GPS First XV rugby’s second round saw TGS hit and run with a win over TSS and BBC survive a Terrace ambush
GPS First XV rugby featured a mid-winter boilover as TGS toppled TSS away from home, while IGS made it two wins in a row and BBC survived a gutsy Terrace revival in a bumper round 2 of action. More here.
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A Year 10 Toowoomba Grammar School supersub scored two telling tries to tilt a heavyweight away bout against The Southport School his team’s way during a rain soaked second round of GPS First XV rugby.
Unheralded TGS young giant James Tulikaki, a prop from across the ditch, crashed onto the Village Green to shake, rattle and roll his team to a thrilling 33-31 victory.
There was also a pitched battle for the ages on Miskin Oval where BBC ploughed to a tenacious win over a gutsy Terrace, 31-24, in an old fashioned slug fest.
At Brisbane Grammar, Churchie prevailed 19-16 in a thriller while in Ipswich, home team Ipswich Grammar won 20-19 over Brisbane State High.
On Miskin Oval at BBC, it was a day for ducks.
But also a day for a boy from waterlogged Canterbury on New Zealand’s South Island to stand tall and deliver as a gruelling battle royal was won by a desperate BBC, 31-24, over a spirited Terrace.
In the heavy conditions, scrums, lineout control and tactical kicks were of equal currency, and while Terrace won the scrum battle and BBC the lineout donnybrooks, BBC certainly won the battle of the kicking games.
A huge moment in the match came courtesy of BBC halfback Harry Munro who, not surprisingly, relished the conditions given he has grown up in a notoriously wet, if not beautiful, part of the world — the province of Canterbury, New Zealand.
It was Munro’s unbelievable, touch-finding retrieval kick from deep in his own territory which created a lineout 50m up the field that directly led to a crucial try late in the second half.
From Gray O’Neill’s clean lineout catch, ball was released across the BBC backs for one of the rare times in the game, enabling outside centre Taione Taka to send his winger Ryder Koia racing over for his second try.
That converted try snapped a 19-all deadlock when every point was like striking gold in there, them hills.
Still Terrace could not be doused, with outstanding hooker Charlie Hollyman mauling possession away from his forwards and dashing infield where he linked with halfback George Hales who put rampaging Terrace No. 12 Franck Iraguha in to score.
Although Hales missed the kick, Terrace were still in the match trailing by just 26-24.
But ultimately the precision of the BBC lineout proved the difference, with O’Neill’s catch again enabling a rolling maul to be propelled up the field at pace.
Terrace fought tooth and nail to prevent the try, but finally the visitors pack ran out of steam — and bodies — as BBC hooker Luke Nilsson spun over to score.
That, ladies and gentlemen, was game, set and match.
Although Terrace lost the game, they won the hearts of their ardent supporters who loyally stood in the rain clinging to hope.
Both No. 8s, O’Neill and Ollie Nasser for Terrace, were outstanding, as was Terrace hooker Hollyman.
O’Neill handled the wet ball with ease, and his two sideline conversions were also crucial to keep his side ahead of the rising Terrace tide.
Terrace lightweight second rower Rupert McGrath also emphasised his team’s desire and effort with a performance full of heart.
The kicking of the respective halves and fullbacks was absolutely vital in tilting the game, and to that point the box kicks of BBC No. 9 Munro and longer, raking kicks by fullback Jonah Wilde and flyhalf Toby Kennedy all played their part in a tight, tense win by BBC.
Both packs gave their all at scrum time, with Terrace winning a battle within the war when prop Jerry Harbottle and hooker Hollyman ganged up on their opposites to splinter the BBC scrum and force an error which led to an unexpected try for Terrace No. 10 Tom Weir.
Earlier, BBC opened the scoring when the crafty Kennedy chip-kicked across the field for his winger Koia to score.
But a gritty Terrace fought back hard, with lock McGrath driving low and hard at the line to score.
BBC also scored a splendid try from an attacking scrum when halves Kennedy and Munro worked a wide blindside, giving left winger Cooper Murray a chance to skid over in the corner.
On the Village Green, the sons of farmers in the TGS team had reason to celebrate twice — once because their parents’ Darling Downs properties were getting a nice dousing from mother nature, and also because they had snared a rare away victory over TSS.
Toowoomba Grammar’s second-half trump card was Tulikaki, who shook the earth with two thumping pick-and-drive tries that proved the difference.
Ultimately it was the goal kicking of TGS No. 8 Rhymen Tusi — himself the scorer of a powerful close to the line try — which also proved the difference.
The match seesawed one way, and then the other, before Tulikaki stepped onto the scales and swung the game emphatically his team’s way.
After TSS’s own heavyweight champion, prop Kingsley Uys, had scored one of his two tries to give his side a 24-19 advantage, TGS’s Tulikaki went bang, bang to hurtle his team from a five-point deficit into a nine-point advantage.
But that match had yet another twist and a turn when TGS botched a restart soon after Tukikaki’s second try, leading to a turnover that TSS capitalised on courtesy of burrowing No. 8 Elijah Galloway who scored.
Galloway’s converted try narrowed the margin to just two points, but TGS held on to make it two on the trot.
“The biggest thing is our fight,” TGS rugby director Lincoln Clapham said of what was most pleasing through the first two games.
“We really stuck around. To finish it, in those conditions, was really pleasing.”
