GPS Rugby 2018: The Round 3 wrap

UNDEFEATED Nudgee College and The Southport School are rumbling towards a showdown for the GPS premiership in the final round on September 15 after big wins in Round 3.

UNDEFEATED Nudgee College and The Southport School are rumbling towards a showdown for the GPS premiership in the final round on September 15 after big wins in Round 3.

CHURCHIE 17 bt BRISBANE GRAMMAR 5

NOT arguing with the referee’s call has lost its sanctity at Super Rugby level so Churchie leader Zac Crothers must be admired for keeping his cool last Saturday.

On a touch judge’s report, Crothers was sin-binned wrongly at a key moment of the second half and the “Bring Zac Back” chant from the stand would not sway it.

Grammar fullback Hugo Thew had lifted and dumped him in a dangerous tackle but in the tangle of blue jerseys and twisting bodies the touch judge incorrectly fingered Crothers.

“That was gutsy not to concede a point with 14 men and Zac was one of our best to finish off the game,’’ Churchie assistant coach Moses Rauluni said.

Fullback Wayne Bilston, a boarder from Darwin, showed his speed is an asset.

Brisbane Grammar’s Ben Hains (left) and Churchie’s Fred Fewtrell contest the lineout at Churchie fields on Saturday. Picture: Sarah Marshall/AAP

NUDGEE COLLEGE 50 bt IPSWICH GRAMMAR 5

Nudgee have lost five First XV players to injury since the start of the season yet the best oiled machines always operate because of their depth.

Halfback Hugo Smith has kept the backline purring and this time it was slender finisher Trezman Banjo feasting with four tries.

Prop and skipper Harry Vella led up front and a rare try added to his day.

Nudgee’s defence did a wonderful job of keeping dangerous Ipswich Grammar fullback Tom Casey in check because he had busted a remarkable 26 tackles in his previous two games.

GREGORY TERRACE 39 bt BRISBANE STATE HIGH 12

Winger Glen Vaihu’s classy 40m try and the sustained form of backrower Will Roach were highlights for Terrace.

Losing powerfully framed flanker Tyrone Metusela-Suapaia to an elbow injury will jolt Terrace’s forward strength.

State High were well served again by bustling hooker Nesta Mahina punching into the dominant Terrace defence.

Lock Sam McKenzie was another State High workhorse.

TSS winger Zachary Palmer beats the defence fends off Toowoomba Grammar’s David Armstrong to score. Picture: Glenn Hampson

THE SOUTHPORT SCHOOL 67 bt TOOWOOMBA GRAMMAR 12

A 17-point haul from flyhalf Campbell Parata has established him as leading pointscorer for the season.

The TSS playmaker’s try and six conversions were at the core of a landslide 40-0 second half.

A hat-trick to winger Zach Palmer was just reward and he caused the defence all sorts of problems along with two-try fullback Dion Samuela.

Player-of-the-match Luc Lyndon excelled in the back row.

TGS centre Lachlan Martyn made several linebreaks as a standout for his side.