GPS First XV rugby Rd 2: Nudgee back
GPS First XV rugby round 2: The Southport School and Terrace played out a one-point thriller while both BSHS and IGS rose to almost enough to pip heavyweights - full story here.
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Spencer Alcock’s goal kicking proved the difference as The Southport School survived another late surge by Terrace to win 26-25 on Saturday.
Terrace had a chance to win the game after the bell after fullback Matt Dunstan had crashed over, but the conversion attempt strayed wide.
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I am not sure if Alcock can glimpse the future, but about eight minutes earlier he celebrated a sideline conversion as if it was the match winning goal after a Blaze Moana’s try from a rolling maul. It was like he knew something the rest of us did not.
As the conversion attempt sailed through the posts to give his side a 26-17 lead, Spencer punched the air and roared in delight. Little did we know at the time, but that wonderful conversion would be the difference.
In other matches, Nudgee defeated IGS 35-17, TGS pipped BSHS 8-7 and Churchie defeated BGS 50-nil.
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For the second week in a row Terrace came late and hard. Down 19-5 in the second half and then 26-17, Terrace surged.
Initially Charlie Cooke barrelled over via a pick and drive passage, and then an amazing pass in contact by PJ Su’a presented McAuliffe with a try next to the posts, but unfortunately McAuliffe missed the kick. That left TSS ahead 19-17.
TSS then extended its lead to 26-17 when Moana scored before a Isaac McAuliffe penalty goal got his side back in touch about four minutes from full-time.
Then a sustained attack by Terrace saw TSS defend grimly, including when TSS halfback Tom Goldie covered on Terrace No. 15 Dunstan when Terrace seemed locked and loaded to score.
But TSS could not hold on any longer as Terrace’s pick and drive attack laid a platform for a right shift to Dunstan who crossed the line in a tackle by TSS lock Fergus Gillan.
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In the first round Terrace scored 28 points and lost, and in the second round they have scored 25 points and lost. It must be frustrating to their army of supporters but they are much closer to a win than they are a loss. Onward and upward for them and they are in good hands with Tom Robinson leading the pack andf Angus Kelly the backline.
For TSS, they have now started with two successive wins, a mighty effort.
Today’s win was a game managed by halves Goldie and Alcock, while prop Kingsley Uys, hooker Moana, lock Gillian and loose forwards Will Carter and Billy Wellard were mighty. No. 8 Amare Milford also scored a crucial second half try.
It was the TSS defence which laid a platform for its third try after halftime, with a three minute blockade initially blunting Terrace’s attack.
Terrace went wide and through the middle, across field and then direct but wherever they went, a TSS jersey was in front of them.
So when ball was eventually won by TSS, the visitors must have felt bullet proof, their chests puffed out with confidence which led to a hard earned pick and drive try from No. 8 Amare Milford.
Ahead 19-5, TSS were well in front on the scoreboard, although the players must have known in their hearts that Terrace were lurking in the shadows
TSS could not have started better in the first half. From the opening minutes when flanker Will Carter charged down a kick to win possession for his side, TSS had the run of the opening 10 minutes.
The icing on the cake was a try by Billy Willard who latched onto a pass from his hooker Blaze Moana after lock Fergus Gillan had crashed through the line to give his side momentum.
But Terrace then worked its way into the contest, and not only gained parity, but poked its way ahead in the blow by blow of the clash.
The Terrace forwards then rewarded their teammate’s endeavour by expertly laying a platform off the back of which Tce fullback Nick Dunstan crossed after TSS’s defence had been sucked toward closer combat.
TSS were hungry to atone, however, and took full advantage of a yellow card issued to Terrace centre Henry Hill.
A bullocking run by Carter cracked the Terrace defenders and with the door ajar, the ball was swept to the open wing where Billy Tonkins was a link.
He then passed to hulking prop Kingsley Uys who offered Wellard possession, and for the second time in the game Wellard exploded toward to line, displaying the pace of a centre.
It was 12-7.
At Ross Oval, Nudgee’s bumper return to GPS rugby didn’t disappoint with a 35-17 spectacle against visiting Ipswich Grammar providing plenty of talking points.
Nudgee were given a scare by the young and vigorous Ipswich side which showed how talented they were. Young because Tyson Walker (fullback) and Finn Kendall (outside centre) are both in Year 10.
Ipswich led 12-7 at half time, and that was an appropriate depiction of what was a gruelling first half.
