The Vikings displayed polished continuity to cross in for seven tries to four during the 42-24 win over Hobart Harlequins at Royal Park. 

The Launceston side regularly reflects the turnover of Australian Maritime College students and each year coach Danny James said it is akin to starting all over again. 

“They are starting to come together now,” James said.

“It’s not a team that was our last year’s team; the issue with students is that they come and go.

“Certainly the game plan was there with the link between forwards and backs.

“Our plan is that the more they stay together and train together that strong link will hopefully flower.”

AMC were resigned to two competitive losses after an opening-round bye allowed the students another week to perfect combinations.

The home side scored four of the last five tries to finish with fresher legs on Saturday. But Harlequins were without their prodigious talent Lincoln Bowman for the clash.

Bowman was drafted into Canada’s initial World Cup training squad before being cut for last year’s tournament in England and Wales.

James was surprised with the final scoreline. “They didn’t play as well as we expected or we played a bit better than we thought, but I think we probably played a bit better,” he said.

“They were always pretty strong with their outside backline, but our forwards in securing the ball was really quite strong.”

Launceston Bees fell to a crushing 64-5 loss against Glenorchy in Hobart.

The tumultuous club had been coming off the high of a precocious three-point win a week earlier that had followed two combined losses of 195 points to start the year. 

Launceston coach Nic Sotiriou said the come down was not unexpected. 

“We probably had a half-strength side playing,” he said. “That’s how it is in Tassie rugby – you have to play with what you’ve got.”

Launceston were without five of its best starting 15, as three promising 16-year-olds were allowed to make their first-grade debut against a full-strength Glenorchy.

The Bees blew four scoring opportunities, relying on converted player Billy Neville to cross for the side’s only try.

“Every time we had a chance to score, they stopped us or they capitalised and every time they had an opportunity to score, they got through,” Sotiriou said.

But Sotiriou was still bullish over the season outlook. 

“We’re still going to push for the finals,” he said.

“I know it’s a hard ask, but we’re aiming for top four.”