GPS rugby: Churchie’s greatest - and the best of the rest
GPS First XV rugby: Churchie’s greatest player - and the Best of the Rest.
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Anglican Church Grammar School’s withering start to the GPS First XV merely continued the college’s proud rugby history.
A stunning upset win over joint premiership favourites The Southport School teased the GPS rugby community before COVID-19 restrictions halted the competition.
But few should be surprised by Churchie’s rugby revival given its rich history in the sport.
In the past Ponga, Hillhouse, Pocock - all household names, doned Churchie colours.
That is the past, and right now Churchie have some ripping talent.
The likes of No.8. Jock McPherson, winger Lewis Mene, lock Charles Brosnan, centre Larzio Sword, Max Craig and Will Herber, to name a few, are wonderful players.
So enjoy this snap shot of Churchie rugby high achievers.
THE GREATEST
DAVID POCOCK
Gee is hard to go past this bloke as Churchie’s greatest player. It is a field of champions, with Kalyn Ponga at short odds, but Pocock was simply remarkable. Across 78 Tests he was both a dynamic open side flanker, a bollocking tight forward and an inspiring leader. He was basically three players in one, and that is why, out of a hot field of contenders, we nominate the GPS First XV premiership winner as Churchie’s greatest.
BEST OF THE REST
KALYN PONGA
Kalyn Ponga has to be the most gifted schoolboy to pass through Churchie’s famous front gates.
Now playing rugby league, he was so gifted he could have been a Wallaby or elite Australian rules footballer - instead he is one of the best in rugby league.
He is a simply amazing talent who was considered for the college’s Best Ever mantle.
DAVID HILLHOUSE
Spring-heeled David Hillhouse was an extraordinary talent. A lock, he was not a big man, nor was he overly tall, but boy could leap in the lineout and get around the field.
He would be a sensation in any era of rugby.
LIAM WRIGHT
Already a veteran of one Test, Wright is a young Red whose career started across Norman Creek at the Easts Tigers. Wright is a wonderful flanker with natural leadership qualities, and it is little wonder Queensland rugby is being revived when it has young men like Wright pushing it along. Wright, Harley Fox and Harry Hockings are three outstanding young players, with Wright the pick of the crop so far.
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KARMICHAEL HUNT
Another highly skilled all around sportsman who has the distinction of successfully playing three top flight codes - league, Australian football and rugby. Few professional careers have scaled to Hunt’s heights and even this year he remarkably played in the NRL again - 11 season after leaving the code.
ANGUS SCOTT-YOUNG
Like his father, Scott-Young is a tremendous backrow competitor, brave to the core who suits a Brad Thorne coached side down to he ground. One senses the best is yet to come.
IZAIA PERESE
Another super talent who spread himself across the Waratahs in Super Rugby, then the Queensland Reds and the Brisbane Broncos in NRL - before a Wallaby squad recall earlier this year which highlight how highly skilled he is.
JAYDN SU’A
Jaydn Su’A is Queensland State of Origin rugby league series winner and not too many Churchie old boys can boast that on their CV. A big, strong, robust runner who is really only now starting to get into his career.
ZAC CROTHERS
An Australian schoolboys hooker who is flying the flag for the most recent army of Churchie old boys.
THE ERA - pre 1975
KEITH BELL
A country boy from the far western Darling Downs, Bell is a treasured old boy of the mighty University of Queensland club. A schoolteacher, he played No. 8 for Queensland and a single Test for the Wallabies - and in between helped The Red Heavies to three premierships.
DAVID CROMBIE
An ironic figure in rugby, and importantly in country rugby. Crombie is a former Australian Rugby president but was also the National Farmers Federation president and country rugby was always held closest to his heart. On the field he was a mighty hooker for University.
OWEN EDWARDS
A GPS rugby legend, Edwards was a wonderful halfback with one of the best passes you will ever see in a No.9. An elite schoolboy, he helped Churchie to successive GPS First XV premierships - while also being coax in the 1st VIII in the 1957 Queensland schoolboys’ Head of the River. He was a 1961 Wallaby tourist and would surely have been capped if not for the presence of greatness - NSW half Ken Catchpole.
GAVAN HORSLEY
Fit as a fiddle Horsley was an elite winger of his era who spent the off-season as a lifesaver at Burleigh Heads SLC. A GPS flyer, he had an extraordinary 1952 when he played for Queensland aged 19 - and then as a Wallaby tourist without playing a Test cap As was the case in his era, injury ended his career prematurely but he remained involved as a selector.
KERRY LARKIN
If you were organising Churchie’s greatest ever 22, Larkin would surely make it on versatility alone. Capped twice in 1958, Larkin could play backrow, hooker and prop. He was also an outstanding schoolboy cricketer for Churchie.
DON LOWTH
Another backrow powerhouse who boarded from the beautiful Whitsunday region and played club rugby for University. He was capped once, and ironically played against Queensland for NSW before switching to rugby league.
RELATED LINKS
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LLOYD McDERMOTT
A thrilling winger with pace and more pace. A two-time GPS First XV premiership winner, the University of Queensland speed machine made his Queensland debut against Fiji in 1961 and later played two Tests against the imposing All Blacks.
DAVID TAYLOR
Taylor was a No. 8 strongman of the 1960s who, from the University of Queensland club, played five Tests in 1968. Taylor was also an elite cricketer who was named by News in Churchie’s greatest XI as a support pace bowler to Test players Ron Archer and Tony Dell.
DAVID RATHIE
Rathie is one of those rare sporting talents to represent Queensland both as Sheffield Shield cricketer, and as a Queensland rugby player. But his sporting prowess was not restricted to those codes - he was also an outstanding GPS tennis player. His two Tests as a centre came in 1972 against France.
RELATED LINK
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ROSS TEITZEL
Teitzel was somewhat of a project player for Queensland coach of the 1960s, the legendary Bob Templeton - and it paid off. A big man standing well over six foot and weighing 110kg plus, Teitzel used his size to great effect for both Queensland and Australia.
WALTER BENNETT
A halfback through the Great Depression years, Bennett will forever have a place in history as a member of the first Australian team to defeat South Africa.
RIC TRIVETT
Another glorious sporting talent from country Queensland who was adept at either cricket or rugby. He had a wonderful hand-eye-co-ordination, a great in the field during cricket season, and a fine No. 10 catching passes from his halfback and feeding the ball onto his backs. But such was his talent, his two Tests were played at centre, one as an inside centre and another as an outside centre.
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