GPS First XV rugby premiership showdown looms following Rd 8 bouts
GPS First XV rugby: A winner takes all last round clash between Nudgee College and Brisbane State High School GPS First XV has been confirmed. Read how Rd 8 unfolded here.
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A scintillating performance by Nudgee College has washed away Brisbane Boys College’s premiership aspirations and set up a last round winner takes all “grand final’’ against fellow unbeaten foe Brisbane State High School.
Nudgee had plenty of snap, crackle and pop in its stunning 54-21 win yesterday over BBC, while BSHS survived a scare to defeat Terrace 24-17.
THE SILENT ASSASSINS OF GPS RUGBY
In the other matches, The Southport School defeated Churchie 44-26, while on old boys day in Ipswich, IGS defeated Brisbane Grammar School 38-33.
It will be advantage Nudgee this Saturday against BSHS because the decider will be played on Ross Oval where the ghosts of Nudgee’s previous 42 successful premiership sorties will be swirling around the picture perfect grounds.
But BSHS has not come this far to fall over and weeks of close circuit surveillance by the respective coaching staffs will come to a flashpoint in a last round thriller.
Next Saturday will be the fourth winner-takes-all grand final in more than 24 years; following 2006 (State High over Southport), 2012 (Brisbane Grammar over Nudgee) and 2018 (Nudgee over Southport).
Crowds in excess of 10,000 flocked to Ross Oval to watch history on the latter two occasions and it will be standing room only again when Nudgee College’s famous home ground welcomes State High next week.
On Miskin Oval, Nudgee’s First XV gave onlookers a glimpse of what they might expect at the GPS track and field championships later this year when the visitors ran in three breathtaking counter attacking tries to blow BBC out of the water.
Winger Nick Conway looked for all the world like he will be a contender for the 100m track title with a withering, weaving 60m performance after his fly half Charlie O’Connell and inside centre Carter Welfare had been quick with a transition from defensive ball into attack.
Moments earlier breakaway Hugo Hart underlined why he was nominated for a Speed Demons mention earlier in the season when he resembled a winger in full flight over a dramatic 50m sprint to the line.
Hart had also received some counter attacking ball, this time from winger Oliver Patterson and fullback Jacob Johnston, and his speed for a big man was breathtaking.
And appropriately the match finished with another blazing long distance try when fullback Johnson dazzled in the lead-up before passing Hugo Hart.
Nudgee’s comprehensive ball in hand rugby was complemented by Charlie O’Connell’s astute tactical kicking and a lineout that has not malfunctioned once this season.
Could Nudgee have been more comprehensive? Absolutely not. It was an extraordinary performance from a complete rugby team.
In the line out Nudgee do what they want, when they want and from that platform the team is always on high ground looking down on their rivals.
Two tries yesterday came around line out skirmishes, once when Hart and No.8 Adam Lathan dead heated to score, and another time when the set piece led to a pick and drive assault that finished with John Grenfell scoring.
Down by 40-7, BBC found something, scoring one pick and drive try, and then another when Tai Taka and Frank Howarth brilliantly combined for a 50m try from the scrum.
Nudgee skipped to a 14-nil lead but BBC stayed in touch courtesy of the lightning hands from Tyler Maybery who sent Cooper Eagle storming over.
Maybery would have made a great gun slinger in the wild west days, so quick was his reaction to catch and pass. Nudgee led 14-7.
Aside from sparking attack, Nudgee’s desperation in defence was evident when Jacob Johnson felled a runaway Gray O’Neill, while Nudgee’s old couple, winger Oliver Patterson and prop Isaac Rauluni, combined to hold up BBC hooker Lucas Bakker over the line.
Brisbane State High entered Round 8 with a chance to guarantee a hand on the 2024 title but was forced to dig deep for victory over St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace, 24-17.
Terrace ended the first half ahead 14-12 courtesy of three Joe McGahan penalty goals and a try before State High’s ferocious backrow engineered a fightback of its own.
The South Brisbane school’s attacking nature did itself no favours in a nerve-wracking conclusion, pushing unneeded offloads and running away from support to invite Terrace back onto attack one last time.
A knock-on in final play secured State High’s progression to face Nudgee College with everything to play for.
ROMAN, GO HOME
State High No.8 Roman Siulepa projects as a future Aussie NBA star but a shock withdrawal from his contract with the NBL’s Tasmanian Jackjumpers this month has nosed the door ajar for one of the rugby codes to keep the 200cm weapon on local shores.
Siulepa is a slam-dunking swingman on the basketball court but shows generational promise as a rugby union loose forward or rugby league backrower.
No forward in the last 15 years of GPS First XV rugby has possessed Siulepa’s blend of height, athleticism and skill – a mind boggling statistic considering no less than 10 Wallabies forwards have been plucked from this breeding ground over that span.
Siulepa’s backflip on a Tasmanian transfer will likely end in him taking his talents to a different NBL team on the mainland but rugby scouts would be mad not to try to sell the phenom on the merits of staying closer to home.
He scored two tries and came metres away from his hat-trick.
Siulepa was the most eye-catching player on the field, ahead of bullocking backrow mate Jesse Maugatai and dynamic fullback Angus Tagicakibau.
STATE HI-STORY
Eight years ago future internationals Jordan Petaia (Wallabies) and Murray Taulagi (Kangaroos and Samoa) led State High to the 2016 GPS First XV premiership.
One wonders how bright this current crop will be shining in the years to follow.
