GPS First XV rugby: Boilover at BSHS, title race wide open
GPS First XV rugby saw the boilover of the season at BSHS and the try of the year from BBC skipper Jamie Alexander, two results which have thrown the premiership race wide open.
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Brisbane State High School this afternoon produced the boilover of the season with a drought breaking victory over Nudgee College.
BSHS ensured State High Day was a celebration like no other by creeping from behind 17-3 to win 18-17.
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BSHS five-eight Tauave Leofa’s low 42m penalty goal which skimmed over the crossbar proved the difference.
While Nudgee five-eight Maddox Maclean missed with a late penalty attempt, no one on the Nudgee side of the fence would point to that missed kick as the reason why they lost.
In other results Southport beat brave BGS 56-8, spirited Terrace defeated IGS 16-0 and bold BBC defeated Toowoomba Grammar School 19-17 courtesy of a 66th minute matchwinning try from BBC skipper Jamie Alexander.
Alexander ran the length of the field to score, earning the 19-17 lead against TGS when he only just regathered his kick downfield, outpaced his rivals and dove in for the dagger.
Outside centre Xavier Rubens then secured the victory with a jackal.
The premiership race is now wide open, with Churchie and TSS left unbeaten.
The points table, win-loss is:
TSS 4-0
Churchie 3-0
TGS 3-1
Nudgee 2-1
BBC 2-1
BSHS 1-3
Terrace 1-3
IGS 0-3
BGS 0-4
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BSHS climbed off the canvas on the back of desire, want and enthusiasm, then late in the piece they displayed composure.
It was a huge result although the form guide would say the win by BSHS was not totally unexpected.
BSHS had pressed three times for victory over its opening three matches, fall short by a photo finish on two occasions, and then losing a third game narrowly.
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This win would have repaired any heartbreak suffered during the first three weeks of the competition, a victory greeted with the euphoria of a premiership win by players and supporters alike.
And there was great reason to celebrate BSHS’s first win over Nudgee since 2016 when BSHS won a cliff hanger late.
It was, after all, played in BSHS heartland, at the college, as part of the annual State High Day.
The amphitheatre was filled to the brim, and a wonderful contest unfolded.
BSHS tight forwards Siale Mahina, Jakeb Horne and Moses Manu were magnificent in getting their side going from behind, but their entire pack worked overtime – and they had to against this Nudgee side.
Nudgee won the first half possession battle, and BSHS the second half, with BSHS getting better at building pressure the long the match went on.
In the second half it was a case of if at first you don’t succeed then try and try again as BSHS hammered Nudgee in the opening stages of the second period of play.
Initially they tried to go through the front door, but Nudgee was unyielding in defence.
BSHS went wide – either side of the field – without success before another wide ball saw outside centre Joshua Takai batter his way over. Leofa’s conversion made it 17-10 and BSHS were in touch again.
If after 40 minutes you judged the match on rugby purity then Nudgee should have been well advanced of their rivals, but desire and effort sometimes drags teams closer together and this BSHS side certainly had plenty of both.
Although trying too hard, No. 10 Leofa was a threat and in the end a match winner.
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It was a raking clearing kick from Leofa straight down the middle of the ground which saw BSHS surge strongly after halftime.
BSHS then dominated field position for the next 7-8 minutes, with Nudgee digging in hard to defend or organise exit ball.
But ultimately the dam wall burst and from an attacking line out forward leader Moses Manu was heaved over the line to score, reducing Nudgee’s lead to 17-15.
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In the first half Nudgee played their game early, with a text book quick line out and maul triggering a rolling maul which travelled 18m.
Then, 1m from the line, ball was released to halfback Samuel Watson whose sublime long pass on a wide blindside gifted winger Emmanuel Taviri try No.1.
Nudgee’s counter attack from the back was also scorching, and although BSHS snuffed out three withering bursts from the back, they could not hold Nudgee winger Taviri all game.
His run, supported by Maddox Maclean, gave Nudgee field position for another forward onslaught which could not be quelled, with prop Princeton Ioane being driven over the line. It was 10-3 to Nudgee.
BSHS clung hard to stay in touch, with Leofa and Lesimaikimatuku making try saving tackles.
BSHS’s desire was evident in rallying from off the back foot, but Nudgee’s patience and polish lead them to their third try by flanker Hugo Hart. Maclean’s sideline conversion made it 17-3.
On Miskin Oval, a 66th minute Jamie Alexander special delivered home side BBC a heroic 19-17 victory over Toowoomba Grammar.
Toowoomba had gone the full length of the field and were ahead 17-12 when BBC lock Harrison Angel won the lineout 5 metres from his tryline.
