AIC First XV rugby Team of the Week from round 2
AIC First XV rugby: Who has made our round 2 Team of the Week? It includes a thumping Padua outside back, an ace Laurie’s centre and a matchwinning Iona hooker. Revealed here.
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The closest AIC First XV rugby season in years is unfolding, with another cracker-a-jack round pending on Saturday.
But before that, let us reflect upon last week and recognise players of the round in our weekly Team of the Week.
HOW ROUND 6 OF CLUB RUGBY UNFOLDED
TEAM OF THE WEEK
Fullback: Dom Morton (St Peters Lutheran College)
A First XV usual, the electric Morton once again shone through with a stellar performance on the wing. He is a clinical finisher who spearheaded a gallant Saints side as they took it to the reigning premiers. To get our best players recognised, we named him at fullback.
Wing: Noah James (St Patrick’s College)
Paddies were in safe hands with black head gear wearing James on one wing and white head gear wearing James Boland on the other. The two combined for a superb showing, especially in that second half where Paddies threatened to upset Villa on their turf.
James was a zigzagging customer, weaving his way through traffic while Boland bumped off countless willing defenders.
Outside centre Calef Johnson ((Padua College)
Connoisseurs of local schoolboy rugby will know the name Frankie Goldsbrough (Churchie) and at first glance Johnson is the AIC’s version. A centre giant, he was a rampaging running threat and in defence Johnson seemed to discourage Marist Ashgrove from going wide toward their ace Tom Howard.
Inside centre Jack Tuite (St Laurence’s College)
Now a seasoned campaigner at this level for his role in helping St Laurence’s to last season’s premiership, Tuite stood up to the vim and vigour of the fast emerging St Peters side. He got over the advantage line every time he carried the ball and was strong in defence, making his own tackles and organising those around him.
RELATED LINKS
AIC RUGBY - HOW ROUND 1 UNFOLDED
Wing: Matt Condon (St Patrick’s College)
The Year 11 outside centre deserved one hell of a rest after his scrambling defence on Saturday. An undersized centre, Condon’s hustle and effort in the backline prevented at least half a dozen Villa tries which on any other day they would have executed
His line speed and ability to cover more than one defender made turning a simple through the hands movement into a nightmare for his rivals. We named him wing to get him into our top squad.
RELATED LINKS
CLUB RUGBY: RD 5 COLTS TEAM OF THE WEEK, WOMEN’S LATEST
AIC RUGBY - PLAYERS TO WATCH THIS SEASON
CLUB RUGBY - BROTHERS LEGENDS HONOURED
Fly half: Campbell Rolfe (Iona College)
Playing as an inside centre, Rolfe was arguably Iona’s best back in their road trip win against St Edmund’s College. But we wanted to squeeze the players of the week into our squad so we named him at No. 10 where he would be at home anyway. He is a traditional rugby inside back, rugged on both sides of the ball.
Halfback: Tafito Falaniko Ah-Ki (St Edmund’s College)
It was a case of more of the same for this halfback young gun. It was another complete performance from Tafito who rallied his side by both his own deeds and with his talk, organising his pack around the breakdowns.
No. 8: Jackson Moloney (Villanova College)
Jeez Villa were lucky to have this guy on Saturday. He won the lineout battle and around the park he was mighty strong. He pinched the ball, he defended stoutly and he held firm in the scrum where Paddies excelled. He scored a double, the second boosting Villa from 14-12 to 19-12 with five to play.
Flanker: Bailey Cotelli (St Laurence’s College)
Bailey spearheaded Laurie’s recovery from defeat to St Peters in a Saturday afternoon classic. He has a massive work rate around the park, and as a bonus he scored two tries. He was one of the first players chosen in our Team of the Week.
Flanker: Liam Fuggs (St Patrick’s)
What a debut it was for a Year 11 who hadn’t been around the First XV until two days before kick off. Paddies’ head coach Jim Potts said on Saturday, after Fuggs was a terrific breakdown presence, that he had his first and only session with the side on Thursday after injury ruled out their first choice flanker. After Fuggs’ suffocating defensive performance on Saturday, it will be impossible for Potts to leave him out of the side.
Lock: Vice Latu (St Peters)
It would’ve taken a mammoth effort to contest the Laurie’s forwards and boy did Latu do a good job, very nearly producing an upset at Runcorn.
