The Southport School rugby doyen Mike Wallace has revealed the best players he coached against
GPS First XV rugby coaching doyen Mike Wallace has named the best 23 players he’s coached against since starting at The Southport School in 2010.
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GPS First XV rugby coaching doyen Mike Wallace has named the best 23 players he’s coached against since starting at The Southport School in 2010.
The winner of four GPS premierships, the distinguished TSS teacher, ex-Australian schoolboys coach and former High Performance Manager at the Auckland Blues, has stepped back into an assistant coaching role in 2023 to spend more time with his family.
Wallace has seen the best of the best in his time at the helm of the schoolboy powerhouse, but has narrowed down a galaxy of stars to just 23.
The team excludes any TSS players because it was specific to players Wallace coached against.
MIKE WALLACE’S MAGIC TEAM
Props: Harry Hoopert (TGS) and Johna Vena-Luka (Nudgee)
Both were standouts for Wallace in their respective eras, with Hoopert a dynamic ball carrier, strong scrummager and someone with a physical presence. “He had such a broad skill set for a prop,’’ Wallace praised.
Wallace said Vena-Luka was another elite, mobile tight forward who had a “full field game.’’ He could run, tackle scrummage – and was very academic as well.
Hoopert has gone on to represent the Queensland Reds 48 times.
Hooker: Matt Faessler (TGS)
Wallace said Matt Faessler was a “genuine competitor’’ who edged out Nudgee’s Francois Postal (see reserves). “Both were very similar with their skills’’, but Faessler made it for his set piece work.
Faessler got a little taste of Super Rugby Pacific in 2022 before being a consistent starter in season 2023.
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Lock: Harry Hocking (Churchie)
Wallace said Hockings was unmatched for athletic ability, that he had the skills of a centre and a winger, but was a tight forward. “He was athletic, dynamic, a super player. Elite.’’ Wallace praised.
Played for the Queensland Reds from 2018-2020 before taking his talents to Japanese team Suntory Sungoliath.
Lock: Izack Rodda (IGS)
Another terrific athlete, Wallace said Rodda was also abrasive “at the contact point and hard to handle’’. “You had to focus on how you set yourself in defence with his carries,’’ Wallace said.
We’re hoping he can help the Wallabies win the Bledisloe Cup this year.
Flanker: Curtis Browning (BSHS)
Like Rodda, Browning was a rare third season First XV and Australian schoolboys representative. “He had a rugby brain, had toughness, athletic and skills, but knew how to lead his team around field’’.
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Flanker: Fraser McReight (Brisbane Grammar School)
Wallace said McReight was “the hardest opponent I ever coached against’’.
He said the BGS side McReight played in was not overly strong, but “he was the best player in the competition’’. “He had a huge engine and was so professional,’’ Wallace said.
“At 15 years of age I knew he would be a Wallaby.’’
No. 8 Sean McMahon (Nudgee)
Wallace described McMahon as a “competitor’s competitor’’. He said he was brutal at the breakdown and could link and support. “If I could pick anyone to play back in a team, he would be picked straight away’’.
Halfback: James Tuttle (Nudgee)
Tuttle made Wallace’s team “for his leadership as for his skill set’’.
“He was a very good half or No. 10, but he was a genuine leader of his team. He was captain of my Australian schoolboys side and he was exceptional in that role,’’ Wallace said.
No. 10. Sam Walker: (IGS)
Wallace best summed up Walker when he said: “It was a nightmare trying to think of ways to stop him’’. “Stopping Sam Walker kept you up at night. He would find a way through you and put the ball under sticks and then kick goals.’’ he said.
Left winger: Izaia Perese (Churchie)
Wallace said he named Izaia Perese out of position on the left wing just to fit all his best three-quarters into the squad. Wallace said all the things he showed as a Wallaby, he also displayed as a schoolboy at Churchie.
Inside centre: Jordan Petaia (BSHS)
The tall, raw-boned, powerful Petaia was “exceptionally tough, physically intimidating and had skills around the park’’. “He could play anywhere in the backline,’’ Wallace said.
Outside centre Len Ikitau (BBC)
Wallace said the most complete outside centre was Ikitau, someone who could hurt the ball carrier with his tackles, create space with the ball and have a kicking game. “His defence was phenomenal,’’ he said of the Wallaby.
Right wing. Chris Feauai-Sautia (BSHS)
Feauai-Sautia was the outstanding player in his position during the 2010-11 era. “His hamstring played up against us but he still scored two tries,’’ Wallace recalled. He played three seasons for the Aussie schoolboys and was ushered into the Reds top 30 while still at school aged 17.
Fullback. Kalyn Ponga (Churchie)
Wallace said the biggest compliment he can pay Ponga was that in 2014 The Southport School’s First XV structured their entire game plan around not giving him any free ball. “When you have to structure your game plan to stop one player, you know he is pretty good.
“He only scored one try and that was when we dropped a ball.’’
Reserves
16. Francois Postal (Nudgee hooker)
A veteran of three seasons of First XV rugby in 2010, 2011 and 2012, Postal was an unlucky omission in this side from Wallace’s First XV. However, he was sure good enough to be there, Wallace said.
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17. Maile Nguamo (IGS)
According to Wallace, Nguamp was a dynamic ball carrying prop or hooker who “challenged every part of the defensive structure’’. “He was also a very accurate throw,’’ Wallace praised.
18. Phil Kite (Nudgee)
Another tight-head, Kite was a dynamic front rower who Wallace said “challenged the ability to set defence right across the park’’. He was the Nudgee captain in 2009.
19. Darcy Swain (BBC)
Wallace said Swain was a “beast’’. “You knew when you played against him, your line out had to be strong because he was such a line out technanican,’’ Wallace said.
“But he was also physical around the field and had an amazing presence for a 17-18 year-old.’’
20. Jack Cornelsen (BGS)
The 1.94m tall Cornelsen had an ability to control games and he was a big part of the reason why BGS won the premiership in his era. The lock was the son of Wallabies champion Greg Cornelsen.
21. Harry Nucifora (Churchie)
Wallace named gifted play maker Nucifora in his top 23 for his leadership and elite skills, including his kicking game. Harry’s uncle, David Nucifora, was a World Cup winning 1991 Wallaby.
22. Brodie Croft (Churchie)
Croft was so versatile he played wing in 2014 and halfback in 2015. “He was Jye Gray (TSS champion) before Jye Gray came along with his ability to play across the backline,’’ Wallace said.
23 Tom Banks (BBC)
With his curly hair, long left foot boot, Banks was an elite fullback for BBC who went on to play for the Wallabies. “In a side which was not overly strong, he was a standout – and there have been some great fullbacks in my time.’’
OUR COVERAGE OF GPS FIRST XV CONTINUES ON SATURDAY
ROUND 4
BBC v TGS
BSHS v Nudgee
TSS v BGS
IGS v Terrace
Bye: Churchie
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