Live stream: Watch day three of the ASSRL Nationals from Redcliffe
Queensland and NSW CCC stand in the way of a unique NSW CHS title double as the ASSRL gets ready for a huge grand final day. Relive all the action from the LIVE STREAM.
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The NSW Combined High Schools girls punched their finals ticket in style with an epic 60-0 victory over the NSW Combined Independent Schools.
And if Queenlsand want to win Friday’s grand final, they will need to bring their absolute best because this NSWCHS outfit can really play.
Tarvarna Papalii will have her hands full with lock Aliyah Nasio, who scored two tries in the first half. Fullback Aspen Nakao will be occupied with pocket dynamo Caley Tallon-Henniker, meanwhile, a showdown between No.3’s Ebony Raftstrand-Smith (Queensland) and two-try hero Indie Bostock (NSWCHS) will be exciting.
What a final we have in store.
NSWCHS were 42 points up by halftime, running in eight tries in a masterclass started and finished with rampaging tryscorer Nasio (Kingswood High School).
Five-eighth Lily-Ann White (Hunter River High School) scored two tries, her halves partner Kasey Reh (Figtree High School) one, while Bostock and Tallon-Henniker added 12 points themselves. And this was all in the first 25 minutes of play.
In the second half, White scored her third try of the day after stepping back inside.
Great fight was shown by NSWCIS to hold the girls in blue out but they struck again through Jaida Staben (Kincumber High School) to push past the half-century mark.
NSWCHS continued to build momentum for the grand final in the second half before coming away 60-point victors.
Queensland relief as halves pull strings
Unheralded Queensland schoolgirls’ halves Esther Pedro and Lila Parr guided the Maroons into Friday’s grand final after a semi-final thriller against NSW Combined Catholic Colleges.
Queensland won 12-10, with Pedro saving the game with a dramatic covering tackle on Eve Keeling.
Even then NSWCCC almost drew level in the last minute after winger Josephine Jeffries scored, but the conversion attempt swayed wide.
THE BEST SCHOOLGIRLS SO FAR AT THE NATIONALS
Queensland No.7 Parr also engineered Queensland’s first try as the Maroons came home to win the second half 12-4 after trailing 6-0 at the break.
REPLAY: Queensland v NSW CCC (Girls Semi-Final)
Queensland winger Mercedez Taulelei-Siala scored a 60m intercept try while India Seeto plunged over from dummy half.
But despite Queensland leading late, you knew there was going to be a twist in the tail because of the quality of the NSWCCC side - and so there was - with Jeffries.
For all the tries scored, it was defence was which featured.
Queensland centre Ebony Raftstrand-Smith (Keebra Park SHS) was explosive with four rib-rattling tackles that rocked the foundations of Kayo Stadium.
It was an extraordinary blockade produced by the NSW CCC who repelled Queensland time and again, to lay the bricks and mortar for their team’s entry into the grand final.
The CCC’s desperation was best illustrated on the cusp of halftime when winger Sienna Leslie (Holy Spirit College) saved a certain try by stopping Pedro.
Wave upon wave of NSW CCC jerseys would swarm all over the Queensland schoolgirls after they had scored first in the opening half courtesy of No.13 Paige Bohringer.
Bohringer scored a rollicking try, scoring from 10m out.
Queensland had to be the next to score, and they were, just after halftime when halfback Lila Parr burst through.
She found Malaela Su’a who offered the ball to Raftstrand-Smith.
Lila then almost orchestrated a second try but her flast pass to Mercedez Taulelei-Siala was not picked up.
However, Taulelei-Siala was the hero soon after with her intercept try.
Pasifiki-Tonga stars as NSW CHS reach decider
The New South Wales Combined High Schools booked their grand final ticket at the ASSRL Nationals by way of a 32-16 win over a fast-finishing ACT side.
Scoring two tries in the final 10 minutes, ACT finished with a flurry but NSWCHS looked a class above – especially with a leaping Nikora Williams on the wing and a mountain man in Loko Pasifiki-Tonga in the forward pack.
Tonga, an Ipswich SHS champion league player who is now at Endeavour Sports High, and Dragons signed, had his prints all over the win and was a damaging, mobile big man who had his best game of the week.
Meanwhile, the highly-touted Williams kept his streak of hot form going with a mistake-free game, which included a cracking solo try.
