GPS First XV: Churchie flourish sets scene for 3-way premiership
Churchie finished with typical flourish while Nudgee College kept a clean sheet and TSS won again as an absorbing GPS First XV rugby season ploughed closer to a three way shared premiership.
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On the surface all seemed to be according to the script.
Home team Churchie, chasing a cherished joint premiership alongside Nudgee and TSS, won 31-7 over Brisbane Grammar School, with the Churchie faithful roaring halfback Archie Wilson and Mac Kelley on to their trademark tries.
The crowd had enjoyed two spectacular attacking spurts by Churchie – one just after halftime when the home side rushed in three tries in 10 minutes, and then again late when Churchie, typically, finished with a flourish as the winds blew into their backs.
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But scores tell only part of the story and for half the match it was a pitched nil-all dogfight and BGS deserve the highest of praise on an emotional afternoon when players donned black arm bands in honour of teammate Lewis Strachan who suffered a personal tragedy during the week.
“I was proud of their effort and even though we got beaten by a better side today, their effort could not be questioned,’’ said BGS coach Phil Mooney.
“I am proud of them for what they displayed today based on the events of the past week.’’
Brisbane Grammar School came to play, no doubt about it, and even after being hit between the eyes by a Churchie’s three try burst, they refused to yield.
A pick and drive try beneath the posts by Thomas Doe cut the deficit to 19-7 before Churchie finally put rivals to sleep two tries in the last five minutes.
First lock Hugo Lumber had the joy of crossing, and then Kelley scored in typical dynamic fashion after being gifted a sprint to the line by inside centre Dre Pakeho.
Yes Churchie won and won well, but it took some effort to chisel their way forward and the game was much closer than the scores indicate.
When Churchie do get rolling, however, it is a joy to watch as they punished their opponents with stunning counter attack from stray kicks.
It took Churchie 37 minutes to break a nil-all deadlock through a time honoured means of scoring – the rolling maul – and moments later it was 12-nil when Archie Wilson scored his team’s second try.
Wilson’s try was garnished by his trademark dive after a super pass from his winger Connor Simpson who had roved into the midfield.
Simpson then had the reward of scoring his own try, a 35m effort after an alert Charlie Brosnan had gathered a rebounding ball from a Ryan Shaw grubber kick and scooped a pass to Simpson.
Churchie coach Ryan Schultz added: “We have been confident all year that the back end of halves and the back end of games, and it was good for the boys to express themselves again.’’
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BGS proved they were no one trick pony.
Two weeks ago they challenged TSS with ball in hand, playing a high octane style that had TSS scrambling to defend.
Today it was a get down and dirty effort as skipper Ryan Shaw directed his side around.
While Churchie defended BGS well, they would have become mildly frustrated by failing to gain traction sufficiently to threaten the BGS try line across the first half.
But it all worked out in the end, with Churchie finishing strongly and now confronting the chance to secure a shared premiership.
At Ipswich, Nudgee College kept a clean sheet top win 29-nil over Ipswich, while Toowoomba Grammar School won 50-nil against BSHS and The Southport School edged out Terrace 26-17.
GPS powerhouses Nudgee College can now hang their 43rd GPS First XV premiership banner in the halls of what is arguably Queensland’s finest rugby school.
Having dealt with Ipswich today, 29-0, Nudgee can sit comfortably with next week off, knowing they did all they could to resurrect themselves following a heartbreaking loss at the hands of Churchie in round 3.
Today’s win at Ipswich, securing their 8th shared premiership, first premiership in four years and a season to remember having missed the chance to compete for a premiership in last year’s Covid ridden season. A shared premiership, if Churchie beat Brisbane State High and Southport beat Ipswich in the if the final round of the season.
A 68th minute length of the field try by one of the competition’s finest, Tory Bath, put the cherry on top.
Nudgee director of rugby Sean Graham said the last two years had been challenging, “especially last year. It was gutting for the boys. That was tough and that’s what’s special about this year. To share this with our community.”
“The players, parents, staff, Old Boys and the wider community.”
Premiership contenders Southport, will have to watch out for Ipswich in round 9 given their gusty showing against Nudgee today.
Graham said: “Ipswich are a good side. We had a lot of possession and we didn’t run away with it. Credit to Ipswich, they dug in, defended well and made it difficult for us. We are really happy to have grinded it out.”
