AIC First XV rugby’s round 2 Team of the Week
AIC First XV rugby round 2 Team of the Week: See who caught the eye as Padua, St Laurence’s and Ashgrove make their premiership aspirations clear.
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St Peters’ tenacity in defeat against Marist College Ashgrove and Villanova’s breakthrough win against St Edmund’s has seen the selection of two players each from the respective schools named in the round 2 AIC First XV Team of the Week.
Darcy Kerr and Lucca Agnola (both Villanova) join St Peters forwards James Kenny and Shaye Batty (both St Peters) in the top XV.
But who else made the side? All is revealed below.
AIC RUGBY ROUND 2 TEAM OF THE WEEK
15. Darcy Kerr (Villanova)
On a wet and windy day, sleek fullback Kerr covered everything a fired up St Edmund’s could throw at him.
He smothered any Eddies’ runners with strong defence, was safe defusing kicks and when Kerr carried the ball, he ran so strongly that he put a few attempted tacklers on their backside.
14. Luke Coffey (Iona College)
Coffey had a typical wingers knock and a good one at that.
He didn’t touch it much but on one occasion he scored a 60m stunner five minutes from half time to spark life back into Iona.
Off the ball Coffey, one of the smallest out there, made a try saving tackle holding up a big bloke over the line
He was urgent, aware and his wing partner Oscar Colbert the same with his kick chases.
13. Harlem Faalafi (Padua College)
No wonder Padua are 2-0 and premiership contenders. Their backline features Damon Humphrys, tenacious midfielders Harlem Faalafi and Nate Clark, pacy wingers Harrison Vera and Jarah Chaseling and a communicator at fullback in Joel Whelan.
On Davine Oval in Wynnum, it was Faalafi who left the biggest mark with his urgency and instincts creating Padua’s first try off a charge down.
He scored their second and across the match gave his side plenty of go forward.
12. Harrison Blake (St Patrick’s)
Blake’s value has shone through in the first two rounds.
A prime early season fine for Paddies, Blake played flanker in round and inside centre in round 2 where he ran hard, defended stoically and had his hand in a couple tries.
His younger brother Ryley also impressed for the home side, finishing off a fantastic team try late in the second half.
11. Ryan Smallhorne (St Patrick’s)
Smallhorne flew under the radar in representative club rugby league with the Dolphins but in 15-a-side schooloy footy, each team is going to take note of the highly-skilled Paddies fullback.
A player who could slot in anywhere and do a job, Smallhorne was close to his best with his constant involvements, speed, toughness and general assurity in the back of the field.
10. Tom Ahern (St Laurence’s)
It was windy, wet and brisk in Shorncliffe and the Laurie’s Flyhalf had a stellar game.
He directed his forwards and backs nicely and tested the Paddies front on defence with some carries himself.
Ahern running game was a big feature and he plugged the corners accordingly in an effective kicking display which had coach Dave Sheehan singing his praises post match.
9. Pat Albion (St Edmund’s)
His team’s Doubles Daley Medallist for the second week in a row, Albion’s crisp service from the ruck played a big part in Eddies’ pushing Villanova to the brink last Saturday.
8. Diesel Hauff (Iona College)
Hauff makes his second success appearance in the Team of the Week squad after his first round effort against Ashgrove.
7. James Kenny (St Peters)
A man of steel, his defence, burrowing runs and effort over the ball made him a stand out player. Just looking at the condition of his muddied jersey last Saturday said everything about his involvement. He’s a gem.
6. James Johnston (Ashgrove)
The industrious flanker has set a consistently high level of performance across the opening two matches of the season. Johnston’s urgency to attack with his defence shone, while he had the ball skills and running game to contribute to the ball in the hand style Ash were trying to establish.
5. Lucca Agnola (Villanova)
A first season rookie in Year 11, Agnola played strongly in Villanova’s improving set pieces, carried strongly against St Edmund’s and defended stoutly with low tackles that felled bigger forward opponents.
4. Will Ross (Padua College)
Ross probably made more of a difference than what meet the eye.
The presence of representative player Ross, a tall timber who just gets line outs, went a long way in not only starving Iona of clean line out ball but also giving Padua another productive ball-running option.
The towering teen put in a polished performance.
3. Shaye Batty (St Peters)
St Peters took on the Ashgrove pack through the forwards and Batty was to the forefront, both at scrum time and during ruck and maul or pick and drive efforts. St Peters looked shot to bits when trailing 26-nil at halftime, but were able to draw the second half, and that was because of players like Batty.
2. Bailey Swifte (Iona College)
Swifte is so raw, the 16-year-old just months into his First XV journey after being thrust into the side in the absence of Fononga Tuitahi (knee).
A rugby league junior, Swifte is yet to nail the line out throwing and intricacies of being a rugby hooker but his startling potential was there for all to see on Saturday afternoon
The Year 11 big bopper saw out the full 70 minutes with his bash brother Kalix encouraging him to finish strongly after he was involved in plenty of attacking raids through the first half.
1 Jack Mercer (Padua College)
Mercer showed Iona no mercy with his aggression, power and fitness in a tight match.
Fast and fit for a prop, Mercer relished the physical battle and was always a good option in attack.
You just had to be there, up close, seeing him ruffle feathers and dig his teeth into pick and drive play.
Reserves
Seb Gardiner (Ashgrove)
The Ashgrove captain and breakaway again left nothing in the tank. His ball carrying was dynamic, he attacked with his bustling defence and generally led by example with his effort.
Peter Gronwall (St Peters)
Gronwall was a partner in crime to his fellow flanker James Kenny mentioned earlier in the story. He finished with an A+ for effort and typified the spirit and fight of the St Peters forwards.
Zane Smith (St Peters)
Smith was another big hearted Saints forward who was prepared to take a bump or throw his body at a ball on the ground for the sake of his side. He played very well in the second row.
Xavier Howard (Ashgrove)
Howard had limited opportunities, particularly in the second half, but what he did was impressive. His creation of Ted Clarke’s second try was pure class, while his strong running caused problems.
Max Bolton (Iona College)
To the naked eye Bolton was only steady.
But, given how much traffic was sent his way and the responsibility he had at fullback against a kicking Humphrys, he deserves recognition in this company.
Keanu Bothma (Iona College)
A smart rugby player who gets the game, Bothma had plenty on his plate at the weekend and did very well.
With the rain pouring down late in the second half creating slippery conditions, Bothma not once dropped the ball despite going digging in a ruck frenzy.
His box kicking was effective, passing crisp and he created a stunning try to winger Coffey.
Tiakana Bateman (St Patrick’s)
If Bateman took even a bit of his older brother Manaaki’s mindset and aggression into the 2025 season then Paddies would be in goods hands.
Unlike his brother who is a hooker, Tiakana plays flanker and he was as fierce as they come against a Laurie’s pack which prides itself on having a set-piece built on an effective pack of ferocious forwards.
Harry Edwards (St Laurence’s)
Every team could do with a player like Harry Edwards.
He roared off the bench in Saturday’s match to make a wonderful impact.
Starting scrumhalf Josh Madden showed his class in round 1, snaring the Doubles Daley award and when coach Dave Sheehan sent Edwards into the fray he reassured his coach he has two First-XV calibre scrumhalves at his disposal.
SATURDAY, ROUND 3:
Marist v St Patrick’s
St Laurence’s v St Edmund’s
Villanova v Padua
Iona v St Peters
Originally published as AIC First XV rugby’s round 2 Team of the Week
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