GPS First XV rugby: 20 Players of the Round
GPS First XV rugby: Who shone brightest during thrilling round 3 action which saw Churchie, Brisbane Grammar School, IGS and Toowoomba Grammar School challenge strongly.
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The GPS First XV rugby season has opened up before our eyes, with Toowoomba Grammar School, Brisbane Grammar School, Ipswich Grammar Grammar School and Terrace all challenging – win, lose or draw.
Churchie’s dramatic win over Nudgee had that side unbeaten after three rounds, with a blockbusting road trip to The Southport School on the agenda this Saturday.
But that is this weekend. What about last Saturday? Who were the shining lights?
Below we feature our round 3 Players of the Round.
38 SCHOOLBOYS WHO WOULD DO US PROUD ON THE SEVENS PITCH
ROB TOIA (Nudgee)
Toia was only on the field for the first 25 minutes before suffering a knee injury, but in that time he wrapped up the man of the match award. He was on another planet and it is fair to say if he had not been injured, Nudgee would have gone on to win.
ANGUS MUNN (Gregory Terrace)
Munn was a quiet achiever. He went about his business and was, as he always is, fantastic.
The No.8 crashed over for a controversial try in the death which would have pushed his team in front 25-24 with a chance of two more points.
It was one of the most evenly contested affairs so far this season and the result could have gone either way. Munn tried his best.
JOE STODDART (Churchie)
You just have to give the kid who crossed the line for the winning try and run in this list, don’t you. Stoddart had just given his all from flanker against a Nudgee pack which shaded Churchie in the scrum, at rolling maul time and with clean, crisp lineout work, so it was taking a huge effort by Churchie around the field to gain parity with their rivals.
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There was Stoddart, who is not a big man, running hard, getting his body height low, and driving over the tryline for the winner. His cousin and captain Tom led Churchie on at the start of the game, but Joe was entitled to lead Churchie off at the end - such was his effort.
FRANKIE GOLDSBROUGH
In the mould of Queensland’s crashing outside centre of the 1980s and early 1990s, Anthony Herbert, Goldsbrough’s charges sent Churchie hurtling onto the back foot. He no doubt benefited from Rob Toia’s departure (injured) and although he was sternly challenged by Nudgee’s midfield after Toia’s departure, he did well.
XAVIER STILES (Gregory Terrace)
Team of the week honours is becoming a regular occurance for hardworking prop Xavier Stiles. He’s just that good.
That Terrace forward pack is already so special. Throw Stiles in there and you have the best forward pack in the competition.
Of course he crossed the line once again.
CHARLIE JOHNSTONE (Churchie)
Who ever taught the kid to cover tackle in the backyard did a good job. Saturday’s match was that close, Churchie probably would not have won with his diving save around the boots of a runaway Kai Combarngo, forcing him to step out.
PAT DALLIMORE (Nudgee)
Hard work must be Dallimore’s middle name because he never stopped trying to make the difference and get Nudgee College to a narrow win over Churchie.
Addison Pfaender (Gregory Terrace)
Addison Pfaender is GT’s most improved. He has work hard week in and week out and the results are showing.
He is delivering for Head Coach Michael Broad, who is very impressed with his progress this season.
He’s doing all the right things, and deserves his spot on this list.
WILL SHAW (Brisbane Grammar School)
You love to see a halfback opt for a blind side raid and have it pay off. Sometimes in the big moments, scrum halfs are discouraged to dart from the scrum. You don’t want to get isolated and go against the grain.
But, Shaw spotted the space and took his opportunity. Good on him.
No one got close to him with a flurry of sidesteps deceiving the Terrace defenders that looked to have him covered.
ANGUS TOLHURST (Brisbane Grammar School)
Tolhurst was crafty at the back all game. His kicking game was impressive and counter attacking faultless.
Grammar went from strength to strength loosing Ben Mooney at No.15, with Tolhurst having a blinder.
He popped up everywhere.
BEN DANIELS Daniels (Churchie)
It was Daniel’s “just in case play’’ and his long reach which forced the charge down that led to Churchie being handed set piece ball leading to Joe Stoddart’s match winning try. Daniel’s effort, when he must have been fatigued, said everything about the mindset of the Churchie players during the championship rounds across the last 20 minutes of play.
LIAM McGREGOR (Brisbane Grammar School)
Who else saw McGregor’s heroics to seal the deal against Gregory Terrace on Saturday?
McGregor deserves a pat on the back for the quality of rugby he was playing in the final minutes. A crunching tackle and a pilfer to turn the ball over and deny a final say from a Terrace barrage.
This Grammar team is exciting.
CHACE OATES (Toowoomba Grammar School)
For the second successive week Toowoomba Grammar School claimed a morale victory and leading the way was outside centre Oates. A skilful all-round player who reads the defence well, he has scored two intercept tries this season. He also has a long, accurate kicking game which keeps opponents on the back foot.
WILL ALLEN (Brisbane Grammar School)
Allen was superb in that No.12 jersey. On defence and offense, you couldn’t fault him.
Him and Ryan Shaw seemed like the 10-and-12 connection that just click.
MAC KELLEY
Kelley again impressed with his finishing, power and pace. He and his fellow winger Connor Simpson also looked for work and it was no coincidence that both bobbed up to score midfield tries.
HARRY WARD (The Southport School)
The athletic lock Ward led TSS by example with a man of the match effort in his team’s two-point win over Toowoomba Grammar School. As captain of the TSS boats, Oates is accustomed to hard work and toughness and he displayed both traits around his skills against a TGS outfit pushing for victory.
ISRAEL LEOTA (Ipswich Grammar School)
When Leota wanted to go forward against Brisbane Boys College, he went forward, believe me. Tall and athletic, he can play tough in contact as well and last weekend he was in the mood to get IGS home. He scored the winning try as a bonus for IGS.
SAMSON TUQIRI (Brisbane Boys College)
Samson Tuqiri makes our list again. Due to the family blood line Tuqiri is a natural in the code, but he is also doing the little things right, working hard, putting in and as a result finished last weekend BBC’s best.
ANGUS KELLY (Gregory Terrace)
Kelly put the BGS defence on the backfoot all afternoon on Saturday. He was aggressive.
He ran the ball more, showed us his step and made all the right decisions.
RYAN SHAW (Brisbane Grammar School)
Shaw had on the tricks on show. The best of all his offload. He’s a sharp flyhalf with an attacking prowess that on Saturday, was the reason BGS came out on top.
It will be exciting to see how Shaw progresses throughout the season. His next obstacle lies in an IGS outfit that cannot be discounted.
ROUND 4
BSHS v GT
TSS v Churchie
IGS v BGS
BBC v NUDGEE
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