New Holland Agriculture Cup: CSU overcome poor discipline to beat Narromine Gorillas at home

In a scrappy game played in chilly conditions CSU were the team playing a hotter brand of rugby, coming away 32-12 winners in the New Holland Agriculture Cup clash at University Oval.

CSU centre Kaleb Smith scored twice for the hosts - almost completing a hat-trick late in the second half - while fly half Ethan Cusick orchestrated the student's best moments in attack and picked up a brilliant solo try.

However, the lopsided 19-5 penalty count against CSU and a frustrating number of errors mean the students have plenty to think about over the week.

"We spent a lot of time working on building phases but we only had one five-phase possession in the first half. We were trying to go to the backs all the time and they ended up getting flustered and dropping a lot of ball," CSU coach Dave Conyers said.

"Then in the second half we put five five-phase possessions together and we scored four tries. The continuity improved our back line play out of sight."

In the cold conditions both teams struggled to get to grips with the ball in the opening 10 minutes.

Following a scrappy back-and-forth start CSU started to take control in field position.

Angus Dunn and Marcus Burrell both found space behind the Gorillas' defensive line before committing errors but the hosts wouldn't have to wait too long for their first points.

Cusick slipped away from several defenders to put Smith into space for his first try.

The CSU number 10 missed the conversion but a penalty just a few minutes later allowed him to put his team up 8-0.

CSU's scrum was nigh unstoppable over the opening half and the home side's dominance in that area helped save them from several threatening phases of Narromine play.

The CSU men took the ball up the other end and were able to push the lead out to 13-0 when Lachie Buckton found a short ball to Burrell.

A string of penalties against CSU over the last 10 minutes of the half put them under immense pressure on their own line but their defence was able to hold firm all the way to the half-time whistle.

CSU couldn't shake their ill discipline after the break and it led to Narromine finding their first try seven minutes into the second half.

Cusick helped to stop a potential build up of Gorillas momentum had when he eluded three defenders and scored a crucial solo try.

Gorillas were given an opportunity to hit back when Aiden Kennelly was sent to the sidelines for 10 minutes due to an infringement at the ruck.

They seized the opportunity straight away to bring proceedings back to 20-12.

Smith gave CSU breathing room when he scored his second try of the day off a smooth designed play from the scrum, and he nearly scored his third try moments later before being stopped metres from the try line.

A try on the left wing to CSU's Nicko Divis in the dying stages capped off the victory.

"We were really lucky we didn't get any more yellow cards but the second half was much better," Conyers said.

"Narromine had five guys backing up from second grade. They were tired but they had a couple of good charges at it. They deserve a lot of credit for turning up and trying as hard as they did."

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