In the second half, a pair of quick tries by the home side saw them take hold of momentum and get into their groove. With a wealth of possession, Nudgee turned a 5 point deficit into an 18-point-victory to kickstart their 2023 season.
It was two tries from Ipswich’s Amaziah Murgha which was the highlight of the day.
Prop Macarius Pereira burrowed his way in for Nudgee’s first try of the year and how fitting it was for the skipper to do the honours.
But quickly Murgha moved Ipswich ahead 12-7 after two perfectly weighted grubber kicks from quick-thinking fullback Walker sat up perfectly in the in-goal area.
Murgha’s burst of speed saw him make it to the ball first and it was the dream start for the visitors.
Prestyn Laine-Sietu had been off with a yellow card and Ipswich were clinical enough to make Nudgee pay.
It was brilliant from Walker.
Ipswich continued to give it to Nudgee. With the sure kicking of fly half Nathan Fraser, the try saving tackling of centre Dajuan Manase who repelled Pereira, and a timely pilfer from hooker Jean-Paul Sia, Ipswich were on the front foot.
They had escaped the first half up 12-7.
Around came the second half and in came giant No. 8 Nixon Pasese, a man among boys.
Pasese’s power saw him score and capture the lead, before front row wrecking ball Princeton Ioane crashed in for a try.
Nudgee led 21-12 and a response came in the form of a Raife McKenzie rolling maul try. It was a just reward for the hard work himself and Oscar Affleck were doing in the backrow.
However 21-17 was the closest Ipswich would come, as prolific tryscorer Laine-Sietu found the line and after him Charlie O’Connell.
O’Connell had played an entire game of seconds but when he came on and scored, he looked fresh and full of energy. His try, cutting back on the inside, settled the scores at 35-17.
At Northgate, Churchie were back to their best when beating Brisbane Grammar 50-0.
They got started just three minutes in when Charlie Johnstone threw a magnificent pass from right to left, putting in winger Oscar Harris.
Brisbane Grammar were brave defenders of their tryline but again Harris found a way through, this time, it was thanks to fullback Fletcher Austin who held up the pass. Churchie led 12-0 after 14 minutes.
Like last week, Brisbane Grammar’s lineout was sound and their exit-kicking precise. But the Churchie had a point to prove.
They were passing well between one another and it was their third try, when lock Thomas Pappas offloaded to flanker Joe Stoddart, which highlighted that.
Again Will Pascoe ran like the wind was behind him and despite mounting phases, Churchie’s defence was impenetrable.
They even got their rolling maul working when hooker Hamish Ward bulldozed over in the 47th minute.
This took Churchie’s lead to 24 and quickly Churchie scored a 60 metre stunner starting in the hands of scrumhalf Hugh Rylance and finishing in Stoddart’s.
However Rylance wasn’t finished. A smart quick-tap which caught Brisbane Grammar napping, pushed Churchie well clear up 36-0.
The final score was 50-0, despite Brisbane Grammar applying mountains of pressure late in the game.
In Toowoomba, a 73rd minute go-ahead penalty goal from fly half Iliasa Baravilala broke the hearts of Brisbane State High as Towoomba Grammar stole a 8-7 victory at the death.
A bumper crowd was on hand at Old Boys Oval in Towoomba and what a clash they were treated to.
It was really tight, with TGS enjoying the elation of another close win, while BSHS scaled Heartbreak Hill for the second successive week to lose narrowly.
BSHS has not lost by a single point in rounds one and two.
It was another game which showed just how close the competition was this year, with the result favouring Toowoomba this time around.
In recent years, Toowoomba have lost the close games so Director of Sport Steve Fryer said it was good to come away on top in this one.
“Today was our day, any other day it could’ve gone any other way.”
Fullback Richard Dean scored Toowoomba’s lone try in what Fryer described as a team effort.
“A team effort on the basis they had to work hard for each other.”
Fryer said it was great to be developing a winning culture, saying “it’s lovely to see that evolution.
“Hats off to state high, they didn’t give anything to us.”
For the second successive week BSHS fought tooth and nail but lost the lead late.
But the positive for the group was that they never gave up, including when forced into long periods of defence.
BSHS will have its day this season, don’t worry.
Flanker Mattias Agent was elite for BSHS with his work rate and desire, while centre Joshua Takai was outstanding and No.10 Tauave Leofa dangerous.
Originally published as GPS First XV rugby Rd 2: Nudgee back
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