By Andy Mulhall, Date: 11/4/14
The Teplice Dragons have assumed outright lead in the CZRLA 1st Division Championship after defeating the Czech Rabbitohs 38-18 on home soil. The Dragons again used their powerful forward pack to lay the platform for their win, with team leaders Jarda Bzoch – who scored a hat-trick in his first game back in his hometown after spending last season in Auckland – & Venca Fischer capitalising on their big men’s grunt work to convert their dominance into points and consolidate a 2 wins from 2 games 2014 record.
For the Rabbitohs, Tomas Ricica and Marek Pluhar led their team admirably in attack with some fantastic quick passing rugby league. The Dragons power game though, is already looking ominous for their Czech domestic opposition this season, and the club’s steady progress over their 3 seasons in existence has them looking the strongest early bet for the 2014 CZRLA 1st Division Championship.
In the other CZRLA 1st Division game played over the weekend, the Mikulov Roosters, who were beaten at home by Teplice in the first round, travelled to Havlickuv Brod and recorded a hard fought victory over the home team. Veterans Petr Sedina, Pavel Zemanek and Michal Kucera were the difference between the 2 clubs in the first half, with both teams playing committed rugby league and relishing plenty of rugged contact in defence, as Mikulov went into the half-time break with a 12-4 lead.
Inspired by player-coach Pavel Kubasta, who had sat out the first half to ensure his large squad of young players each got plenty of game time, the Eagles hit back with a vengeance in the second half though. Playing what CZRLA Treasurer & Czech rugby league foundation member, Iain Sellers, described as ‘superb rugby league’ Havlickuv Brod pounded the Roosters line throughout the half, scoring one try and narrowly missing out on another that could have snatched them victory when their player put a foot into touch in-goal, eventually going down 10-16.
The final match of the 2nd round of the CZRLA 1st Division Championship will be played this weekend, when Slavia Hradec Kralove will attempt to join the Teplice Dragons as the only other team remaining undefeated, when they take on 2012 & 2013 CZRLA 1st Division Champions, Lokomotiva Beroun, while the CZRLA 2nd Division Championship will also kick-off.
