By Marc McGowan
EASTERN Suburbs’ stellar start to the Pillar Cup season came to an abrupt halt on Friday night when the North West University Lions blew past it in the second half to win 39-27 at Holmesglen Reserve.
It was Eastern Suburbs’ first loss of the inaugural Pillar Cup season after jumping out of the blocks with two straight successes, and it now occupies third spot on the ladder.
But the magic run of Endeavour Hills open-side flanker Lewis Leamoana marched on with another two tries to go with the three he produced in the previous two matches.
Eastern coach Stephen Tia has nothing but praise for Leamoana, and believes he is a likely prospect for a Melbourne Rebels jersey in the future.
“It seems to be the Lewis Leamoana show at the moment,” Tia said.
“He is a young man that is very mature with his game and is in the right place at the right time.
“If you’re having a good run of form that’s what seems to happen.”
For much of the first half, Eastern looked set to inflict pain on yet another opponent as it leapt out to a 10-0 buffer.
The tide began to turn when one of its players was given a yellow card, which forced him into the sin bin.
Eastern held that lead into the second half but lost another player to the sin bin and could no longer handle the pressure the Lions were pouring on its defence.
North West University unleashed an offensive surge in which it crossed three times to Eastern’s one to storm back into the contest.
The burst did not stop there, and the Lions cleared out to a match-winning break before Eastern rattled on the outing’s final few scores to add respectability to the total, but it was all too late.
Tia bemoaned the 20-minute period in which his team was forced to battle two players down.
“Our discipline went out the window … we just couldn’t cover for them (when the sin binned players were off the ground) – we couldn’t make up the numbers,” he said.
“It was a really good game of rugby. It was just a pity we were on the wrong side of the result.”
Eastern Suburbs will seek redemption tomorrow (Friday) night at 7.45pm at Frog Hollow Reserve when it takes aim at the second-placed Harlequin Souths.
PILLAR CUP
North West University Lions 39 (S. Uhi 2, C. Sale 2, T. Talau tries, penalty try; J. van Heerden 3 conversions, penalty goal) d Eastern Suburbs 27 (L. Leamoana 2, L Barker, N. Scott, M. Thompson tries; M. Thompson conversion).
