GPS First XV rugby round 4 Players of the Week
Who were the GPS First XV rugby players that shone brightest during a gala round 4 schoolboy action? We reveal our 20 Players of the Week here.
Local sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Brisbane State High School pair Tauava Leofa and Dredyn Takave and a likely looking Ipswich Grammar School forward trio were five of 20 Players of the Week following a gala round 4 of GPS First XV rugby at the weekend.
Leofa and Takave helped get BSHS home in a thriller over fast finishing St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace in a competition which now has no unbeaten team after four rounds.
OUR PLAYERS OF THE ROUND
Tauava Leofa (Brisbane State High School)
Leofa was a revelation at fly half, threatening on both sides of the field, particularly when he teamed with fullback Takave. He scored a try, he created a try and was a constant threat with his running game. But his option taking was also on song, and he never overplayed his hand despite the confidence which must have been surging through him in front of a big home ground at the BSHS campus.
Dredyn Takave (Brisbane State High School)
What a performance by Takave whose game plan by the BSHS coaching staff seemed to give him a license to back his skills - and what skills he has. The tall Takava challenged St Joseph’s whether from attack ball or back in his half while returning kicks.
RELATED LINKS
ROUND 4 REPORT - INCLUDING BSHS’S MILESTONE MATCH WIN
Jye Gray (The Southport School)
We saw the best of Gray on Saturday. His heroics on Saturday has thrown a spanner in the works with no teams left unbeaten after TSS unseated Churchie.
Macarius Pereira (Nudgee College)
He’s back. Arguably the best prop in the competition, Macarius Pereira returned from injury through the seconds and into the Firsts where he made an instant impact, including scoring a try. It was an even team performance from Nudgee to get home against Brisbane Boys College, but Pereira’s injection added some mojo.
Blake Ruaporo (The Southport School)
Ruaporo was impressive with the ball in hand. He’s a hard runner and proved hard to bring down on Saturday. Southport has a dangerous centre pairing that’s for sure. One that could steer their team to an unbeaten road home.
Jack Hocking (Ipswich Grammar School)
How about that kick. Missed it?
Imagine a penalty after the bell to win it for your side. Add hundreds of supporters to the equation and you have one very daunting but exciting opportunity.
Hocking, as cool as you can be, slotted it of course — On Old Boys day.
What a way to top off the best day in the Ipswich Grammar calendar.
Frankie Goldsbrough (Churchie)
In case you haven’t heard, Goldsbrough is an absolute wrecking ball centre. He is destructive with every carry. There is a real case for him as one of the biggest game changers too. What a pleasure it would be to have him on your team. He just gives you that go-forward. He has the fear factor and he doesn’t care who’s in front of him. He will take the line on every time, and make post contact metres without question.
Ned Kendall (Ipswich Grammar School)
Talk about a captain’s knock. The IGS skipper and lock was tireless - and he had to be as BGS came at his team hard and fast throughout much of the second half. Kendall, hooker Ayrton Holmes and flanker Lyncoln Cliffe joined forces to help show their team the way to the winners post.
Liam McGregor (Brisbane Grammar)
McGregor was an inspiring forward leader from No. 8 against a big, motivated IGS school playing on its spiritual ground on Old Boys Day. He did everything possible to rally BGS from behind to almost steal a win.
Tom Robinson (St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace)
The tall, athletic lock gave Terrace plenty of thrust with his mobile ball running and contributions around the field. An effort player, he was also a safe pair of hands in the lineout and did everything within his power to tilt the balance of the match his team’s way.
RELATED LINKS
ROUND 4 TEAMS, TERRACE SKIPPER FEATURED HERE
Netani Lesimaikimatuku (BSHS)
Would BSHS have won without Lesimaikimatuku? The answer is no. He made a rousing last second tackle to save a try, but he was in our best three BSHS on the day long before that effort. He complemented his grooving fly half Tauava Leofa perfectly and has been a great addition to the BSHS side this season.
Thomas Stoddart (Churchie)
Stoddart toiled away as per usual on Saturday. But geez he was impressive in the scrum. Even when it was Southport’s feed into the scrum, Stoddart and Co weren’t giving an inch. In fact, they forced a few turnovers with dominance.On top of that, he was a rock in the lineouts and a workhorse with the pick and drives. You can’t fault his effort.
Dre Pakeho (Churchie)
We are still waiting for an absolute clinic from Pakeho but round 4 was a great start. With a nice try and involvement in his team’s only other try, Pakeho was one of Churchie’s better performers. Expect a big showing from Pakeho and his centre partner Frankie Goldsbrough when they take on a deserving Toowoomba outfit this Saturday.
Will Herbert (Churchie)
Herbert was trusty at the back with a high quality kicking game the highlight of his performance. The way he used his high bombs to advance the ball was very smart. He contested every one of them and was swift when returning the ball with confident carries into contact.
RELATED LINKS
38 SCHOOLBOYS WHO WOULD DO US PROUD ON THE SEVENS PITCH
ROUND 3 TEAMS; WHY RYAN SHAW WAS NAMED BGS SKIP
Keahn Skipps (The Southport School)
Skipps was safe at the back. He had a great kick return, twirling bomb and mix of speed and agility in his locker. The way he plays the game of rugby union is quite impressive, turning the Churchie players backs constantly with smart kicks for field position. Churchie only managed to score two tries. He clearly had a part to play in holding down that backline.
Diamond Fifita (Churchie)
Fifita is a super scrummager. Fifita handed Southport supporters what they asked for when yelling “push them back push them back way back.” Unfortunately for the Southport faithful, it was in the wrong direction.
David Leota (Ipswich Grammar School)
Leota was just what Ipswich needed on Saturday. The amount of runs he had in the last 10 minutes was just incredible.Leota, No. 8, played the whole game. So, that’s why it was surprising to see him carry so strongly at the death. He wouldn’t stop. He put his hand up and barged his way through the defence.
Xavier Rubens (Brisbane Boys College)
The inform BBC centre Xavier Rubens was competitive from start to finish against a motivated Nudgee looking to rebound from a narrow loss a week earlier to Nudgee. Rubens did his bit to challenge Nudgee, continuing the excellent season he is having.
Nick Dunstan (St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace)
He was a nice fullback for Terrace. He was not one dimensional with his ball running, and his pace kept BSHS on their toes. He also had a booming left boot and if Terrace had won, his back would have been among the hardest slapped by supporters.
ROUND 5
TGS v ACGS
BSHS v IGS
BBC v TSS
NC v BGS
ROUND 6
GT v IGS
TGS v BBC
NC v BSHS
BGS v TSS
AIC First XIII rugby league Team of the Season after Iona triumph
Who has made the AIC First XIII rugby league Team of the Season following Iona’s premiership confirmation? All is revealed here, along with the best of the best who just missed selection.
BJRU grand finals: Players of the Day includes next-gen Nudgee weapon
BJRU grand finals: See who the Players of the Day were after five stunning Div 1 and 2 deciders between Easts, Logan Saints, Caboolture, Wynnum, Souths, Brothers, and Riverside. The list includes an exciting outside back from Nudgee that set Bottomley Park alight on Sunday.