GPS First XV rugby - round 7
GPS First XV rugby’s race to the premiership tightens after desperately fought top of the table contests. Latest here.
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The GPS First XV premiership race has tightened, with Nudgee College and Toowoomba Grammar separating themselves as contenders following a dramatic afternoon.
Nudgee remained on course for a round 8 premiership decider against Toowoomba Grammar with a gripping 17-12 win over Churchie before a roaring Ross Oval crowd, while on the Downs TGS claimed a thriller 29-26.
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On Ross Oval, five crucial and slightly underrated plays in the final 10 minutes by Nudgee College captured that exciting 17-12 victory over Churchie.
To keep their premiership hopes alive, Nudgee closed brilliantly to turn a 12-10 deficit into a two point victory.
With two rounds remaining the top four were:
TSS 10 (bye game remaining)
TGS 10
Nudgee 10
CHURCHIE 8
And at BBC, the home side lead all day and in the end crept in 38-33 in a point scoring feast against IGS. In the other game Terrace overcame a game BGS 34-12.
“The even nature of the competition has been pretty impressive,’’ said TSS assistant coach Mike Wallace upon hearing all four results today.
But on Ross Oval, a trysaving cover tackle from Nudgee winger Nicholas Conway on Oscar Harris (Churchie winger) was the first big play made by the home side to run home victors.
After Conway, gliding from sideline-to-sideline, made that huge tackle, Nudgee advanced from one end of the field to the other to score through Prestyn-Laine Sietu.
Laine-Sietu’s try, which rewarded the grunt work of Macarius Pereira and Sam Hyne, was the second blow Nudgee landed on their way to victory.
Churchie inside centre Max Blanch and halfback Hugh Rylance put their bodies on the line in defence but once it spread to Laine-Sietu it was a done deal.
The third was Charlie O’Connell’s conversion 15 metres in from the sideline, which gave Nudgee a five-point-advantage, meaning Churchie had to score a converted try in order to win not just slot a penalty goal to draw level.
Next to raise his hand was reserve back Carter Welfare who with an acrobatic tap-in, prevented an incredible 50:22 attempt from Churhie fly half Charlie Johnstone.
If Welfare had not kept it in with a diving effort over the touchline, Churchie would have been five metres out and a rolling maul try imminent.
One minute from full-time, tireless No. 8 Hyne made a critical tackle on a Churchie player to take him into touch and defuse a dangerous looking Churchie overlap.
And finally to close the game out, lineout warrior Ed Kasprowicz stole a Churchie lineout in the 70th minute to win ball and deny Churchie one last shot at their tryline.
Nudgee then kicked the ball out to ice a thrilling 17-12 victory.
Earlier, Nudgee hooker Oliver Barrett scored two rolling maul tries to give Nudgee a 10-0 lead.
The Nudgee lineout was spearheaded by towering lock Ed Kasprowicz whose catching allowed the pack of Macarius Pereira, Cruz Lemming, Thomas Hansson, Hugo hart, Noah Rauluni and Sam Hyne to motor forward so that Barrett could barge over.
Barrett’s double came after a shaky start from both sides, which highlighted the stakes of the clash. For both teams, it was a must win to stay in the hunt for the premiership.
Nudgee fullback Jacob Johnson was reliable under the high ball and with his kicking, which at this point of the season is almost guaranteed from him.
Inside centre Ryan Heaton had some good touches as well where he could showcase his in-and-away step and power through the hips.
For Churchie, toiler Hamish Ward was enormous. In his white headgear, the hooker could be seen making brave defensive plays and strong carries close to the Nudgee try line.
His effort paired with the work of powerful props Diamond Fifita and Emil Willie-Jawai combined to put Churchie in for their first try.
In the 26th minute, flanker Jye Crothers crashed over in the same fashion Barrett had to get Nudgee on the board.
Nudgee led 10-7 at the half but lost their lead early in the second half when Fifita continued the trend of rolling maul tries.
Churchie led 12-10, the breakdown work of No. 8 Max Campbell and pinpoint general play kicking from fly half Charlie Johnstone big factors in gaining that two-point-advantage.
Churchie outside centre Frankie Goldsbrough took a leaf out of Maddox Maclean’s (Nudgee fly half) playbook in the 46th minute when he nailed a 50:22 in the 46th minute however the Nudgee forwards were game come lineout time.
