Hamish Roberts kicks penalty in injury time to help The Southport School defeat Nudgee College

The Southport School have avenged their heartbreaking 2018 loss to Nudgee College in perfect fashion and the tense 21-20 victory could have massive ramifications.

THE Southport School have avenged their heartbreaking 2018 loss to Nudgee College in perfect fashion and the tense 21-20 victory could have massive ramifications.

The two sides went through last year unbeaten until their final round meeting, which went the way of Nudgee in a 34-29 thriller.

This time, TSS were the dominant side for the most part at the Village Green as the GPS Rugby season kicked off with a traditional rivalry.

In front of an enormous crowd – late-coming spectators were hard-pressed to find a park with cars lining every street of Southport it seemed – the home team had all the early running.

However, Nudgee twice made long-range line breaks from deep in their own end and eventually came up with the first try of the day.

TSS hit back with a pick-and-drive try to No.8 Luc Lyndon, before a penalty goal and try to winger Hamish Roberts stretched their lead to 15-7.

Captains Zane Nonggorr (TSS) and Mitch Lowrie (Nudgee). Picture: Liam Kidston

Nudgee scored on the cusp of halftime to reduce the deficit to one point as tempers boiled over momentarily.

TSS did on several occasions come up with excellent try-saving tackles, including a ripper from flanker Ngiyaani Waters, but they were also guilty of bombing many tries – particularly in a 10-minute second-half period in which they were frequently on the attack.

Those missed opportunities looked as if they may come back to bite them as the lead changed hands through a series of penalties but the last kick of the game – a Roberts penalty from out wide – proved the match-winning blow.

Given recent history in which TSS and Nudgee have been the prime premiership contenders, the result puts Mike Wallace’s squad in the box seat early on.