NSWCHS fullback Zac Sarfati, of Randwick Boys High, was awarded player of the match in the 16-point-victory.
Rangy second rower Brock Apolevski opened the scoring for ACT but NSWCHS was quick to respond.
After a brilliant kick restart, Kade Reed, Lachlan Galvin and Logan Spinks combined to put Fletcher Hunt through a hole and over to score.
REPLAY: NSW CHS v ACT (Boys)
With the game in the balance late in the first half, Cronulla signed Williams rose to the occasion when plucking a loose pass out of the air and striding away 90 metres before going over untouched to score.
This put his team ahead 12-4 and just four minutes later tallish five-eight Lachlan Galvin was on the scoresheet as the favourites shot out to an 18-4 lead. And then 22-4 after centre Hayden Buchanan muscled his way over a pile of defenders.
Towering Pasifiki-Tonga scored first in the second half to push further in front at 28-4 and then Williams went in again for his second, making it 32-4.
Finishing on a positive note for ACT was Blake Hovi (Erindale College) and Alex Sweeney (Erindale College), who settled the scores at 32-16.
Hosts Queensland find their winning groove
Queensland survived a second half recovery from a Nelson Solo-inspired Combined Affiliated States to win 26-6.
A Mutua Brown special nine minutes from fulltime put the CAS to sleep after the underdogs had produced an upbeat, free-wheeling second-half effort to challenge the young Maroons.
But it was appropriate Brown (The Cathedral College) impacted the match because he was again one of Queensland’s best players.
CAS, with prop Solo an elite performer prior to injury, clung to a 16-6 deficit into the second half.
REPLAY: Queensland v CAS (Boys)
CAS fullback Hugo Pool (St Kevin’s College) produced the tackle of the day to prevent a runaway Will Semu from scoring, while centre Ivana Tuafuti (Hume Central) also saved a try.
But there was no holding Brown and the match was safe, with Queensland leading 20-6.
Queensland then increased their lead when hard-working second rower Jett Bryce fought hard to find his feet, leading to a quick play-the-ball for try-scoring John Fineanganofo.
Queensland started strongly.
With his forwards winning the ruck, and Will Semu injecting plenty of get up and go into the forwards, the ball was getting quicker into the hands of halfback Coby Black (Marsden SHS).
As a result, the backline was released, with Semu bursting over out wide and five-eight Jaxon Purdue (St Patrick’s) twice striding over to score.
That surge resulted in a 16-0 lead to Queensland.
Combined Affiliated Colleges did work their way into the cut and thrust late in the half, with quick ruck ball and scampering running pressing the Queensland middle third. However, Queensland’s defence held despite the footwork of Solo (Craigieburn Secondary College).
Solo was a revelation, and it was such a pity when he left the field injured 10 minutes into the second half after another wonderful run.
But as he received treatment behind the tryline, Solo would have been heartened to see his edge forward Elijah Po Ching (Victoria University College) cross for his team’s first try. It was 16-6.
Semu was outstanding, No.6 Purdue (St Pat’s) was man of the match and Queensland winger Alton Naiyep was at his fearless best.
Once during the second half Naiyep saved a certain try and an ankle height covering tackle.
Queensland prop Alex Leapai worked his way into the match and back rower Lauloto Salai also answered the call to arms as CAS challenged, while Queensland Mason Kira rumbled away.
Fitzpatrick stars as ACT see off NT challenge
A double from fullback Ebony Fitzpatrick (Erindale College, Wanniassa) helped the ACT schoolgirls defeat a fierce NT outfit 18-6.
Fitzpatrick was here, there and everywhere, it seemed, the No.1 bobbing up at the right times to turn momentum into points.
Around her, Charlotte Waring (Lake Ginninderra College, Belconnen) and centre Samantha Nealon (St Clare’s College, Griffith) also impacted the game.
Nealon scored one herself and it was the deft grubber kicking of ACT’s gun halfback Lahni Hall (Erindale College) that put her in.
REPLAY: NT v ACT (Girls Selection Match)
The NT girls didn’t back down and Ceciliea Misob and prop Keiko Fordimail, who had easily her best game of the Nationals, impressed.
Katherine High School’s Fordimail ran the ball hard and fast, and tackled even harder. It led the way for her side.
