NSW Schoolboy rugby carnival: Final auditions for Australian Championships selection

They snapped a two-year slide against their oldest rival - now the GPS rugby team will lock horns with CHS in the competition’s final audition before the Australian Championships.

Combined High Schools and Combined Catholic Colleges in action. Picture: Jed Peisley

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The GPS rugby team has not had any time to celebrate their impressive 26-7 win over CAS at Knox College in wet and slippery conditions on Tuesday evening — they are back preparing for Friday’s big game against the Combined High Schools at David Phillips Field.

And for all the talented players taking part there is the added incentive of trying to win a spot in the NSW squad for the Australian Championships taking place the following weekend at Riverview College.

GPS coach Greg Thompson said with the team only having one week together, the focus ahead of the CHS game was on getting some combinations right and simplifying the game rather than worrying about the opposition.

Combined High Schools and Combined Catholic Colleges in action. Picture: Jed Peisley

And GPS had a good build up to the game in beating CAS after losses the previous two years, in a positive display that pleased the coach.

“I think they controlled the ball really well in the wet and showed a bit of skill considering the conditions,” Thompson said.

“The ball was pretty slippery but got a bit of ball movement that resulted in some nice tries.

“I thought it was a pretty impressive performance all around.”

While it was definitely a team effort, Scots hooker Hamish Moore showed a lot of potential crossing for a try.

Thompson said both GPS wingers - Toulo Koula from Newington and Jack Mossman from Scots – did well.

“They are both quick and even in wet conditions for them to get some ball was nice to see,” he said.

GPS take on CHS on Friday.

The CHS side head into the game after a good win over the Combined Catholic Colleges and they will be out to make amends for a disappointing loss to the Independent Schools (ISA).

“We have worked on a couple of key areas we identified from the ISA game and all the boys are ready to go on Friday and get stuck in,” said coach Mark O’Brien.

CHS have some real up and coming talent and will field a strong frontrow led by tighthead prop Dylan Saunders from Windsor High, who is also playing for Northern Suburbs Colts.

Prop David Aguirre and hooker Dakota Pritchard are at Westfield Sports High and are playing Colts for the Western Sydney Two Blues. Hopefully they don’t get poached by one of the more fashionable Shute Shield clubs, but that is another story.

No.7 Nick Russell, a student at Epping Boys High, is playing first grade Colts at Eastwood.

“He is very hard on the ball and we’ll definitely look to him to steal a bit for us at the breakdown,” O’Brien said.

The schoolboy rugby carnival continues this Friday.

In the backline No.12 Tonga Vei from Strathfield South High has also stepped up to play Colts for Norths.

“He is a solid guy and quite skilful and if he gets the ball early, I think he can get over the advantage line,” O’Brien said.

Two other players to watch are Gordon Colts winger Izaiah Ape-Esera from Erskine Park High and halfback Jayden Duff from Singleton who is being mentored by former Wallaby No.9 Steve Merrick.

CAS also play ISA at David Phillips Field on Friday as part of the NSW Rugby Union Carnival.

THE SCHEDULE FRIDAY

10.30am: CAS 2 v ISA 2

12.50pm CAS 1 v ISA 1

2pm: GPS 2 v CHS 2

3.10pm: GPS 1 v CHS 1

Originally published as NSW Schoolboy rugby carnival: Final auditions for Australian Championships selection