An injury time try to big prop Jesse Tuitupou lifted the Keech Australia Fighting Miners to a precious away win over Monash University in the first round of games in the Victorian Rugby Championship last Saturday.
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Tuitupou’s try came after the Miners camped inside the Monash quarter recycling the ball for numerous phases, with the Miners big men unable to breach a game Monash defence.
Up until this point the game was an arm wrestle with the lead changing hands four times.
Bendigo was first to score when number eight Blake Theunissen crashed over in the 17th minute after a break by centre Steve Reynolds. David McDonald converted to give Bendigo a 7-0 lead.
This lead was soon extinguished with Monash kicking a penalty goal and scoring a converted try to hit the lead at 10-7. On the stroke of half-time, Bendigo equalised with McDonald kicking a long range penalty goal.
Monash regained the lead with a converted try early in the second period after Bendigo went to sleep on a tap penalty.
However, Bendigo got back on even terms when Jesse Tuitupou scored the first of his two tries. McDonald’s conversion put the scorecard 17-all with 14 minutes remaining.
Each team kicked a penalty to have the scoreboard reading 20-20 with only seven minutes remaining. Then Tuitupou snatched victory for the Miners with his last minute heroics.
Among the better players for Bendigo were Tuitupou, Theunissen, McDonald, lock Logan Reynolds, flanker Matt Boyle, five-eighth Phil Keech and full-back Nafetalai Li.
Three players made their debuts for the Miners: flanker Tony Shihemi, centre Taniela Dennis and winger Alexander Tones.
Next week, Bendigo is at home to Chargers 1.
