Langer Cup 2020: Titans rookie Tom Weaver shines in Palm Beach Currumbin win
Sterling play from debutant half Tom Weaver has led Palm Beach Currumbin to their first win of the Langer Cup season, defeating Ipswich State High School 22-10 on the Gold Coast.
News
Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Sterling play from debutant half Tom Weaver has led Palm Beach Currumbin to their first win of the Langer Cup season, defeating Ipswich State High School 22-10 on the Gold Coast.
Weaver scored the match’s opening try and set in motion prop Xavier Willison’s late clincher but his poise kicking strangled Ipswich’s large forward pack out of the game.
Langer Cup schoolboy rugby league round 1 competition will be livestreamed from this afternoon
Aaron Payne Cup: Watch Ignatius Park v St Brendan’s Yeppoon
LIVE REPLAY: Langer Cup St Mary’s College will v Marsden SHS
WATCH REPLAY: Aaron Payne Cup Ignatius Park v St Brendan’s
The Titans-contracted 17-year-old added six points through three conversions to rack up a tally of 10 points, and the game’s deciding play in a 40m Willison runaway try to seal the victory.
Underdogs Ipswich were dogged opponents, frustrating the nine-NRL contracted players of their fancied opposition into uncharacteristic errors.
They are strong enough to upset many teams – their four-from-five run last year, including a 26-6 win over PBC, is evidence of that.
Ipswich threatened their own comeback to cut the game to six points before Tom Weaver broke the line, linking with Willison to finish off the PBC strike to push the final margin to 12 points.
MORE BULLETIN RUGBY LEAGUE COVERAGE
■ Langer Cup: Team lists revealed
■ Langer Cup: Australia’s fastest footy player
■ Langer Cup: 10 Coast talents ready for prime time
Rookie coach Brad Davis praised his side’s leaders for their composure in pulling clear of last year’s runners-up.
“It was a fantastic first game for the Reds (from Weaver),” he said.
“You see the quality of kid he is. He had excellent, classy touches of the footy and he made really good decisions good decisions on when to run to and when to take them on.
“More than anything it was his footy brain.
“He’s more than up to this sort of level – he’s going to be great for us and we’re really excited for what we can build around him.”
Skipper Damon Sommerville crossed for two tries in a fine start to his third season in PBC’s top team, while fellow third-year Willison was his side’s spearhead in the forwards.
Injuries to star second-row Flynn Daniel and reserve prop Jake Kearton increased the workload for starters Willison, Brisbane Broncos, and Jack Cullen of the Titans, but both proved up to the task of increased minutes.
The win has set Palm Beach Currumbin’s title defence, chasing their first three-peat in school history, off to a flying start.
A strong start is even more critical in 2020 because only four schools will graduate through to the State Finals playoff instead of the usual six.
A win over last year’s runners-up is a step firmly in the right direction.
PBC 22 (Damon Sommerville (2), Xavier Willison, Tom Weaver tries; Tom Weaver 3 conversions) defeated Ipswich SHS 10 (Damien Burrows, Mason Pintegne tries; Mason Pintegne conversion)
Fanning’s international research trip ahead of Qld’s first surf park
Triple world champion Mick Fanning, has been appointed project ambassador for the $300m Palm Valley development on the Gold Coast which will combine his two sporting passions – surfing and golf.
‘While Ivona was dying, you ran away’: Ex-boyfriend grilled over shooting death
On the final day of a coronial inquest into the shooting death of a young woman, her ex-boyfriend – who fled the scene – said he could not remember much as methamphetamine made his “memory quite blurry”.