield, the next stop for the Red Heavies is the Premier and Premier Reserve double, which Heenan said would be a monumental achievement for the club. “Having Premier and Premier Reserve through to the Grand Final is massive and having locked up the Doughty Shield - which is our main priority at the start of every season - the Premier and Premier Reserve double is now the go,” Heenan said. Having come from a 0-3 start to the season, a Grand Final win would mean just as much to the Dragons. “There would be so much satisfaction if we get over the line,” Seib said. “We were all really hurting after Round 3 so to turn things around from there and finish it off this Sunday would be something I’ll never forget.” Nine teams with high hopes for season 2014 set out on a mission on March 22 and one by one, the sun has set on their season. A mere 20 weeks later, as the sun sets over Ballymore on Sunday afternoon, we will have a deserved winner of Queensland Premier Rugby’s greatest prize – The Hospital Cup. 7
Premier Rugby Weekly Program Grand-Final
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