A returning First XV player, the rangy Latu had his prints all over the 16-15 nail biter with his efforts in the key areas - lineouts, scrums and breakdowns.
Lock Jack Forrest (Padua)
Forrest and his second row partner Luke Parkin were a tower of strength for their side. Along with leaping No. 6 Jack Corby they ensured Padua had domination of the lineout which was used as a major attacking weapon. But there is clearly a culture of working for your mates at Padua because he contributed around the ground by also plugging holes in defence or chasing kicks.
Prop Aiden Rooney (Padua)
Padua had a hands on battle with the Marist pack and in the thick of the action was Rooney. His sweeping in the lineouts contributed to the potency of Padua’s set piece which was a key reason Padua beat Ashgrove. Padua also had a rampaging pick and drive game headed by Rooney.
Hooker: Alex Manteit (Iona College)
Did Iona’s First XV eat oranges at halftime? If they did Manteit would have cut them into quarters for everyone because he did everything else. I bet he also took the jerseys home to be washed after the match. A two-try hero, this second season tight forward produced a real “follow me’’ performance as their side recovered from a first-round loss to beat St Edmund’s in Ipswich - no mean feat these days.
Prop: Manaaki Bateman (St Patrick’s College)
Paddies’ best player, Bateman was a wrecking ball front rower whose physicality gave his teammates confidence against a much bigger Villa side. To get him into our top XV, we named him prop. He gave Paddies the edge in the scrum, meanwhile his ball carrying gave the team their best go forward. He was a seriously strong forward presence.
Reserves:
Dan Taylor (Villanova College)
He was the first player we chose on the bench. Taylor is a tall front row talent with great speed and hand-eye coordination. Against Paddies he caught a superb intercept against the run of play and blitzed down field 50 metres before being chopped down by Matt Condon.
He is also a terrific goal kicker.
Nick Hinchey (Padua)
Hinchey was the second player we picked on our reserves. His defence was as good as it gets and he also carried the ball strongly. Yet when the shift was on, he would swing it away to his outside men. Hinchey was just a very good footballer.
Luka Smith (St Laurence’s College)
There were plenty of good tight forwards doing the rounds last weekend and this St Laurence’s College was as good as anyone. He had strong carries throughout and really looks the part at First XV level. He was good over the ball.
Jack Chandler (St Edmund’s College)
For the second week in a row Chandler makes our Team of the Week squad. The young open flanker in his first season of First XV again led the way for Eddies.
Wallace Charlie (St Peters Lutheran College)
Confidence is key for this young playmaker and against the reigning premiers he seemed to have no shortage. From the start Charlie and his backline mounted endless pressure on the home side before a fight back from Laurie’s saw them pinch a one-point-victory. He could easily have made our starting XV but given the quality of this group, being in our squad is a pat on the back.
Flanker: James Sullivan and Ben Addley (Villa)
These two come as a packaged deal - Sullivan at No. 6 and Addley at No.7. They are physical, aggressive, breakdown winners and crunch time players. After 65 minutes of end to end footy they still had enough in the tank to pull off the two biggest plays of the game.
One was a pilfer from Addley in the game’s dying moments, and immediately after a rib-crunching Sullivan tackle dislodged the ball from his opponent, denying Paddies 70th minute glory. Their halfback Caden Griffiths followed suit with a pilfer on the siren.
Eli Williamson-Tomich (Paddies)
Inside centre Williamson-Tomich was Condon’s (see earlier in the story) right hand man. He was a force in defence and an attacking weapon who scored the try of the day with a superb kick chase.
Damon Humphrys (Padua)
The five-eight on debut had a killer kicking game in the first half when Padua were establishing the rules of engagement, and then serviced his outside with aplomb. He played like he belonged at this level.
Larry Clark (Villanova College)
Clark was a fine playmaker, spreading the ball crisply and organising the line well. He used that big boot of his too, turning defenders around and advancing his team up the field. Clark made our First XV round 1 Team of the Squad and is back again in week No.2..
Oliver Clements (Marist College Ashgrove)
Hooker Clements resembled an open side flanker, the way he chased kicks and made tackles. He was an effort player and if you were handing out awards for endeavour, he would have been one of the first in line.
Footnote: Replays and live coverage of match will be available courtesy of the QRU and available via the website: https://qld.rugby/aic
Round 3: St Laurence’s v Villanova
Padua College v St Edmund’s
Marist College v Iona
St Peters v St Patrick’s
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