The second round of the 2025 Wheelchair Rugby National League – the Brisbane Bash – began with a bang at Nissan Area in Nathan today. Eight teams take the court across two divisions until Sunday 6 April, with some fierce competition already underway.

Game 1 – Division 1 – Hunter Wildfires v UQ

Our first game was a milestone, marking Damien Mortaud’s 50 games with the University of Queensland Rugby Club, the Red Heavies. Damien becomes the first wheelchair rugby player to reach 50 games with the UQ Rugby Club, as well as the first player to hit this impressive achievement across any team in our National League. The milestone magic must have rubbed off on the team, with UQ coming out on top against the Hunter Wildfires, winning the Roud 2 opener with ease.

UQ 63 defeated Hunter Wildfires 37

Game 2 – Division 1 – Sydney University vs Melbourne RUFC

There were big hits and strong energy in the second game. Sydney University were dominant in the first half and went on to widen the gap in the second half. Sydney’s Andrew Holloway and New Zealand import for Melbourne, Hayden Barton-Cootes, were head-to-head in a battle of speed across the court, but ultimately Hayden and Jayden Jackson couldn’t be kept away from the try line.

Sydney University 68 defeated Melbourne RUFC 43

Game 3 – Division 1 – Box Hill RUFC vs Bond University

Box Hill RUFC’s formidable female line up of Shae Graham, Jacinta Richardson, Robyn Lambird and Maia Marshell was one to watch alongside the impressive Keenan Alexander to show they weren’t going down without a fight. It was a performance like no other, with an impressive acrobatic manoeuvre from Jacinta balancing on her front wheels after an especially fierce offensive play. But the dance of synchronised play between Bond’s Lilliana Prucha and Brayden Foxley-Conolly stole the show, alongside impressive throws and defence from Tai Martin-Page that created opportunities for the team, contributing to their victory.

Bond University 44 defeated Box Hill RUFC 38

Game 4 – Division 2 – Queensland Cyclones vs Victoria Thunder

The energy was high, the excitement was palpable, and the audience was on the edge of their seats as our division 2 teams faced each other for the first time this weekend. The match was close and gave us a taste of what to expect from these two hungry teams over the rest of this weekend’s competition. The variety of lineups on both sides made for a dynamic match from start to finish. QLD’s Natalie Miller was a force to be reckoned with, and VIC’s Rhiannon Bellette was fiery and ready to rumble. QLD snuck away with the win, but it was clear at the final buzzer that VIC was already looking forward to the rematch.

Queensland Cyclones 39 defeated Victoria Thunder 35

Game 5 – Division 1 – Box Hill RUFC vs UQ

Box Hill was on the hunt for a win after their close match against Bond earlier in the day, but they were no match for Chris Bond’s UQ who ended the day undefeated. Despite the strong defence work from Box Hill, they couldn’t stop Chris from weaving through them with relative ease.

UQ 51 defeated Box Hill RUFC 38

Game 6 – Division 1 – Bond vs Sydney University

In a sea of blue and yellow, Bond took an early lead in the afternoon’s match. A strong defensive hit saw Conor Tweedy flex his skills on the court – being spun around at speed was not enough to see his throw miss the mark, landing perfectly with Brayden Foxley-Conolly who was able to simply stroll over the try line. Sydney University clawed back some points in the final quarter, with Andrew Holloway in fine form, but it was not enough to catch up. Bond ends the day undefeated.

Bond 58 defeated Sydney University 47

Game 7 – Division 1 – Melbourne RUFC vs Hunter Wildfires

In a match that was tight for the first three quarters, Hunter Wildfires stole the lead in the final quarter as Cooper Blackwood and Canadian import Rio Kovac put in an impressive final push to claim victory. Andrew Edmonson also played an impressive game for the Wildfires, with Jake Howe putting in an exceptional performance for Melbourne.

Hunter Wildfires 49 defeated Melbourne RUFC 41

Game 8 – Division 2 – Queensland Cyclones vs Victoria Thunder

In the final game of the day, Victoria Thunder was ready for the rematch. Keeping close in the first two quarters, a strong performance in quarter three by VIC with Keaton Rennie-Kay dominating the game, aptly supported by his team. The game was a nailbiter, with NSW coming back strong in the final quarter, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap. No doubt both teams will be looking to prove they’ve got champions in them over the next two days of the competition.

Victoria Thunder 40 defeated Queensland Cyclones 36

The Brisbane Bash continues on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 April at Nissan Arena, Nathan QLD with free entry for all to watch.

Day 1 Recap | 2025 National League – Brisbane Bash