Queanbeyan Whites 1st Grade 27 def. Canberra Royals 1st Grade 19
BentSpoke John I Dent Cup – Round 5
Campese Oval – Saturday, May 17, 2025

The Canberra Royals 1st Grade side have suffered their first defeat of the 2025 campaign, falling 27-19 to a determined Queanbeyan Whites outfit at Campese Oval on Saturday afternoon.

Despite a strong start that saw the Royals race to an early lead, the home side’s clinical second-half performance ultimately proved the difference in this traditional cross-border rivalry fixture.

The visitors began in perfect fashion with scrumhalf Daniel Nelson crossing for the opening try in the early exchanges. Flyhalf Samuel Myburgh added the extras to give the Royals a 7-0 advantage.

The Royals’ momentum continued when fullback Viliami Sipa showcased his finishing ability to score the team’s second try. Though Myburgh’s conversion attempt was unsuccessful, the Royals had established a promising 12-0 lead.

Veteran prop Harry Vella then powered over for the Royals’ third try, with Myburgh slotting the conversion to extend the advantage to 19-0, silencing the vocal home crowd.

The Whites responded through a successful Cullin Cooper-Jones penalty goal before the break to open their account at 19-3, though the Royals appeared firmly in control at halftime.

The second half told a different story as the home side emerged with renewed purpose and intensity. Whites winger Blake Miller crossed in the 32nd minute to reduce the deficit, though Cooper-Jones was unable to add the conversion as the score moved to 19-8.

The momentum continued to shift in Queanbeyan’s favour with outside centre Koko Salim crossing in the 60th minute, bringing the score to 19-13 with Cooper-Jones again unsuccessful from the tee.

Miller doubled his tally with another try in the 64th minute, though Cooper-Jones was again off-target as the Royals clung to a slender 19-18 lead entering the final quarter.

Royals’ head coach Joe Kolokihakaufisi looked to his bench for impact, with Samuel Heffernan, James Bundy, Joshua Myburgh, and George Tankard all entering the fray to shore up the visitors’ defences.

Despite the Royals’ determined defensive efforts, the Whites landed the decisive blow when winger Waisea Tudulu crossed in the 79th minute, with Cooper-Jones adding the conversion to secure a 25-19 lead. A late penalty goal from Cooper-Jones sealed the 27-19 victory for the home side.

While the result was disappointing, there were positive aspects to take from the performance. The forward pack’s early dominance set a platform that yielded three quality tries, while Nelson’s sharp service from the base provided opportunities for the outside backs throughout.

The Royals will look to regroup quickly, with focus now shifting to next weekend’s Round 6 encounter at Phillip Oval where they’ll aim to return to winning ways.

MATCH DETAILS

Try Scorers:
Royals: Daniel Nelson, Viliami Sipa, Harry Vella
Whites: Blake Miller (2), Koko Salim, Waisea Tudulu

Conversions:
Royals: Samuel Myburgh (2/3)
Whites: Cullin Cooper-Jones (1/4)

Penalty Goals:
Royals: None
Whites: Cullin Cooper-Jones