GPS Rugby 2020: Who are the players to watch?
With the GPS rugby premiership competition to start on Saturday, we run you through the players to keep an eye on.
Local sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The GPS premiership season will start on Saturday and will again be brimming with exciting players to watch.
Some, like Brisbane Boys College centre Jack Howarth, Ipswich Grammar’s Seamus King-Smith, Nudgee’s Lastus Auakai and Michael Van der Schyff of TSS will be well known, but other outstanding players will emerge.
So who are the players to watch in 2020?
RELATED LINKS
Ron Cochrane comments on Brisbane Grammar’s greatest XV
ST JOSEPH’S GREGORY TERRACE
Captain Henry Davis is as impressive off the field as he is on it and he will be rallying his troops and asking for a wholehearted effort from No. 1 to No. 15.
Around him hard working forwards Marly Bitungane and Fergus Nasser were guaranteed to deliver 100 percent effort.
If he can be given quality ball, promising outside back and 2019 Queensland under 16 representative David Vaihu can strike.
BRISBANE BOYS COLLEGE
Brisbane Boys College will be one of the premiership favourites and if they are to win the title, expect Jack Howarth, Mason Gordon and Zac Hough to be to the fore.
Howarth is a class act in the midfield and with the BBC forwards expected to at least gain parity, he will be a go-to-man.
Between Howarth and his forwards will be link man Gordon who has a wonderful passing game but also astute tactical kicking which was evident in both trial wins.
Foward Zac Hough is another standout player who push for best player recognition during the competition.
Such is BBC’s backline depth that the talented utility back Taj Annan, a 2019 Queensland schoolboy representative who also starred in BBC’s GPS First XI cricket win earlier in the season, will not be able to play in his preferred play-making position.
IPSWICH GRAMMAR SCHOOL
IGS will be a hotbed of talent when the competition proper starts this weekend.
Fullback Seamus King-Smith gained valuable experience in 2019 when he was blooded on the wing, but will be moved to No. 15 this season where his creative skills can be best used along with incursions from the back.
Centre Ethan King is a sparkling outside back talent while upfront prop Saipele Tamilo, hooker Ben Murphy and lock Orlando Swain will be players to watch.
THE SOUTHPORT SCHOOL
Although TSS coach Adrian Blundell declined to elaborate on players to watch, leaders Michael van der Schyff (captain) and Kaleb Ngamanu (vice-captain) will obviously be players to watch. The younger brother of former Reds fullback Jayden Ngamanu, Kaleb’s has also been making a name for himself playing representative rugby league out of the Coomera Cutters club.
Van der Schyff was a tower of strength for TSS from blindside flanker last season, making an impact carrying the ball and being a huge influence in the set pieces.
ST JOSEPH’S NUDGEE COLLEGE
Nudgee College will be brimming with player talent but top of the pops will be centre Lastus Auakai. “He has a strong ball carry with a lethal step,’’ said Nudgee director of rugby Sean Graham.
ANGLICAN CHURCH GRAMMAR SCHOOL
George Stoddart (captain) and Sam Farrar (vice-captain) will be leaders and around them Larson Doyle, Luke Philp, Max Craig and Ewan Marr will be key players in the Churchie effort in 2020.
All forwards, Easts rugby junior Stoddart, Marr and Craig were Queensland under 16 squad members last season and can match it with the best of them.
The scheming Farrar was also part of the Maroons schoolboy set-up in 2019.
RELATED LINKS
GPS rugby 2020: How Churchie are looking
GPS rugby 2020: Nudgee College preview
GPS rugby 2020: Brisbane Grammar School
GPS rugby 2020: Brisbane State High School
BRISBANE GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Brisbane Grammar School will be led by captain Will Hay. “This is Will’s second year in our First XV. He is also the school captain and is a very impressive young man,’’ said BGS coach Phil Mooney. Mooney said he would prefer not to single out any other player beyond Hay. “It will require a collective effort. We have a core of boys who played Firsts in 2019 – they will need to lead from the front.’’
BRISBANE STATE HIGH SCHOOL
BSHS is a school never short of talent and watch for Ezra Howe, Vincent Sefo, Antioch Faitala-Mariner and Josh Mongard to lead the way.
Although it is another code, Sefo comes from the very fine Logan Brothers rugby league system so will have skill and toughness along with another code jumper Antioch Faitala-Mariner who comes from the Easts junior system.
Mongard, a Souths Magpies rugby junior, helped the Queensland under 16 team win the national rugby championship in 2019.
FOOTNOTE:
Toowoomba Grammar School Staff opted not to single out a player, but the side would captained by Hamish Muller.