Pedro Rolando masterclass lifts Royals to win against Queanbeyan
Pedro Rolando was already on the Argentina Jaguares radar and another masterclass on Saturday proved why the Super Rugby club is keeping an eye on the Royals scrumhalf.
Rolando finished with an 18-point haul, his trusty boot and scramble defence helping Royals beat the Queanbeyan Whites 28-20 at Campese Field.
The 28-year-old has been a John I Dent Cup point-scoring machine since leaving Buenos Aires to move to Canberra in 2013.
The Jaguares have been watching his progress and considered calling him into their Super Rugby squad when they were hit with injuries.
But Royals coach Wayne Southwell hopes he can hold on to his key man as the Phillip-based club targets back to back titles.
"I think Pedro pulled off two or three critical tackles for us today ... he's always in the fight," Southwell said.
"The rest of the players need to lift on the little things he's doing and be inspired by him.
"He was on the radar for the Jaguares a little while ago and he's definitely in the mix for them ... I just hope he plays forever. His commitment to the whole thing is incredible."
Rolando scored a first-half try, booted three penalties and two conversions as Royals won the Bob Hitchcock Shield for the first time and remain the holders until they are beaten at home.
Queanbeyan was trying to hold on to the shield, which has been introduced to the competition this year to reward home-ground dominance and create more game-day rivalries.
But a slow start came back to haunt them, despite mounting a valiant second-half challenge with 14 men for 20 minutes after Dan Penca and Sokai Tai both spent time in the sin bin.
The Whites scored the first try of the game but then conceded 20 unanswered points before they kicked back into gear in the top of the table battle.
Rolando's boot was the difference in the end. Queanbeyan scored more tries but failed to convert any of their four tries and missed a penalty in their second loss of the season.
Coach Paul Dillon was left to lament missed opportunities and said his players must improve their skill level to be a contender.
"We talked about starting well and it just didn't happen," Dillon said.
"I'm not sure what went wrong. We're just lacking smarts ... a lineout maul that doesn't function and a 50 per cent lineout. We're hurting at the moment.
"I can't help [the players with skill execution] much more though. They need to meet me halfway."
Royals are now clear at the top of the table having lost just one match in the past two seasons.
"We always knew Queanbeyan was never going to lie down," said Southwell.
"There were a little things in the contact zone that weren't right. But our first-half effort was pretty handy."
The surprise packet of the competition has been perennial wooden-spooners Easts, who enhanced their finals credentials with another win.
Easts overcame a half-time deficit to beat the Gungahlin Eagles 24-18 at Gungahlin Enclosed, moving eight points clear of the fifth-placed Uni-Norths Owls.
AT A GLANCE
Saturday: ROYALS 28 (Pedro Rolando, Seth Going, Sam Uluvalu tries; Pedro Rolando 3 penalties, 2 conversions) bt QUEANBEYAN WHITES 20 (Riley Ahern 2, Jamie Marmonth, Neori Nadruku tries); EASTS 24 bt GUNGAHLIN EAGLES 18; WESTS 31 bt UNI-NORTHS OWLS 13.
Women: Royals 5 bt Uni-Norths Owls 0.
Second grade: Gungahlin Ealges 52 bt Easts 7, Queanbeyan Whites 29 bt Royals 28, Uni-Norths Owls 38 bt Wests 0.
Colts: Gungahlin Eagles 41 bt Easts 8, Queanbeyan Whites 36 bt Royals 12, Wests 44 bt Uni-Norths Owls 40.
FIRST DIVISION
First grade: Hall 26 bt Gungahlin Eagles 19, Royals 33 bt Queanbeyan Whites 19, Wests 29 bt Uni-Norths Owls 12, Tuggeranong Vikings 68 bt Cooma 17.
Second grade: Gungahlin Eagles 34 bt Hall 14, Queanbeyan White 29 bt Royals 26, Wests 44 bt Uni-Norths Owls 14, Tuggeranong Vikings 44 bt Cooma 7.