But running herself to a standstill was Fordimail, often taking two hits up in every set. She was relentless.
Depsite her efforts, ACT had too much pace to burn on the edges.
Ella Kelly (Lake Ginninderra College, Belconnen) crashed over after a double cut out pass from Lilly Janota found her at full speed to make it 18-0.
NT second rower Tupou scored a nice try to finish the game after No.7 Teiya Nelson was held up the play before.
Vics hold out late WA surge
Will Victorian schoolgirls forward Koreti Leilua make the Australian schoolgirls side named tomorrow after starring in the Vic’s win over a fast finishing Western Australia?
WA finished strongly to turn a 22-4 deficit into a 22-16 loss, scoring with a minute to go to close the gap. But the better side won.
Leilua, an athletic Fountain Gate Secondary College back rower, should go very close to selection in the national squad following the Vic’s exciting pool run.
And Western Australian will have a contender for the side as well, No.13 Topaz Porter, who will not beat Queensland’s Tavarna Papalii as the starting lock, but who will be a worthy contender for the squad.
Big hits came thick and fast in this.
The schoolgirls went hammer and tongs at each other, with Victoria’s difficult-to-hold power game barrelling their side to victory.
Victorian prop Tai Galuva’a (Tarneit Senior College) scored two of the tries, one a driving individual run and the other after accepting a fabulous pass from halfback Tianah Teo (Mernda Central College).
Victorian goal kicker Aiyanna Pirere (Hallam Secondary College) iced the cake and the Vics led 16-4 at the break.
Western Australia had a lot less ball, but made use of what they had early for hooker Tyrah Pareeeekura-Schirnack (Mindarie Senior College) to score.
And they never threw in the towel and deserved their second try when Amiria Edwards (Yanchep Secondary College) burrowed over.
That try cut the margin tio 22-10, 13 minutes from fulltime, and WA were back in the game.
They then scored with 60 seconds remaining, and in the final play of the game made a right side break before time ran on.
REPLAY: WA v VIC (Girls Selection Match)
PREVIEW
A spot in the ASSRL Under-18s National grand final is on the line as NSW Combined High Schools and the ACT clash on the field at Kayo Stadium.
The match will headline a massive third day of action at the nationals tournament which also includes both schoolgirls semi-finals in the afternoon.
All matches from day three will be exclusively live streamed by KommunirtyTV in the video player above.
READ ABOUT THE GIRLS SEMI-FINALS
- How Queensland’s ‘human bulldozer’ is driving her side to glory
- Dragons duo proving the future is bright in the Illawarra
Both NSW CHS and ACT enter Thursday with wins under their belt after knocking off a highly-touted NSW Combined Independent Schools side earlier in the tournament.
CHECK OUT THURSDAY’S FULL ASSRL DRAW BELOW
The winner of the clash will top Pool B and set up a grand final showdown against NSW Combined Catholic Colleges on Friday.
The clash will be headlined by a battle of the enigmatic hookers in the middle of the field.
ACT’s try-scoring machine Xavier Cacciotti was a key cog in their win over NSW CIS on Monday, putting his side on the front foot and scoring a try of his own in the win.
The Erindale College number nine is a rugged competitor on the field, but has added a finesse to his game in 2023 which has helped him become a tryscoring machine in the NSWRL junior representative competitions and Peter Mulholland Cup.
But the crafty Canberran will have his work cut out for him up against NSW CHS hooker and West Tigers junior Aaron Keppie.
The Picton High School dummy-half provides an attacking flair from the ruck for the NSWCHS, and his prestige service is crucial to giving halves Lachie Galvin and Kade Reed space and time with the ball in hand.
WANT TO CATCH UP ON ACTION FROM EARLIER IN THE WEEK?
Whoever gets the upper hand out of the two hookers, will go a long way to deciding who joins NSWCCC in Friday’s grand final.
Queensland boys side will hit the field with one thing on their mind: avenging a shock loss on the tournament’s opening day.
They have had to wait nearly a week to get back into the action, and the Combined Affiliated States side can rest assured the Maroons will be ready to rumble.
The girls semi-finals feature battles between Queensland and NSW Combined Catholic Colleges while NSW Combined Catholic Colleges will clash with NSW Combined Independent Schools.
Originally published as Live stream: Watch day three of the ASSRL Nationals from Redcliffe
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