Elders NSW Country Eagles claimed their first dramatic win for the 2017 NRC season after scoring the match winning try after the siren. The losing bonus point was cold comfort for the Vikings after leading by nine points inside the last ten minutes and then falling 25-24 at Bellevue Oval in Armidale.
 
The Fiji Airways Drua are officially the team to beat in 2017 following their comprehensive 41-5 win over defending title-holders Road Safety Perth Spirit in front of a huge home crowd in Suva. The home side were outstanding in defence and didn’t let Perth into the game until the 70th minute.
 
This afternoon Bond University Queensland Country’s dominant scrum were the catalyst for their 50-24 win over the Macquarie University Sydney Rays at Pittwater Rugby Park. Country skipper Duncan Paia’aua scored three of the eight tries on Sydney’s northern beaches which catapults the Queenslanders into the National Rugby Championships’ top four.

In the second Sunday match Melbourne Rising took a 26-0 lead into halftime and managed to hold the Greater Sydney Rams out in an entertaining second half before winning 41-31 at Harlequin Oval.