The Southport School’s 2020 GPS Rugby report card
This season was the toughest test of Southport’s depth in over a decade but a class of players who grew up playing alongside each other in junior teams showed that cohesion can overcome the loss of serious talent.
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THE SOUTHPORT SCHOOL
Ladder: 2nd
Wins: Brisbane State High (49-19); Toowoomba Grammar (32-17), Brisbane Grammar (20-15), Gregory Terrace (23-22), Ipswich Grammar (25-19)
Loss(es): Brisbane Boys’ College (45-6)
Rating: A-
TSS overcame a host of injuries to finish their season equal-second on the ladder but third in points differential, though those are not officially recognised on the GPS rugby table.
This season was the toughest test of Southport’s depth in over a decade but a class of players who grew up playing alongside each other in junior teams showed that cohesion can overcome the loss of serious talent.
TSS were in the thick of every game except for one, against eventual champions BBC, who rolled out the strongest XV in their 103-year rugby history to claim an undefeated Premiership.
If BBC were able to select a fully-fit Jojo Fifita, James Pere, Jye Grey, Harry Vousty and Rabura Rabura they could well have spoiled BBC’s fairy tale.
Highlight:
There are plenty to choose from but for review purposes we’ll stick to regular season games only – scratching Southport’s mind-blowing pre-season comeback against Nudgee College out of contention.
2020’s highlight moment would then have to be another comeback win against Gregory Terrace in the departing Year 12’s final game on the Village Green.
TSS trailed 22-20 in final play when the team surged into the Terrace half and forced a penalty goal, ably converted by centre Syris Schmidt, to keep their season alive ahead of a final clash with Ipswich Grammar.
Lowlight:
There was no shame in TSS’ largest defeat in 103 years to Brisbane Boys’ College, who were driven by grander motivations in 2020 to chase their first ever outright Premiership.
A young and inexperienced TSS team had no answers for the surgical kicking game of opposition playmakers Mason Gordon and Taj Annan, who successfully pinned Southport in their own half when they needed to score points quickly to stay in the contest in round four.
TSS were taught a lesson in game management and will look to use those tactics against other schools in 2021.
Backbone:
TSS coach Mike Wallace hailed 2020 captain Michael van der Schyff as the team’s backbone.
Van der Schyff played every minute of the 2020 campaign with tactical astuteness as the team’s game plan evolved to meet the demands of injuries thrust upon them.
Wallace said it would have been “very challenging to be as successful as we were without Mike’s leadership.”
Most improved player:
Loosehead prop Carsen Patu received the school’s official most improved player award for his transformation from a hulking tackler and ball-carrier to a front-rower of nuance.
His technical improvement at scrum-time was matched by his ability to pass the ball.
Patu will return in 2021 as a candidate to become Queensland rugby’s top schoolboy loosehead prop.
Who returns in 2021?
Premiership-winners Harry Vousty, Jojo Fifita and Michael van der Schyff will depart the program this year alongside flanker Jon Burnett, winger Beau Arscott, No.8 James Pere and utility Caid Jenkins.
That is an encouraging sign with nine regular starters from 2020 due to return next year.
Star centres Syris Schmidt and Kaleb Ngamanu should reunite in midfield while Year 10 flanker Nick Hilton has a sky-high ceiling after his first season as a rugby player.
Hilton, with Carsen Patu and Isaiah Tolotu, will form a hard-hitting nucleus of five returning forwards that will allow returning backs like Fraser Cowan, Zach Strydom and Jye Grey room to sing.
Originally published as The Southport School’s 2020 GPS Rugby report card