AIC First XV rugby: Premiership showdown confirmed
The AIC First XV schoolboy rugby premiership showdown has been confirmed following another cracker round today. Full reports here
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St Edmund’s College magic fairytale ride continues, leading to an AIC First XV premiership showdown on Saturday against premiers St Laurence’s College.
Eddies beat Villanova 27-19 today, setting up a collision with the competition’s other unbeaten side in a match which will decide the title.
Battlers for seasons, St Edmund’s were facing the reality of winning their first premiership since 2014 – if they beat reigning premiers Laurie’s in Ipswich.
“It is all about keeping a lid on it this week,’’ said St Edmund’s coach Andrew Kirk.
“Laurie’s has been the form team for the last three years and I guess no one gave us a shot this year.
“We know they are going to play very good, structured rugby and if we play the same way we did against Villa in the first 15 minutes, Laurie’s will execute and punish us.’’
In that period Villa mauled decisively and had several scoring chance.
Indeed Kirk had high praise for Villa for “throwing a lot at us’’.
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But he said his side continued to scramble and “turn up for each other’’ after confronting adversity.
“We are a great team with a great culture,’’ he said.
Halfback Tafito Falaniki Ah-Ki was a three try hero for Eddies, while skipper and hooker Dan Mavunda and Lochlan Davis at flanker did splendidly.
In the backs Regan Payne tackled strongly for St Edmund’s.
Villanova coach Eddie Harris again had plenty to be proud of. Indeed his group is giving its all for their school community even if they are not amassing wins.
They had chances to upset Eddies, particularly in the first half, but did not make the most of their chances and St Edmund’s version 2022 was good enough to respond to the challenge and find 27 points and win.
“The first 20 minutes today was probably the best I have seen a Firsts team play since I have been at the school (nine years),’’ said Villanova coach Harris.
“We bombed five tries in the first 25 minutes and doing that you are never going to win a game.
“And credit to them, they are a very persistent and focused team and they put the pressure on and we went away from our structure and pattern that was so dominant.’’
For Villa lock Jackson Moloney played strongly and Joey Wilson (fullback) was outstanding.
“There will be no one watching us saying effort is not there. We just lacked a but of polish. We just have to believe in ourselves,’’ Harris said.
He said while it was disappointing, it is a young side which will benefit from the experience.
St Laurence’s warmed its engines with a 39-14 victory over St Patrick’s College, with captain and lock Jake Kurbatoff leading the way.
Laurie’s fly half Darcy Rowan controlled play and fullback Michael Brewster shone with his positional play and tactical kicking.
“The boys played well,’’ said Laurie’s coach Wilmar du Plessis.
“We came here to do a job and now we are onto next week.
“We will enjoy this one and then move onto the next game.’’
St Patrick’s coach Joshua Neilsen said his team’s desire and resilience cannot be questioned – again.
He said down 17-nil at halftime, his side would take two steps forward but one back which hurt them.
“We had them under pressure early on and then they readjusted and slowly buried us,’’ he said.
Best for St Patrick’s were Dean Laws to flanker, fly half Sam Condon and wingers Ben Murphy and Riley Horne.
Nick Tucker reported from Ashgrove, the six-year-curse is over, with St Peters spoiling the fun in Ashgrove’s Rosalie round and last home game of the season with a stunning upset win over Marist College Ashgrove.
The 25-10 shock delivered St Peters first win over competition powerhouse Ashgrove since 2016 and it produced a red and white huddle at full-time by the reserves bench, coaches, and students celebrating the drought-breaker.
Cheers, jubilation, raw emotion, and passion struck the Peters First XV and it was hugs galore as they had defeated their greatest enemy.
St Peters assistant coach Sam Wheeler said: “It’s our first win in six years and to put what is most likely our biggest deficit ever against Ashgrove is huge.”
“We said at the start of the week we wanted to do everything better than them. Every tackle. Every carry. Every set piece. And that’s what we did.”
Wheeler said it was extra special because it’s not only a day the Year 11 and 12 boys will never forget but it is something the boys in Grade 7 and 8 will look at and give them hope that one day they will be able to do that against schools like Ashgrove.
“It’s an unreal day. A massive day for the College and for rugby at St Peters.”
St Peters fullback Kadin Pritchard along with his teammates were over the moon to have gotten their first win ever at McMahon Oval. Pritchard said: “We’ve come a long away. From last year winning one game to coming here and doing this. I am so proud of the boys and everything we’ve been through.”
Peters piled on the points in the first half, running in four tries to put Ashgrove on the back foot for the entire game.
St Peters lock Vice Latu pounced on an Ashgrove mistake early to give his team a 5-0 lead.
St Peters were in for their second try moments later through centre Kuwanon Dickman who was put into space by Pritchard and Dom Morton.
Captain and fullback Kadin Pritchard made it 15-0 in a first-half battering when splitting through Ashgrove’s defence and bursting away on a 30m dash to score under the posts.
This sparked the fire within Ashgrove who scored through winger Cody O’May moments later. Thanks to a great pass from fly half Pat Tierney, Ashgrove clawed back to within 10.
Centre Jirra Twist pushed Peters in front 22-5 on the stroke of halftime with his textbook crash ball. Twist can’t be stopped from close range.
Ashgrove winger Tom Howard got Ashgrove on the board first in the second-forty when scoring a lucky try in the right corner. The ball sat up for teammate Connor Lyons who found him with a great pass.
Pritchard put his team in front 15 points when opting for a penalty goal midway through the second half. Ashgrove came very close to scoring on multiple occasions however Peters held them out to come away 25-10 victors.
In his last home game ever in the blue and gold, Ashgrove fly half Pat Tierney said: “ We’re very disappointed not to have bounced back from the last few weeks where we played really well.”
“It was tough. They got the jump on us and we didn’t respond.”
Iona and Padua played out a 26-all draw.
“Iona got out to 17-nil lead that was eventually hauled in,’’ said Iona director of sport Keith Harron.
“It was a very tight second half in see-sawing game and the draw was a fair result.
Iona’s best was No.8 Jack Leo while Padua No.12 (Rogers) had strong second half second half.
Padua College coach Kelevi Tuicolo said Josh Linklater at No.10 and inside centre Mitch Rogers were best players in their comeback to draw.
Rogers scored a fantastic double chip and chase try to almost win the match for his side.
But there was dramas, with Iona having two penalty goals from 40m in injury time which missed.
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