In Toowoomba, the home side claimed a crucial win, 29-26, inching their way over gutsy rivals in a thrilling afternoon.
While the rugby was of a stop-start nature, the closeness of the scores ensured a tense afternoon for both camps.
Both teams were again well coached and had a crack, but the stop-start nature of the game probably favoured TGS and did not suit TSS’ style of play.
TSS assistant coach Mike Wallace said to win matches you generally need to cross for five tries, but his team scored four which was the difference. “We have to be better than that.
“Now sett ourselves for Nudgee in two weeks time,’’ Wallace said.
Defensively TGS centre Harry Newnham was a rock, a fabulous blocker in the midfield, while again the TGS back rowers got down and dirty, with Joe Gray leading the way.
For TSS old pro Fergus Gillan was a terrific leading the way, while hooker Blaze Moana was splendid with his line out work in the breeze, and excellent around the paddock. He is a very, very good player.
TSS led into halftime playing with the wind, but TGS finished strongly.
At BBC, two tries in two minutes just after halftime raised the home side above the high tide mark, but the winners were never safe against a multi-pronged IGS side.
On multicultural day BBC burst out to a 35-12 lead just into the second half, only for IGS to respond with two tries of their own in quick succession and reduce the margin to just 35-26 with 11 minutes remaining.
IGS then scored on the bell to make it 38-33.
BBC struck a huge blow just four minutes into the second half when lovely controlled play moving the breakdown down from point A to B, C and D resulted in diminishing Ipswich defensive numbers.
The result was BBC fullback Stan Keats diving over untouched and with James Martens sideline conversion, BBC were back out to 29-12.
Then came Cam Ray’s burrowing, close to the line try and with Martens kicking them from everywhere, it was 35-12 and rising for BBC.
But were IGS ever out of it despite how the scoreboard was looking? No.
Back they came with nice calm, controlled rugby enabling Jean-Paul Sia to burrow over, and for a wide left shift to find enough space for Brock Coombes to take a hit, but still cross.
Ultimately Martens’ immaculate kicking for BBC proved the difference in a thoroughly entertaining clash.
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In the first half, down 14-nil and 21-5 on the cusp of halftime, IGS were down on the scoreboard but not out of the match if they could improve their ball control.
A classic scissors try from an attacking line out seconds from the break cut the score to 21-12 and ensured it was anyone’s game.
It was a golden set piece move, with loose forwards Cliffe and Affleck switching play close to the line, with the try scoring Will Parmenter switching play a third time with an angled run that fooled the BBC defence.
Ipswich Grammar, perhaps over eager to use an attacking formation brimming with talent across its back, seemed to lack early patience.
BBC enjoyed the leg up, twice turning errors into tries.
Halfback James Martens, replacing his First XI cricket captain Jamie Alexander got the first time this season, was magnificent for BBC.
The son of Springbok Hentie, Martens took on the IGS fringe defenders with a head down, legging drive effort that carried him 10m to score.
It was a fabulous try.
Martens scored a second try, sprinting 20m after BBC had splintered the IGS midfield courtesy of Charlie Bird after another turnover from the visitors.
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Behind 14-0, IGS settled into their game and their skilled team from prop to fullback started challenging BBC.
IGS then ignited the match with a splendid running try, with Fraser and Walker combining to put Amaziah Murgha over.
But BBC were soon back in control, on the scoreboard at least, when they turned a Samson Tuqiri midfield burst into a puck and drive try. Martens third conversion made it 21-5.
Terrace also had a hard fought win over Brisbane Grammar School, with Terrace the Brave stretching their winning streak to three matches.
Terrace always had more going for them this season and finally the group is starting to get some rewards.
No.8 PJ Su’a again led the way for Terrace, with coach Adrian Thompson most pleased about his team’s defence.
“The boys stuck at it in the last home game for Year 12 boys,’’ Thompson said.
“They worked hard defensively and while Grammar showed up, our boys stuck with it.’’
BGS coach Phil Mooney was satisfied with a lot of what his team did.
“We played some reasonable rugby at times and created some opportunities and I felt our set piece was good,’’ said BGS coach Phil Mooney.
“We took two chances and left a couple a couple out there.’’
Fullback Ollie Spence was good at fullback, including a great try saving tackle, and bit Will Pascoe in the forwards leads with his physical play.
NEXT ROUND
BSHS v BGS
TGS v NC
BBC v GT
IGS v ACGS
TSS v Bye
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