AIC First XV rugby’s round 5 Team of the Week
AIC First XV rugby’s round 5 Team of the Week includes the great nephew of a Wallaby from the 1960s. FULL TEAM
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Way back in the olden days, before man set foot on the moon, a tough as teak, square jawed flanker called Ted Heinrich was doing his best for the Wallabies.
From the famous St Joseph’s Hunters Hill breeding ground, Heinrich played 11 Tests between 1961 and 1963, including against the All Blacks, England and South Africa.
Fast forward to May, 2024, and his flesh and blood is running around a rugby paddock again, and doing the family name proud.
Joshua Heinrich was the Peter Doubles Day Medal winner when Marist College Ashgrove defeated St Patrick’s College 56-5 in round five.
Read on to find out what Heinrich got the hooking gig in our Team of the Week, along with who else earned selection in the squad.
TEAM OF THE WEEK
Fullback: Campbell Rolfe (Iona)
Classy fullback Campbell Rolfe slotted eight-from-nine conversions.
While his radar was working, so was his running game, the Meninga Cup playmaker setting up countless tries with his ball running.
Wing: Jayden Solien (Padua)
Solien was his electric self from fullback, with his own running game and link play a central part of the Padua attack.
The Doubles Daley medallist fullback is named on the wing to get him into the side.
Centres: Nate Clarke (Padua) and Ollie O’Regan (both Padua)
Padua’s mid field pairing of Nate Clarke and Ollie O’Regan have been loyal soldiers for the co-premiership favourites around elite five-eight Humphrys and thrilling fullback Jayden Solien. They are perfect for one and other, with O’Regan’s defence and Clarke’s guile making for a nice partnership.
Wing: Alex Thompson (St Peters)
St Peters winger Alex Thompson was a revelation at Mayer Oval last week.
After joining the playing squad midway through the season, Thompson dazzled in his starting debut.
Aside from scoring a 80m runaway try, Thompson’s cover defence on the right wing was something to behold.
He made at least three cover tackles down the left edge which prevented Iona from almost certain tries.
Alex Thompson tears away down field for a tryWatch Alex Thompson score a try after sprinting down the field in the SPE vs Iona Rugby.
Fly half: Finn Mackay (St Laurence’s)
After a slow- start to the season, boom fly half Finn Mackay has well and truly hit his straps with four impressive performances in a row.
The kicking game of the Queensland Reds Under-16s selection was on against St Peters, Villanova, St Patrick’s and St Edmund’s in the latest match.
He is a class above and in Ipswich last Wednesday his kicking game was only bested by his direct running game.
Halfback: Brock Dillon (Padua)
The Padua backline purred along yet again, with no small thanks to halfback Brock Dillon. His five-eight Damon Humphys feasted on his chest high passes, releasing his centres Ollie O’Regan, Nate Clarke and fullback Jayden Solien to attack.
No 8. Adam Burnell (Ashgrove)
He was in the team as a replacement for the injured Jasper Barry, but he was no understudy. Tall, robust Burnell started the day with a driving tackle, a possession turnover when he ripped the ball from an opponent, and a bruising run to score. That was just the start, and he maintained a high standard across the match.
Breakaway Ben Davis (St Laurence’s)
There’s a bit of John Bryant about next generation St Laurence’s premiership winner Davis, a tireless No.8 who somehow got even better this season.
After learning on the job as a Year 10 and being one of the premier backrowers in the competition last year, Davis has cemented himself as the best No.8 in the competition.
His performance against St Edmund’s was first class.
Breakaway: Liam O’Callaghan (St Laurence’s)
Later in the week his older brother Thomas was moving mountains for the Souths Magpies Colts 1 team against Bond University.
But earlier in the week in a tense clash against St Edmund’s on Mulherin Oval, O’Callaghan was a breakdown terror for St Laurence’s in their five try triumph.
Deservedly the Doubles Daley medallist, there were no players working harder than O’Callaghan at the breakdown.
Lock: Will Ross (Padua)
The tall second rower carried the ball strongly and was a read handful for the defence, while he contributed to a strong set piece. He played possibly his best match of the season for Padua.
Lock: Ned Dore (Iona)
In a lopsided affair, the lineout brilliance of big man Dore was a consistent highlight for the Ionians.
His bright yellow headgear would pop up everywhere across the field, but regularly in the lineout where he won every ball that was thrown in his direction.
Prop: Fletcher Haspell (St Edmund’s)
St Edmund’s spirited effort against St Laurence’s was spearheaded by inspirational Doubles Daley hooker Haspell, who grinded away for the full game.
Haspell led a strong scrum, defended courageously on his goal line and took plenty of runs which was a big reason why the match felt much closer than the 33-0 scoreline.
Hooker: Josh Heinrich (Ashgrove)
A raw jewel in that he is a goal kicking front rower, hooker Heinrich missed just two conversions during his team’s day out against St Patrick’s, when Ash won 56-5.
