GPS First XV rugby: Premiership showdown looms between Nudgee College and Brisbane Boys College
A GPS rugby First XV premiership showdown looms next Saturday between St Joseph’s Nudgee College and Brisbane Boys College after today’s round. Here’s a rundown of all the day’s action.
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Brisbane Boys College have stamped their premiership credentials once again with a strong 23-point win over a spirited Toowoomba Grammar side at Miskin Oval.
The backline stars where the difference again for the BBC side but a brilliant second half from TGS kept the team within range.
The win by BBC sets up a showdown this Saturday with Nudgee College after Nudgee beat Brisbane Grammar School by 43 points.
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“They can all have a good night in the dining room at Nudgee College tonight knowing their First XV have set up another decider,’’ said Brisbane Grammar School director of rugby Phil Mooney whose team was beaten by Nudgee today.
BBC moved to within two games of the college’s first premiership since 1954 with a good win against bold opponents.
TGS took the lead in the fourth minute through an off-side penalty but BBC would score on their first entry into Toowoomba’s half.
A set play of a line out gave flanker Zac Hough a free run off of an inside ball to score under the posts seven minutes in.
A flurry of penalties against BBC gave Toowoomba another three points through outside centre Morris Clementson.
Every time BBC had the ball they looked dangerous so it didn’t take long for danger man Jack Howarth to stamp himself on the game.
He ran through an opposing defender before running 40 metres to deliver a first-class offload to fullback Jarrod Homan.
Howarth struck again beating a defender to score in the corner from 30m out.
Jarrod Homan was next as he sliced through the defence giving BBC their fourth try of the first half.
Fly-half Mason Gordon’s kicking game was clinical, forcing Toowoomba to play out of their 22 and setting up the fifth try of the half with a perfectly weighted cross field kick.
Pacy winger Lachlan Rubens caught the ball just metres from the tryline and scoring to give BBC a 23-point lead going into halftime.
It would’ve been easy for Toowoomba to roll over against the premiership favourites but they did the opposite.
They dominated the majority of second-half, winning the breakdown, holding on to possession and maintaining field position.
But it was time for BBC to show off their stellar defence holding TGS up in goal three times and surviving 17 minutes on their own line.
The westerners weren’t able to capitalise when consecutive penalties led to a yellow card to BBC’s hooker.
The drought finally broke with winger Will Johnston sprinting onto a great kick from inside centre Seb Sialau to score in the corner.
A try against the grain came on the final play with BBC’s Howarth giving winger Gauai Wallace a free run to score.
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BBC’s head coach Shane Drahm said he was happy with the performance with a premiership decider against Nudgee next week in the back of their minds.
“We had a plan in the second half about how we wanted to attack, obviously maintain our defence but credit to them they held on to the ball, controlled territory but for us it’s probably better prep for us towards next week,” Mr Drahm said.
“We’ve got Gordon who has a cool head, good vision and is a calm playmaker and Howarth who has a freak of a build and there is no one like him in the comp.”
“It’s a luxury having the best fly-half in the comp and probably the best outside centre in Australia.”
Toowoomba Grammar coach David Enfantie was over the moon with the effort from his forward pack and overall second half performance.
“I am really proud of the boys, I was a bit disappointed in the first half so we can’t discount that but the way they came back, they’re champion lads, a pleasure to coach and I am very proud of them,” Mr Enfantie said.
“They just kept going, we pride ourselves on that we get knocked down, we keep getting up and keep going.”
“I would like to give the whole forward pack a wrap, they were fantastic and were led superbly by Hamish Muller our number 8 and captain was brilliant and Cooper Bridgeman was great in the lineouts again.”
Tries
BBC: 7. Zac Hough 7’,15. Jarrod Homan 12’, 13. Jack Howarth 22’, 15. Jarrod Homan 25’, 14. Lachlan Rubens 32’, 11. Gauai Wallace, 70’.
TGS: 14. Will Johnston 58’
At Nudgee College, Clancy Nugent reports Nudgee College claimed a 43-point victory against Brisbane Grammar School.
An impressive Nudgee outfit found their groove at Ross Oval, playing their best 70 minutes of football this season.
Director of Rugby and assistant coach Sean Graham said it was not all smooth sailing heading into this match.
“We were a little bit concerned about this week’s game because we had the bye last week and we thought we may have lost a little momentum,” Graham said.
“But the boys warmed up really well and we hit the ground running. We were patient with the footy and scored a few tries just by staying on task.
Graham also said one star performer was not the key to victory today, nor would it be if they are to beat BBC next weekend.
“We are a really gritty, resilient team. We win by everybody doing their role and staying on task. There is nobody not doing their job and I think that is why we have been successful so far,” he said.
Aside from the lopsided scoreline, both teams showed glimpses of brilliance throughout the game.
Nudgee gained an early advantage when BGS captain Will Hay received a yellow card off the kick-off for a dangerous tackle in the air.
Down to 14 men, BGS struggled to defend out wide as the Nudgee outside backs scored two tries in the first ten minutes through strike men Robert Mapa and Robert Toia.
Hay returned to the field soon after, but the attacking pressure remained as the BGS goal line was the focal point of the first half. Nudgee hooker Oahu Davey-Phillips crossed over twice before half time off the back of a rolling maul and pick-and-drive respectively.
Despite a valiant BGS defence that was as aggressive as it was composed, Nudgee was at the right end of the field for almost the entire half.
The 29-0 scoreline read like a different game to the start of the second half as both teams slogged it out in the middle of the field.
The flair returned, however, when Mapa crossed the line yet again after flying 50m down the left touchline to regather a kick and score.
BGS fought well in the second half scoring a try of their own from a scoot behind the ruck by a replacement halfback.
The Southport School beat Gregory Terrace in a fantastic finish to keep their hopes alive, kicking a penalty on the buzzer to win 23-22.
Terrace lost a forward early but it was a tight affair in the first half with TSS leading 15-5.
Terrace would soon take over working themselves into the game through their star David Vaihu and Xavier Boyle who was great with the ball and in defence.
The side skipped away to a 22-15 lead but Southport wouldn’t give up.
A late try gave the home team a chance to even up but the conversion was missed.
Then came Southport’s star power with Kaleb Ngamanu getting them down the right end of the field.
Terrace then gave away a penalty through a high tackle giving Southport another chance, this time to win.
As the siren rang the conversion from 35m out and to the right of the posts was slotted.
In another match, Anglican Church Grammar School enjoyed a good win, 34-17, over Brisbane State High School.