Then alfback Alexander reeled the ball in kicked ahead from the 22 metre line, chased 40m metres downfield, and regathered the ball on his thigh before storming away to score under the posts and right in front of the Toowoomba supporters.
Even with five rounds remaining, this try from the BBC school captain could not be outdone for Try of the Year.
It was spectacular.
BBC were then ahead 19-12 after Alexander added the two, and with four minutes left Toowoomba were on the move – but unlikely breakdown hero Xavier Rubens (outside centre) pilfered strongly and won a penalty on the siren.
BBC had done it, on Miskin, over a deserving Toowoomba side many thought could go all the way in 2023. They still can but it won’t be undefeated.
And for large parts of the game today, TGS were there better side. It was that golden moment from Alexander which undid all their hard work and rewarded the scrambling defence.
BBC and Toowoomba were tied 12-all at the break. It was a stop-start sort of clash in the first half, with Toowoomba enjoying the majority of possession.
Inside centre Chace Oates was exercising that size 16 boot of his, while Richard Dean and Will
Holley (Toowoomba’s outside backs) were looking to attack the right edge. But it was manned by Samson Tuqiri, who shut down all things that came his way.
Indeed Tuqiri made a trysaving cover tackle in the 66th minute which led to BBC’s lineout win and the full-field try from Alexander that followed.
The battles came between forward packs, and the mobility of Toowoomba lock Jonah Allen stood out, as did the swift handling of their front rowers Jeremiah Sialau, Ewald Kruger and Angus Buckley.
BBC flanker Tyler Maybery was elite with his carries and cleaning out.
Blindside flanker Tom Bailey scored first for Toowoomba, giving them a 5-nil lead. But quickly trusted BBC hit man Rubens equalised the sores when he found himself one-on-one down the right edge.
He was too quick and too strong.
An absolute highlight came next when Toowoomba fly half Iliesa Baravilala took on the line and with a superb inside step he squeeze past his defender and slammed the ball down to score.
Hitting right back was BBC’s captain and scrumhalf Alexander, who toed through a kick, regathered and dove over under the sticks. It was 12-all.
Toowoomba scored first in the second half, with their rolling maul delivering a 17-12 lead through Joe Gray.
Gray had earned the lineout with an enormous breakdown win, and despite inspired goal line defence from BBC, they eventually barrelled over.
Toowoomba looked all but home up 19-17, and with a Dean-ignited counter attack reminiscent of the Fiji Sevens team, the boys in blue and gold were knocking on the door for their fourth try.
The combination of Tuquri’s defence, Angel’s lineout win and Alexander’s smart thinking to kick ahead, speed to burn the Toowoomba chasers, and hands to regather then delivered a heartbreaking defeat for the visitors.
At the Shark Tank, TSS retained its unbeaten record with a big 46 point win over Brisbane Grammar School, but for a long while the match was close.
The whole game turned on a red card leading into the halftime break, leading BGS one man short, and from there TSS executed well and five-eight Spencer Alcock backed his mates up with eight goals.
“It was a tough, physical game of footy and BGS worked hard, retained the ball for long times and put us under pressure in terms of their decision making,’’ praised TSS assistant coach Mike Wallace.
The highlight for TSS was the team’s second half. “We have asked the boys to be more accurate and be ruthless with the way we used our game plan, and they were.’’
Halfback Tom Goldie was outstanding for TSS, while locks Fergus Gillan and Sebastian Smith-Power contributed and Charlie Coffey shone.
Grammar coach Phil Mooney was in high praise of his side for playing some of their best rugby of the season in both defence and attack but said the loss of a front rower sent off proved a bridge too far.
He said his locks Will Pascoe and Oliver Akhavan were magnificent and dragged their teammates along with them.
At Ipswich, St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace broke through for its first win of the season, grinding their way to victory over IGS.
The Terrace win was built around good defence and a strong set piece.
Coach Adrian Thompson said the win was a reward for the work the side had put in over the last three weeks.
Centres Henry Hill and Angus Kelly were strong defensively, and led the way in a side which deserved success after their early season efforts.
“It was a strong contest, Gregory terrace deserved the win. Their defence was outstanding, their structures were great,” praised Ipswich head of sport Nigel Greive.
“Our boys went lateral rather than going forward. A really good learning experience for our young guys.”
Ipswich were led by lock Oscar Affleck who did not stop toiling, and Alexander Schumacher whose unwavering effort led the way for his side.
Year 10 Finn Kendallw was a defensive menace, while his inside centre Dajuan Manase created opportunities with his hard line-running.
“We were a little less accurate than the last few games … Terrace just created pressure with their quick line speed and they were abrasive at the breakdown,” concluded Greive.
ROUND 5
Churchie v TGS
IGS v BSHS IGS
TSS v BBC TSS
BGS v Nudgee BGS
Bye: Terrace
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