BENDIGO Fighting Miners have routed an undermanned Ballarat team 83-0 in Saturday’s Victorian Rugby Championship match at the Epsom Huntly Recreation Reserve.

Ballarat had no answer to the power running of the big Bendigo forward pack, frequently falling off tackles.

The Rattas were also out-muscled at the set piece with the Bendigo scrum often forcing them to back pedal.

The line-outs were also dominated by the Miners with Matt Boyle winning plenty of ball at the front and Jesse Tuitupou stealing several Ballarat throws at the back.

Tuitupou opened the scoring for the Miners when he crashed over the line from short range in the second minute of play.  This was the first of 14 tries scored by the Miners.

Only inaccuracy in passing and the concession of penalties at the breakdown kept the score below a century.

The win came less than a month after the Miners demolished a hapless Melbourne Chargers outfit 146-0 in the club’s biggest ever win.

Player of the day was centre Steve Reynolds, who scored two tries, set up several others and made numerous line breaks. 

Hooker Blake Theunissen was also a dominant figure, scoring one try, figuring in others and making many powerful runs.

Others to perform well in a good team effort were young winger Taniela Dennis, loose forward Ale Liliva, prop Nick Wall and winger Alex Tones.

This Saturday, the Miners are at home to Monash University.

Scorers: A. Liliva 3, T. Dennis 2, J. Tuitupou 2, S. Reynolds 2, A. Tones 2, J. Fagavao, R. Spedding, B. Theunissen tries; D. McDonald 5 goals, penalty goal.