A forward pack as robust as it is skilful and a backline capable of generating both tremendous power and razor sharp incisions with their running lines would trouble any schoolboy side in Queensland on either side of the code divide.
There may be even more household names emerging from this proud nursery.
It was fitting that 13 members of the school’s 1974 premiership First XV were in attendance to watch their counterparts, 50 years later, edge closer to sharing that mantle.
Down the Coast, TSS’s seniors graced the hallowed Village Green turf one last time and went out with a bang – a six try blitz to win 44-26 over visitors Churchie.
How appropriate it was Year 12 forward leader Blaze Moana, the TSS captain and hooker, had his fingerprints all over his team’s comprehensive final 20 minutes that ensured victory.
After relentless Churchie midfielder Max Blanch had wriggled his way out of a tackle to score the first points in the second half and draw closer 19-22, Moana scored a rolling maul try and set up a try to flyhalf Dallas Ingram that moved the Sharky Army into the clear.
Blanch was Churchie’s best back and Ingram the same for TSS and both boys left their mark in a match TSS won by capitalising on their opportunities when they came.
Speaking of making the most of opportunities, Indigenous speedster Callum Dalton has done just that this season for TSS.
After playing half of the season in the Second XV and consistently performing well, Year 12 Dalton earnt the No.14 jersey and promptly made scoring tries a habit.
The enigmatic speed demon from Grafton scored two stunning tries, one on each side of the half and both a reward for his proactivity.
For his first Dalton chased a Tom Goldie kick and for his second he gobbled up an errant pass and stormed away to give TSS a 32-19 lead 20 minutes from fulltime.
There was no stopping the 100m, 200m and 400m track specialist. He is Rapid with a capital R.
FULL FIELD FLAIR
TSS were at their brilliant best in the 21st minute when scrumhalf Tom Goldie and winger Dalton combined to score a try of the season contender.
Outstanding TSS lock Dan Wells turned over Churchie lineout ball on the 22m line before Goldie booted the ball downfield where it bounced up perfectly for Dalton who caught the ball in full stride and dashed away.
Churchie’s Treyvon Pritchard was sweeping across but the bounce could not have fallen better into the arms of Northern Rivers flyer Dalton, the cousin of South Sydney playmaker Cody Walker.
BLOXHAM BLITZ
After Dalton dazzled to hand TSS a 15-5 lead, pacy left wing Will Bloxham returned the favour to bring Churchie within three.
The speed demon was fed the ball from scrumhalf Hugh Rylance, who did a great job scooping up a Goldie grubber kick and quickly passing to his left where Bloxham was unmarked.
From there, Bloxham set off on a spectacular 80m sprint where, before scoring, he had to evade two last line TSS defenders.
He did that in style, stepping in twice off his left to dot the ball down under the posts.
It was raining fantastic five-pointers.
YOUNG PLAYMAKERS ON POINT
Year 11 TSS playmaker Dallas Ingram continued his impressive transition from playing halfback in rugby league to flyhalf in the 15-a-side game.
Ingram’s composure, decision making and dangerous running game were all aspects of his promising No.10 package.
He scored the dagger that nailed the coffin shut after Moana played it brilliantly out the back and showed his versatility by playing 10 minutes of halfback when TSS were a man down.
Churchie flyhalf Bailen Noy, despite spending 10 minutes in the sin bin, was also impressive for the visitors.
A youngster capable of playing flyhalf and fullback, Noy was selected in the Brisbane Grey Under-16s side contesting this year’s Emerging Reds Cup and he may well be in the mix for the Queensland No.10 jersey later this year if he stays confident like he was on Saturday.
At Ipswich Grammar School, battering ram outside centre Finn Kendall put an end to dangerous Brisbane Grammar momentum to ensure a highlight-laden 38-33 Old Boys Day triumph.
IGS midfielder Kendall, who scored a try earlier in the game, took matters into his own hands late in the game when BGS threatened to come from behind, 38-21, and score in the final moments to win.
Jamming in off his left edge, Kendall threw the kitchen sink at his opponent, got back to his feet and challenged the breakdown where he forced a penalty.
Tyson Walker, who scored a sharp individual try to begin proceedings, booted the ball into touch and that was it.
IGS were home, in front of a passionate crowd that were treated to a Murgha masterclass.
IGS livewire Amaziah Murgha was the single most deadly attacking player on the field on Saturday and at times he was so untouchable it seemed he had a protective wall guarding him from defenders.
Almost everything the lightning quick Innisfail product touched turned to gold and his uncanny ability to slice through a gap was ultimately the difference on a day where the visitors never went away.
Lincoln Manuel, Lincoln Dalton, Max Romer (two tries) and Dyer Akauola crossed for BGS, who put up a great fight despite trailing the entire match.
No.8 Akauola scored his team’s most enthralling try, a wonderful team effort where Akauola had the ball twice in the same passage before he used his speed to get there.
IGS led 31-21 at half time and deserved to be further in front after Walker, Will Pamenter, Joseph Post, James Grey and Kendall had feasted on good field positioning which stemmed off of Murgha’s madness in the backfield.
BGS’s try on the cusp of halftime, scored by Romer and assisted on by Breen, highlighted how determined the team were and it closed the gap to 14, BGS trailing 31-21.
Out of the gates, Murgha and Brock Coombes combined to score a special 85m try that extended the home side’s lead to 17.
Originally published as GPS First XV rugby premiership showdown looms following Rd 8 bouts
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