AIC Schoolboy First XV rugby: Round 3 drums of victory beat loud for St Patrick’s College
Tim Ryan amassed four tries to lead Paddies to a third successive victory, while St Edmund’s College surged to a drought-breaking win in AIC First XV rugby on Saturday.
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The drums of victory beat loud from St Patrick’s College’s supporters as Tim Ryan amassed four tries to lead Paddies to a third successive victory in AIC First XV rugby on Saturday.
The Curlew Park, Shorncliffe, groundskeeper may very well find scorch marks across the oval when he fronts for work on Monday morning, so quickly did outside centre Ryan move in scoring four tries for Paddies in the 36-8 victory.
In other matches St Edmund’s College scored its first win in two seasons by pipping St Peters Lutheran College 14-7, while St Laurence’s College defeated Iona 51-17.
Nick Tucker reported from Andrew Slack Oval that Marist College Ashgrove beat Villaova College 50-15, with young water polo champion scoring three tries.
St Patrick’s and St Laurence’s were the two unbeaten teams after round 3, with Paddies’ overwhelming Padua with and without the ball.
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ROUND 2: PADDIES PULL MATCH OUT OF THE FIRE
St Patrick’s win was a true team performance, with everyone from try-scoring hooker Malakai Davis Raeli through to fullback Gabriel De Cillo contributing.
But the baton twirler out the front of the St Patrick’s parade was outside centre Ryan.
In his third season of First XV rugby, Ryan was notable last week against Iona, but today he was an out and out star today against Padua.
He scored his first try from a platform laid by his forwards who had won attacking lineout ball then pick and drove play toward the middle.
From that foundation, halfback Jackson Dows passed left where Ryan and his fullback Di Cillo combined.
Then Ryan’s second try saw him blaze 45m.
Leading up to the try Paddies’ won lineout ball against the throw, with St Pat’s hooker Davis Raeli gleefully grasping the unexpected possession into his mid-drift and burrowing away from the sideline toward the protection of his forwards.
With ball secured, halfback Dows knew what to do next, working his forwards midfield before releasing ball to the backs which saw the graceful Ryan stride into a hole and run off into the distance.
Then, into the second half, Ryan scored another two tries, the first when he ran 30m chasing Dows’ kick, and then a fourth try down the right hand side after Paddies’ had formed attacking superior numbers to Padua’s defenders.
What an afternoon it was for Ryan, and what an afternoon it was for his teammates.
“For me the defensive resolve was really good because they kept coming at us. Execution wise, we had been a bit sloppy executing in attack and today when we had a chance to put points on, we did,’’ said St Patrick’s College coach Joshua Neilsen.
Don’t let the scoreline fool you.
The bumps and bruises being nursed by the St Patrick’s players after the match was testimony to the physical nature of the confrontation.
St Patrick’s were sore after the game and at no stage did Padua throw the white towel in, either with or without the ball.
It is just St Patrick’s defence either side of the fallen player was steadfast to the last minute, and courtesy of Ryan, Paddies’ had more finishing firepower.
There was no better example of St Patrick’s tenacity than when Padua’s Mitch Ross burst into space, but Paddies’ lock Kioa Pavali grassed him in a low tackle 1m from scoring.
“Guy were brave today, but errors killed us and simply they executed better than us today,’’ said Padua coach Shane Buckley.
Padua’s best was hooker Dan Healy who dug in, got down and dirty from go to woe
Coach Buckley also said No.8 Andrew de Jager could hold his head up.
St Patrick’s 36 (T Ryan 4, L McMurtrie, M. Davis Raeli tries; J Dows 2; G Di Cillo conv) def Padua 8 (M. Ross try; A Smith pen)
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In Ipswich, St Edmund’s players were celebrating a win after earning victory with defence – and plenty of it, against St Peters.
“It was a really good defensive effort to turn St Peters away,’’ said Eddies’ coach Andrew Kirk after the 14-7 victory.
“We knew who we had to shut down and worked hard across the park.’’
Jed Lacey defensively shut the St Peters midfield down, while Logan Costello and Hayden Molkentien were outstanding in attack and defence.
“It was very tense,’’ Kirk said. “It was a penalty try to us which turned the game on its head. “That and a red card. But the boys hung in and showed resilience.
“We had to learn how to win and I think we have turned the corner. We know how to win.’’
St Peters Lutheran College coach Russell Todd said his team played half the game with 14 men due.
“With their backs against the wall, credit to work rate and attitude,’’ Todd praised.
“But it comes back to those fine margins.
“We failed to look after the ball in right area and play with patience.’’
At Iona College, St Laurence’s College executed perfectly to produce a near 70 minute performance against Iona.
“We were clinical today with everything just clicking,’’ said St Laurence’s coach Welmar de Plessis.
“We were on the ball this week. Defence set the standard early and we took our chances and finished our opportunities.
“It was a good team performance. We wanted a 70 minute performance and we went close to that today. We executed perfectly to plan.’’
At Andrew Slack Oval, Nick Tucker reported a three-try bonanza from strapping No.8 Will Valentine ignited Marist College Ashgrove’s 50-15 thumping of Villanova College on Saturday afternoon.
The eight-try performance exemplified that the Marist boys still have strong belief they can win the AIC First XV schoolboy rugby competition despite the pain of losing their first round match against St Laurence’s College.
Valentine, a junior Australian water polo representative and Queensland Thunder player, watched as his efforts were accompanied by an impressive showcase of Ashgrove’s Year 11 talent, winger Tasman Barry and fullback Pat Tierney.
Barry, 16, was the most dangerous back on Andrew Slack Oval. The towering winger scored a double, including a superb try to open the scoring after two minutes.
Ashgrove flyhalf Tate Cole produced an impressive sidestep to set up Barry for his maiden First XV try with help from centre Lochie Dudgeon.
Cole was sensational, having double-touch involvements in many of Ashgrove’s attacking plays.
For his first try, he linked up with Aboriginal winger Dwayne Ludwick and centre Ky Rasleigh.
For his second, the busy Ludwick and Dudgeon were involved.
Determined Villanova flanker Tom Lawrence shone with two great tries as well as a terrific try-saving tackle on Ludwick.
Villanova No.8 Josh Vincent showed his good sportsmanship by calling to the referee to stop the play when Ashgrove school captain Henry Thommason went down with a head knock.
Villanova College coach Paul Davey said: “Marist were very clinical. Every time they got in our half they found points and we probably weren’t patient enough at key times.”
“We had injuries constantly during the game and had to shuffle the line-up. (Prop) Harry Grant-Smith was brilliant again, as well as our captain Tom Twaddell,” Davey said.
Marist College Ashgrove assistant coach Jon Fitzgerald said: “We started playing more forcefully, bending their line. We went out on that left edge, which allowed space.
Previously, we had been placid but this week we made a point to really perch us on that line.”
“Front-rower Harry Gould and lock Pat Gavin were good. Even though Gavin threw up he just kept going. The contributions came from everywhere,” Fitzgerald said.
Ashgrove try-scorer Pat Tierney added: “We bounced back against Eddies last week and now each week we are proving ourselves. The goal at training is to focus on what we need to fix and just put the Lauries’ loss behind us.”
“I think we have set a standard over the last few games and now we just have to continue.”
Marist College Ashgrove 50 (W Valentine 3, T Barry 2, T Cole 2, P Tierney tries; D Ludwick 3, T Cole 2) bt Villanova College 15 (T Lawrence 2, C Bukowski tries)
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