GPS First XV rugby round 5 matches
GPS First XV rugby round 5: Ipswich Grammar School and TSS stretched its winning streaks to three; Churchie bounced back and Nudgee forward scores three tries. Full reports here.
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Ipswich Grammar School’s resurgence stretched to three successive wins as the boys in White and Red produced a wet weather masterclass today against BSHS.
With hooker Ayrton Holmes and inside centra Stanley Huen illuminating the pathway toward success, IGS claimed the victory 28-15.
In other matches Churchie defeated Toowoomba Grammar School by the skin of their teeth, while BGS led into the second half only for Nudgee hooker Will Rogers to score three tries off rolling mauls, with Nudgee winning.
At Carina IGS, with precise handling and super kicking games by fullback Kohen Biggs and fly half Jack Hocking, turned a 7-10 deficit into a win.
In light rain closer quarter passing a set piece precision was the name of the game around astute tactical kicking.
Rousing second line defence was also the order of the day for IGS as BSHS winger Toshi Butlin was twice reeled in - by winger Rhys Woods and fullback Biggs - after he had pinned his ears back and set sail for the corner.
IGS lock Ned Kendell also covered a dangerous BSHS centre Netani Lesimaikimatuku and it was stirring stuff.
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All three rallies in defence were needed because despite leading at the time, IGS would never have felt comfortable against a side that had BSHS No.10 Tuave Leofa as a firing pin.
BSHS’s forward thrust also made an impact, particularly in the last quarter of the match when the home side refused to throw on the towel down 28-10.
A beautiful backline movement saw Butlin finally cross, reward for BSHS resolve.
But the better side won, with inside centre Huen a rock with his option taking and strong running.
High praise also to the front three of IGS Benjamin Pula-Fatu, Holmes and Jared Beazley.
There were early chances for both teams.
BSHS threatened when fullback Dredyn Takava chipped for himself but then could not find his winger with the pass.
And IGS then almost crossed after sustained ball control, but centre Israel Leota received a forward pass.
But IGS did deservedly cross soon after when No.8 David Leota, a big, mobile back of the scrum prospect, powered low and hard off the set piece. It was 7-nil.
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IGS were shading BSHS in the forwards but I was the BSHS which responded, matching IGS’s impressive opening with its own display of forward horsepower.
Such controlled possession led up to a pick and drive try by prop Charlie Tagocakibau after a real tactical battle for territory in the wet prevailed around the respective packs.
With both teams covering kick incursions and handling ball well in the conditions, it became a battle of wills and for the second time in the half IGS hooker Ayrton Holmes answered the call.
Holmes resembled a rolling road train as he scattered the front line, scoring with a barrelling effort from 18m out.
IGS then had its dream start to the second half with a bulldozing try to centre Leota and with Hocking’s successful conversion it was 21-10 to the visitors.
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A nail biter at Old Boys’ Oval unfolded, with a gritty Toowoomba outfit taking it to a Churchie team on the road, looking to avenge their round 4 loss to Southport.
And indeed they got their revenge, coming away with a 22-18 victory.
It wasn’t easy for Churchie. In fact, they only just escaped a second half barrage by Toowoomba, spearheaded by fullback Will Nason and centre Bud Smith among other determined forwards.
Trusty halfback Archie Wilson gave Churchie their first points of the game with a penalty goal in the 25th minute. Such were the stakes of the game that any points on offer had to be taken.
Flyhalf Charlie Johnstone elevated Churchie’s lead to 10-0 thanks to a barnstorming run by George Griffiths.
Griffiths, who bursted through the line untouched, had never seen so much space open up before. Somehow he was able to get a flick pass away, while being hoisted to the ground. Johnstone was joyed when the ball landed straight in the breadbasket, only a few metres out from the tryline.
Just when you thought Toowoomba were heading to the sheds without any points to show, powerful hooker Jeremiah Sialau moved in.
Sialau, latched on to a marching forward pack, kept that ball safely lodged under his arm until the Toowoomba rolling maul had delivered him over the line.