“This year just goes to show how close the competition is. It’s unique. You play in a grand final every week. Since dropping the game in round 3, every week has been a must win. And none are easy. You are in a contest every week which is great for the boys’ development.”
It took 23 minutes for the deadlock to be broken, with Nudgee halfback Inigo Lawrence diving over for the first of the day.
It was easy pickings for Lawrence, scooting blind after forward pack heavyweights Patrick Dallimore, Will Rogers and Macarius Pereira among other troopers did the hard work.
Ipswich would come close, but would come away with nothing to show in the first half, with flyhalf leader Jack Hocking, the key to their momentum in that first half.
Electric Nudgee centre Tariq Tanner sparked a try before the break, blitzing his way through the middle before linking with Lawrence with a nice offload. A few tackles later and wing Kai Combarngo was over.
Tanner, before halfway, spotted some tired bodies and with a head full of steam advanced Nudgee close to the line. This gave his side a comfortable 12-0 lead leading into their last half of footy in 2022.
Nudgee prop Rory Beech started the second half in amazing fashion. Sneakily, much like Queensland Red Seru Uru, Beech grabbed the ball from the ruck and galloped straight ahead with defenders assembled on his left and right.
Before Ipswich could blink, lock Griffin Schostakowski had steamrolled his way over at the back of a rolling maul, and the boys in blue and white were now ahead 24-0.
Nudgee had all the possession. But, there were a few Ipswich heavy hitters who Southport will have to keep an eye on in round 9.
Centres Stanley Huen and Israel Leota, No. 8 Lyncoln Cliffe and lock Oscar Affleck withstood some real attacking pressure. Hockings monstrous boot came in handy as well.
Fullback Kohen Briggs went agonisingly close in the 63rd minute, but a desperate try-saver from winger Louis De Villiers denied the home side entry onto the scoreboard.
Leota crashed his way through the line and put Briggs in but a speedy De Villiers in pursuit spoiled the fun.
Picture Beauden Barrett in a Hurricanes jersey kicking through the ball until it sits up perfectly. That was Bath in the final moments, tapping the ball through for the best part of 70 metres.
Nudgee, coming away 29-0 winners. And, shared premiers.
There was a mighty match at a rain soaked Southport, with TSS beating Terrace 26-17.
Terrace threatened to upset their rivals with two well taken tries from errors, and were good enough to cross the line three times.
But ultimately it was the TSS defensive unit which won the day, clearing the way for TSS to challenge for a three way premiership next week against Ipswich Grammar School.
“Our defensive intensity was really good today. We stayed connected to each other,’’ said TSS coach Mike Wallace.
Helping organise the defence was winger Blake Raymond whose organisation off the ball was supplemented by a first half try. “He played a big role for us,’’ Wallace said.
TSS No.8 Nick Hilton was a beast in defence and continues to impact the competition. “Nick adds so much value to us in our attack space,’’ the coach praised.
And for consistency flanker Billy Wellard and prop Caleb Laifoo set a high standard, while replacement centre Bucknell rose to the occasion with an unblemished performance.
Terrace director of sport Tyrone Mandrusiak said his forward pack was again well led by Angus Munn and around him locks Xavier Grambower and Tom Robinson did well along with halfback Archie Xavier.
But he said TSS were hard to contain “once they get in behind you and offload’’ and so it was the case.
There was a nice moment for flanker Noah Clifford who was rewarded for his work with a charge down.
“I thought it was played in great spirit and players threw themselves into it despite the conditions and the game finished three tries all,’’ said Terrace head coach Michael Broad.
“But I thought our guys really gave it everything they had. They had a dig.’’
Broad also had high praise for TSS No.10 Spencer Alcock for the manner in which he went about his business, with his goal kicking the difference.
At Carina, Toowoomba Grammar School showed why they were one of the form teams of the competition with a 50-nil win.
Although out of premiership contention, TGS has been a model of consistency all winter.
“We put them under pressure early,’’ said TGS director of sport Steven Fryer.
“We were downwind and put pressure on with a couple quick tries which put them on the backfoot and I think our forwards controlled the ball and our backs did the job later in the second half.
Chace Oates and Richard Dean each scored two tries, with Dean outstanding and open flanker Zander Jacobs elite.
Hats off to Joel Broderick who tried all day long for BSHS.
ROUND 9
BBC v BGS
IGS v TSS
BSHS v ACGS
TGS v GT
Bye: Nudgee
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