FORMER Scarlets prop Dylan Evans has made an immediate impact at Wanderers.
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The 33-year-old, who won a premiership with the Two Blues in 2014 before heading to Wales where he played professionally for seven seasons, has bolstered an already strong scrum in his two appearances off the bench.
A dominant scrum and a second-half cameo by Fijian centre Nimi Qio proved the difference in the Two Blues' hard fought 31-26 win over Nelson Bay in a catch-up game at No.2 Sportsground on Tuesday night.
Wanderers had the Gropers' scrum in reverse from the get go. Evans was introduced in the 12th minute after Dave Waller limped off with a calf injury. The scrum lifted again.
In the end, an eight-man shove sealed victory.
With time almost up and Nelson Bay down 31-26, the visitors had a scrum feed five metres out from the Wanderers try-line.
However, Wanderers went through them like a train wreck and earned a penalty.
"In many ways the scrum was the game," relieved coach Dan Beckett said. "Belief is a big thing. Leading into the game, that is where guys like Dylan, Dave Waller and Leeland Marshall said, 'no we are good, let's show them'."
Qio cut his lower leg in the 19-7 loss to Merewether on Saturday and wasn't going to play. He came on in the 50th minute, scored a try, set up another constantly got the home side on the front foot.
"He rocked up in classic Nimi style and was limping all over the place," Beckett said. "When he saw the boys and realised how important the game he said I'm playing.
"Nimi makes a difference because he attracts more than one defender. Once they start turning the hips in on Nimi, we have Hayden Cole out the back. The two big breaks that probably turned the game was because everyone bid on Nimi and we went out the back to Hayden. That is a threat against anyone."
Nelson Bay may have struggled at the scrum, but they tested Wanderers everywhere else.
Their lineout was efficient and they scored two tries from rolling mauls.
They played with urgency, flooded the breakdown and caused turnovers through counter rucking.
Rapine Mason and Chad Northcott found holes out wide in a game that see-sawed for the 80 minutes.
"Nelson Bay were so good. They had a red hot crack and were on the ball all the time," Beckett said. "The message half-time was to fight as hard as you can when carrying the ball. We were better in the second half."
The win ended a two-game losing rut and moved Wanderers above the Bay and Maitland into third spot on 28 points.
"If we had fallen over, I don't know where we would have been," Beckett said. "That result, considering where we were, was all heart. I was so proud of them."
As well as Waller, lock Marcus Christensen limped off with a calf injury.
"These injuries are coming because we have had to improvise at training due to the wet grounds," Beckett said.
James Gardiner
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