Cast aside his sharp shooter kicking for a moment, and focus on his exhaustive performance with and without the ball opposing hooker Manaaki Bateman. The Year 11 student comes from good stock - his great uncle Ted played 11 Tests for Australia.
Prop: Reuben Downes (Ashgrove)
A power lifter away from rugby, this strong as an ox front row carried hard, threw himself on loose ball, and defended stoutly against heavyweight Australian schoolboys hooker Manaaki Bateman.
RESERVES
Cohen Taylor (St Patrick’s)
There is nothing of him, but he is the type you’d want next to you if you needed to take a short cut down a dark alley at night. Taylor’s team lost by 51 points, but he turned up ruck after ruck, maul after maul, line out after line out, and always presented him as energetic, give it all type. He played No.8 but to get him into our side, we named him blindside flanker.
Will Gallagher (Villanova)
Unlucky not to make the top 15 was this on the ball, open side flanker who is an all in player. He earned his team’s Doubles Daley Medal and was such a good player, any rival side would take him.
Nigel Sherriff (St Peters)
Against formidable opponents Iona College, lock Sherriff sure stood up.
The rangy lock led the way with his fearless carries around the halfway line and backed it up with some gutsy defence on some of the biggest boys in the competition.
Josh Forrest (Padua)
Another squeezed out of the top side, but only just. Forrest has been a big part of Padua’s success and again he was strong at the breakdown and everywhere in attack.
Christian Kurylewski (Ashgrove)
The tall, reasonably lean lock was an effort player who ran with the ball as if he was two stone heavier, and who bundled up St Pat’s ball runners with gutsy defence. He went as strongly in the final 10 minutes as he did in the opening quarter of the game.
Preston O’Brien and Huw Griffiths (St Laurence’s)
Why are St Laurence’s going so well again? It is because of their front row of course.
Bulldozing loosehead Luka Smith, hooker Huw Griffiths and tighthead Preston O’Brien have been excellent this season and against a brave Wolf Pack, Griffiths and O’Brien were top tier.
O’Brien scored the team’s first try and Griffiths was influential with his right edge carries, which led to more tries by Ben Davis and Zach McNeven.
Sam Binney (Villanova)
Binney is a prop who just doesn’t stop. He always goes forward and is very much a working man’s front rower. He is super consistent and deserves a mention in this company.
Will Lovegrove (St Peters)
St Peters’ Doubles Daley medallist, flyhalf conductor Lovegrove had a terrific kicking display against a rampaging Iona side.
With backs against the wall and pressure mounting, Lovegrove excelled with his kicking exits which pushed Iona back time and time again.
Adam Kelly (Iona)
Iona blooded a heap of Seconds players late in the game who did well, namely Adrian Burrows and Ethan Sampaolini, but setting a high standard in the first 50 minutes was athletic energiser bunny Adam Kelly. The headgear wearing open side remained at full throttle despite his side running in tries in quick succession, Kelly diving on loose balls and running in support in an 11 try barrage.
Hopo Leota and Sam Hodder (Iona)
The powerful front row pairing earnt early marks after dealing damage in close quarters to begin the game.
The Saints boys did well to tackle Leota in the beginning, before the powerful tighthead, who will play Brothers Colts 1 in a few short weeks, scored two tries and set up another.
Meanwhile, quiet achieving prop Hodder enhanced his reputation with another workhorse performance alongside Hopo and dynamo Fononga Tuitahi.
EXTENDED BENCH
Riley Horn (St Patrick’s)
Horn and his centre mate Matt Condon were both big hearted defenders who did their best to shut down a lot of traffic which was coming their way. They both showed nice touches with the ball when given a rare chance, but it was their defence which earned them high praise on this occasion.
Ryder Rundell (St Edmund’s)
St Edmund’s had plenty of strike in the backs with Conrad Bronwe, Harrison Vidler and Ryder Rundell pacy customers.
On the wing, Rundell defended fiercely and evaded defenders when given the ball in Wednesday’s midweek fixture.
He was threatening with limited opportunities.
Connor Quinn (Iona)
Quinn showed his wheels in Iona’s big win, the quicksilver winger scoring two tries in an impressive outing.
Max Downie (Villanova)
An old school lock, Downie is tough, goes hard at the breakdown and throws his body into everything
Xavier Howard's footwork on displayWatch Xavier Howard's footwork as a try is scored during the SPC vs Marist Rugby game.
SPECIAL MENTIONS:
Edison Murnane (Villanova)
Matt Condon (St Patrick’s)
Connor Gane (Ashgrove)
Johnny Nona (St Peters)
Alex Brown (St Peters)
Solomone Koroi (St Peters)
Connor Quinn (Iona)
Will Tatt (St Edmund’s)
Jack Breuer (St Edmund’s)
ROUND 6
IONA v VILLA
ST PETERS v PADUA
ASHGROVE v ST LAURENCE’S
ST PATRICK’S v ST EDMUNDS
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