From almost 20m out the Toowoomba boys, bolstered by props Henry Ford and Matt Price and flankers Xander Jacobs and Joe Johnston, trudged their way forward until Sialau could detach and reach out for a try. They couldn’t have asked for anything better on the brink of half time.
Sialau and Jacobs pilfered strongly to win a penalty early in the second, and centre Chase Oates made no mistake drawing them closer at 10-8.
Churchie hit back through wing Connor Simpson who dove over in the left corner. Lovely work from centre Dre Pakeho, who was arguably the most destructive on the field, and fullback Will Herbert to deliver a crisp cut out pass, put their team ahead 15-8.
Oates stepped up to the plate once again with a penalty goal, shrinking Churchie’s lead to just four.
Then, a heroic pick and drive from Matt Price saw Toowoomba take their first lead of the game at 18-15, 55 minutes in. Indeed this caused an eruption on Old Boys’ Oval.
Toowoomba had the upper hand for the next 10 minutes, before a 66th minute try from Herbert shot most but not all the hope out of the Toowoomba hearts.
Archie Wilson added to the hurt when converting from the sideline to make it 22-18.
How Toowoomba went about using the precious three minutes that remained, would have tossed a spanner into the works of an ever-changing GPS competition rankings. That is, a try here would really hurt Churchie’s chances of a premiership.
Flyhalf Wihan Kruger, as he had been exercising effectively all afternoon, utilsed his kicking game to earn Toowoomba their chance to strike a lethal blow.
With a lineout 20m from their try- line, Toowoomba were uncomfortably close for Churchie’s liking.
This lineout, challenged by Churchie flankers Thomas Stoddart and Hugo Lumber and locks Alex Kerr and Ben Daniels, would fall to pieces.
Pakeho, sure to be under the impression that it was the last play of the game, kicked the ball out. But, perhaps due a lack of communication, there was still time.
And so, Toowoomba were given another chance. Another chance to finally come out on top of one of three heavyweight bouts they have been inches away from winning this season. But, it wasn’t to be. The swarming defence of Churchie just too much to handle.
At Ross Oval, Nudgee won 38-16 over Brisbane Grammar School, coming over the top of their rivals with a series of rolling maul tries - three of which were scored by hooker Will Rogers.
It is the second successive week the Nudgee No.2 has bagged three in a match, and everyone of them was needed after Brisbane Grammar School led 16-12 into the second half.
with the scoreline not reflecting how tight the game was.
“It was a good, competitive game and we led for three quarters of it, then we got a yellow card and they scored three tries from mauls to take the game away from us,’’ said BGS coach Phil Mooney.
Tactically BGS came up with a good game plan in the wet and implemented it through halfback Ned Madden and fullback Ben Mooney.
But Nudgee are such a well drilled side and at home, they roared down the home straight.
Nudgee director of rugby Sean Graham praised his team’s defence and its execution of the set piece plays around rolling mauls.
Inform No.8 Liam Le Blanc continued to impress for the home side, while there was no keeping Rogers off the scoring sheet.
In the other match, The Southport School defeated Brisbane Boys College 41-10 in BBC’s traditional Indigenous Round.
Appropriately TSS prop Caleb Laifoo, a proud Thursday Island boy, and BBC indigenous fullback Daniel Malum received the Dane Gagai Award for their respective sides.
Laifoo was enormous upfront for TSS and it was off the back of his efforts that his team earned the freedom to show their passing and gap running skills.
It may have been wet, but that did not stop TSS from releasing the hand break, with accurate passing a feature.
“Regardless of the conditions rugby has to be a good game to watch and the players we coach buy into that theory,’’ said TSS coach Mike Wallace, whose team now has three successive wins.
Wallace had high praise for his leaders, captain Jye Gray and forward Nick Hilton, while halfback Fraser Cowan produced the best game Wallace had seen him play in three seasons.
For BBC, they have a young side with 11 of the 15 in year 11, and while they are learning the hard way, it is all good experience for 2023.
Year 11 fullback Malum continued his improvement from round 1 to round 5 in trying conditions.
ROUND 6
GT v IGS
TGS v BBC
NC v BSHS
BGS v TSS
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