Doug Sandry said his Dubbo Rhinos will quickly move on and forget about Saturday after they were blown off the park in a sensational 18-minute blitz from CSU.
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The students were scintillating in attack almost from the first whistle and led 33-0 after the first 18 minutes of the New Holland Agriculture Cup match at University Oval.
While admitting his own side was flat, Sandry was left with nothing to do but applause the Bathurst side for one of the best performances of the season thus far.
Flyhalf Ethan Cusick was almost untouchable as he ran up a personal tally of 35 points.
Cusick scored four tries of his own, booted six conversions and kicked a penalty and that left Sandry to describe him as "by far and away the best number 10 I've seen in this area for a very long time".
"They were just incredible. They were fantastic, there's no other words for it," Sandry said.
"They started like an absolute train and we couldn't stop them.
"We were flat but that's no excuse. We were just outplayed by a gun of a side that was on and was on throughout the whole match."
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The stunning start to the match even left students' coach Dave Conyers amazed and it sent CSU on its way to a 55-21 win.
"I don't think I've ever seen 18 minutes of footy like that," Conyers said.
"Everybody was sort of looking at each other saying 'Is this really happening?'.
"It was pretty much consistent for the first 20 minutes of the game, everything we touched turned to gold.
"Front rowers scoring under the posts, props and second rowers exchanging three and four passes and scoring under the posts, it was just freaky sort of play.
"I saw some of the best tries I've ever seen scored at this oval scored, it was just amazing the amount of people who touched the ball to score. It was really inspiring."
And while thoroughly impressed by CSU, Sandry said his side will "go back to the drawing board" and put a real emphasis on defence in the lead-up to next weekend's meeting with Narromine.
That game is now an even more important one in the race for finals after Narromine stunned Mudgee to score its first win of the season on Saturday.
"We just chuck that one in the bin, leave it behind us, and move on," Sandry said.
"We need to put in a better performance."
Injuries to Matt Williams and captain Matt Graham on Saturday provide another headache in the lead-up to the Narromine game.
Williams was sent to hospital after a nasty dislocated finger inside the first 20 minutes while Graham excited the match late on with a knee complaint.
"There was some sore bruising as well but I think it was more bruised egos than anything after that," Sandry added.
In terms of positives, the Rhinos coach said his side's attitude to get back to a somewhat respectable 40-21 margin at half-time was a plus while scrumhalf Teahu Baker was again singled out as a standout while Jesse Redenbach and Ryan McCracken also never stopped working.
- CSU 55 (Ethan Cusik 4, Lachie Buckton 2, Harry Magriplis, Lachlan Melville tries; Ethan Cusik 6 conversions, Ethan Cusik penalty) defeated DUBBO RHINOS 21 (Ryan McCracken, Brady Brooks, Brett Austin tries; Jesse Redenbach 3 conversions)
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
