GPS First XV rugby round 1 preview. How is your school shaping?
The GPS premiership season for competition points starts on Saturday, with the traditional game between St Joseph’s Nudgee College and St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace appropriately scheduled. How will your school perform in 2020?
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The GPS premiership for competition points starts on Saturday, with the traditional game between St Joseph’s Nudgee College and St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace appropriately scheduled.
The seven week season is a celebration for all associated within the GPS rugby community after the COVID-19 crisis threatened its wellbeing.
GPS principals, staff and players have worked to make sure three pre-season matches went without a hitch and now the wait is over.
How will your school perform?
ST JOSEPH’S NUDGEE COLLEGE
Perineal title contenders Nudgee College will have nine First XV players from last season returning for 2020.
“We pride ourselves on doing the work and trying to work harder and smarter than our opposition; we don’t cut corners and we focus on being neat with our core skills,’’ said director of rugby Sean Graham.
“We expect this year’s competition to be tight and that each week will present a new set of challenges which we look forward to.’’
The Draw
Nudgee
August 8: v Terrace (away)
August 15: v IGS (home)
August 22: v TGS (away)
August 29: v bye
September 5: v BGS (home)
September 12: v BBC (away)
September 18: v ACGS (away)
BRISBANE GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Brisbane Grammar School will look for more consistency and to reduce its error rate against one of the favourites, Brisbane Boys College, on Saturday at Northgate.
Coach Phil Mooney stressed BGS would need a “collective effort’’ from all players in 2020.
“We are aiming to play a tactically smart game style and need to compete for every minute of every match,’’ he said
The Draw
August 8: home to BBC
August 15: away to Churchie
August 22: home to TSS
August 29: away to Terrace
September 5: away to Nudgee
September 12: home to BSHS
September 18: home to TGS
BRISBANE STATE HIGH SCHOOL
Brisbane State High School will again be brimming with talent and no team will be in a position to take the side lightly.
Despite a heavy trial loss to Nudgee College last Saturday, no one left the ground accusing BSHS of not having a go.
“Our expectations are always high but with a shorter pre-season and also a young squad this year we would just like to play some attacking football, and for all players to have an enjoyable rugby experience,’’ said coach Matt Thornton.
The Draw
August 8: v The Southport School (home)
August 15: v Terrace (home)
August 22: bye
August 29: v Toowoomba Grammar (home)
September 5: v Churchie (away)
September 12: v Brisbane Grammar (away)
September 18: v BBC (home)
ST JOSEPH’S GREGORY TERRACE
Terrace will enter the premiership opener against old rivals Nudgee College dusting themselves off after a 61-19 loss to one of the premiership favourites, BBC, last weekend.
“From the under 11 black team through to the First XV, the College works hard to ensure all teams enter our round 1 clash against Nudgee College well prepared,’’ said director of sport Tyron Mandrusiak.
“The college will look to play an attacking, ball in hand style of rugby under pinned by a solid foundation of core skills.’’
The Draw
August 8: v Nudgee (home)
August 15: v BSHS (away)
August 22: v Churchie (home)
August 29: v BGS (home)
September 5: TSS (away)
September 12: Bye
September 19: v IGS (home)
BRISBANE BOYS COLLEGE
Good player management will be a key to BBC being in contention to win the premiership when the whips are cracking toward the end of the season.
BBC will have the playing talent, but with a shorter season there is less wriggle room to recover from the loss of key players to injury, so keeping the top side in good condition in between matches will be important.
Jack Howarth and Mason Gordon were part of a crack backline, while Zac Hough will be prominent leading the forwards around the field.
The Draw
August 8: v BGS (away)
August 15: v Bye
August 22: v IGS (away)
August 29: v TSS (away)
September 5: v TGS (home)
September 12: v Nudgee College (home)
September 18: v BSHS (away)
TOOWOOMBA GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Toowoomba Grammar School coach Dave Enfantie said a “well balanced team with talent spread across the park’’ would feature this season.
Fresh from Saturday night’s O’Callaghan Cup victory over Downlands College, IGS opens its competition points season under the captaincy of Hamish Muller with a home match against Ipswich Grammar School.
“We have a good mixture of older players with First XV experience as well as young blokes looking to make their mark this year,’’ Enfantie said.
“We are really grateful to be able to play rugby and represent TGS this year.
“We are fortunate to have many players who have aspired to wear the jersey from a young age, players whose fathers have worn the jersey. I expect we will play accordingly.’’
The draw
August 8: v IGS (home)
August 15: v TSS (away)
August 22: v Nudgee (home)
August 29: v BSHS (away)
September 5: v BBC (away)
September 12: v Churchie (home)
September 18: v BGS (away)
IPSWICH GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Under head coach Kieran Moffat, expect IGS to play an expansive style of rugby but only after an “improving forward pack’’ has played its part.
“We will look to win the tight arm wrestles which will hopefully allow our backs to express themselves later in the game,’’ Moffatt said.
“We have a good mixture of experience and youth across our squad. Those that tasted First XV rugby last year have been terrific leaders for those new squad members and they continue to learn off one another each week.’’
Asked about his expectations, Moffatt said: “With the restructure of the draw it places us against some of the best rugby programs in the GPS competition very early on.
“We are looking forward to testing our abilities against these great programs.’’
The Draw
August 8: v TGS (away)
August 15: v Nudgee (away)
August 22: v BBC (home)
August 29: v Churchie (away)
September 5: Bye
September 12: v TSS (home)
September 18: v Terrace (away)
ANGLICAN CHURCH GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Churchie’s two point trial loss to premiers The Southport School is a shot in the arm for the Firsts squad who have a favourable draw this season.
“We want to be good at set piece and have the ability to play open attacking rugby and transition well off the back of our defence,’’ said Churchie director of sport Sean Tasker.
The Draw
Churchie
August 8: Bye
August 15: BGS (home)
August 22: St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace (away)
August 29: IGS (home)
September 5: BSHS (home)
September 12: TGS (away)
September 18: St Joseph’s Nudgee College (home).
THE SOUTHPORT SCHOOL
The 2019 undefeated premiers will play away to Brisbane State High School on Saturday.
Coach Adrian Blundell said TSS would play a “high speed, high skill’’ game and the side would feature many returning First XV players across the backline.
“But there are many new faces in the forward pack,’’ he said.
Asked about his expectations, Blundell said: “With all the uncertainty that COVID has brought with it, we are just ecstatic to be playing rugby.’’
The Draw
August 8: v BSHS (away)
August 15: v TGS (home)
August 22: v BGS (away)
August 29: v BBC (home)
September 5: v Terrace (home)
September 12: v IGS (away)
September 18: Bye
FOOTNOTE: The Courier-Mail will report online each Saturday night.
Originally published as GPS First XV rugby round 1 preview. How is your school shaping?
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