The University of Queensland have taken out the opening round of the Aon Uni 7s, moving through the tournament undefeated to win their home title.
After beating competition newcomers UTS in their final round match on Sunday morning, UQ headed into the final as favourites and looked to have the title wrapped up when they took a 21-5 lead early in the second half.
While UTS were first to score in the final, UQ responded quickly, scoring two tries when the Sydney side had a player off the field with a yellow card to take a 14-5 lead to halftime.
Haj Mosby made a break and looked set to score for Queensland and while she was caught by the UTS chase, had the presence of mind to pass directly into the defender, forcing a yellow card and earning an advantage her team quickly made the most of.
UQ scored twice while they had the advantage, through Pleuni Kievit and Georgia Hannaway and added another soon after the break when Kievit was in again to increase the lead to 21-5.
But UTS hit back with a spectacular individual effort from Luisa Yaranamua and when UQ captain Lori Cramer shanked an attempted clearing kick, Kennedy Cherrington pounced on the ball and raced away to score and get her team within four points, setting up a thrilling finish.
"We've got three (carnivals) left, so we'll be looking to improve and get stronger as the tournament goes on but we're stoked to win it at home," she said after the victory at UQ's St Lucia campus.
"I was a bit worried (at the end of the game) but we beat them earlier in on the day, so we made sure that we weren't going into that game complacent … and we really had to switch on in that warm-up and make sure that we kept the foot on the throat for the full 14 minutes.
"That was obviously the goal was to come in and win after losing the last game last year in the grand final, so we'll be looking to stick it out and be competitive for the next tournament."
A new addition to the tournament this year, along with UWA, who ultimately finished 10th, UTS showed they will be a handful in their opening season.
Captain Kennedy Cherrington said UTS had been nervous coming into the competition but proved to all they belonged.
"It was a good fight in the end, we're no.2 but we're fighting for that no.1 spot," Kennedy said.
"We're doing all the stuff that (we need to, to be successful), there's three more rounds to go so it's good."
RESULTS
DAY 2
Finals
Gold medal match: University of Queensland 21 (Tries: Kievit 2, Hannaway; Cons: Kievit 3) d UTS 17 (Tries: Chapman, Yaranamua, Cherrington; Cons: McKenzie)
Bronze medal match: Sydney Uni 24 (Tries: Whitfield 2, Hamilton, White; Cons: Vistisen 2) d Griffith University 0
Playoff for 5th - University of Adelaide 31 (Tries: Gregory, Potter, Joyce, Konopka, Pelite; Cons: Potter 2, Meyer) d University of Adelaide 0
Playoff for 7th - University of Canberra 34 (Tries: Crothers 2, Mason-Spice 2, Ryan, Murdoch; Cons: Williams, Murdoch) d UNE 7 (Try: Leivere; Con: Duff)
Playoff for 9th - Bond University 34 (Tries: Brown 2, Marshall, Bass, Kendall, Vosuqa; Cons: Brown 2) d UWA 12 (Tries: Wigley, Joyce; Con: Ryan)
Semi-Finals
University of Adelaide 20 d University of Canberra 12
UNE 15 def by University of Melbourne 27
Griffith Uni 17 def by UTS 22
University of Queensland 10 d Sydney Uni 5
Round 5
Bond 17 def by University of Melbourne 20
Griffith 19 d University of Sydney 10
UNE 33 d UWA 5
University of Queensland 24 d UTS 5
FULL REPLAY, DAY ONE
For live results and scorers, click here.
DAY ONE
Round 1
Griffith 22 - Bond 5
University of Adelaide 28 - University of Melbourne 5
University of Queensland 24 - UNE 7
University of Canberra 12 - UWA 17
Round 2
Griffith 24 - University of Melbourne 5
University of Sydney 29 - University of Adelaide 0
University of Queensland 28 - UWA 7
UTS 22 - University of Canberra 10
Round 3
University of Sydney 43 - University of Melbourne 5
Bond 14 - University of Adelaide 31
UTS 24 - UWA 5
UNE 7- University of Canberra 19
Round 4
University of Sydney 21 - Bond 12
Griffith 24 - University of Adelaide 19
UTS 31 - UNE 14
University of Queensland 36 - University of Canberra 0