TGS flanker Ethan Ramsay emphasised that fight deep into the game by taking a tough carry whenever the opportunity presented itself.
The TGS starting props, Archie Campbell and Harry Humphreys, also did a brilliant job before Auckland big man Tulikaki added the finishing touches.
Earlier, TSS led 14-10 at halftime, and the too and fro only intensified in the second half.
It was not a day for fast feet, but TGS fullback Myles Rosemond resembled a speed racer when he scorched the sodden earth to set up a try for his winger, Matthew Johnston, after TGS had used the width of the field from a scrum win.
At Northgate, Churchie weathered the BGS storm and prevailed by the skin of their teeth to snare their first win of the season.
Churchie finished in front, 19-16, after the soaking wet conditions proved a great leveller and saw both sides go hammer-and-tongs at each other.
Kalan Breen and Henry Slatter scored for the home side while lineout-throwing flanker Duke Thallon scored both of Churchie’s tries.
The difference was Angus Underwood’s three penalty goals, which rivalled Ralph Labor’s two for BGS.
Like the other three matches, it was scrappy, gutsy stuff from both sides with kicking a big feature.
Treyvon Pritchard’s ability in the air was a trump card for Churchie, as was Alfie Bowman’s box-kicking.
There was also no denying the godlike workrate of backrowers Tom Wood and Sam Williams.
BGS, spurred on by an amped-up pack that saw Lewis Brinkworth (lock), Jed Siganto (prop) and Lincoln Dalton (flanker) lead the charge, came eversoclose but time was not their ally after trailing 16-11 at half time and then 19-11 late in the piece.
POTENTIAL IN A NUT SHELL
BGS were at their best five minutes from half time when left wing Breen scored the team’s first five pointer of the new season.
The ball swung from the right goal post to the left wing, travelling through the hands of Owen Begley (prop), Dyer Akauola (No. 8) and scrumhalf Labor before it reached Breen.
Breen, receiving a wonderful cut out pass from Labor, stopped on a dime and cut back inside to leave two defenders stuck in the mud before crashing over to score (31st).
It was an important score nearing halftime.
BGS were down 16-6 but were now within five points entering the second half.
That man Underwood was so valuable, again, for Churchie after last week adding 14 points off his right boot to help his side to a 24-all draw with TSS.
Fullback Underwood, exercising one of the quickest preparations for a kick at goal, nailed a penalty goal in the 50th minute to make it 19-11 after Thallon had earlier muscled his way over at the back of the rolling maul to score twice.
Thallon’s lineout throwing was also very good given the conditions.
BGS had a sniff when debut boys Bas Stoneley and Sas Chinula had touches in a backline shift that ended in Henry Slatter scoring in his debut and making it 19-16.
However Churchie just managed to hold on with the fighting spirit and determination they displayed last week at home, apparent once again.
At Ipswich Grammar, the home side overcame atrocious weather and a second-half barrage from Brisbane State High to finish with their noses in front, 20-19.
It means IGS are two-from-two and in a good spot entering next week’s Ross Oval blockbuster against Nudgee College.
BSHS scored three tries to two, but Tyson Walker’s two first-half penalty goals turned out to be vital in a wet-weather skirmish that finished with the IGS playing group celebrating like they’d won the premiership.
IGS players knew it was no mean feat holding out BSHS and when Walker booted the ball out with the scoreboard in their favour, there were means for jubilation.
BSHS trailed 17-5 at oranges and then 20-5 early in the second half so they soon became outside chances to come from behind and win it in the wet.
It was not surprising to then see the visitors dig deep and produce a wholehearted effort over the last half-hour to give themselves a fighting chance.
Flanker Henry Willis and winger Malakaih Beals scored tries to make it 20-19 but in the end, BSHS ran out of time and IGS were rewarded for their hot start and scramble defence when the going got tough late in the match.
It was frantic from the first whistle to the last and in between every player had their moment.
IGS hooker Caleb West had plenty, including a try assist, a big defensive play following his strong chase of a kick and a splendid dislodging tackle that halted BSHS momentum nearing full time when the match was there for the taking.
PICK OF THE BUNCH
Hooker West was responsible for the highlight try of the first half, scored by fullback and skipper Marlon Frost.
Resembling a slips cordon fielder, West caught the ball in his fingertips about 45m out and dashed forward 25m before releasing a pass on his inside to big Tannar Baker.
Baker, a No. 8 with great hands, unloaded the ball while being wrestled to ground and Frost crashed over as a reward for his support play.
It extended Ipswich Grammar’s lead to nine points (14-5) after they had scored first for a 7-5 buffer.
Flanker Lane Edmonds had offloaded to lock Mostyn Bowen who played the ball back quickly to prop Tyler Riddell. Riddell couldn’t believe his luck when the BSHS goal line defence was not set and the abrasive loosehead acted quickly to lunge over for his first of the season.
BSHS RESURGENCE
After Frost scored Ipswich Grammar’s second try (22nd), BSHS did not concede another.
The only points they let in were two Walker penalty goals nearing half time.
BSHS scored a beauty to open their account when Taoso Taoso delayed his pass to winger Jeremiah Patea.
A tricky play off of a tap, involving Darnel Taki and Robert Piutau, saw Henry Willis score his team’s second midway through the second half.
Finally Beals scored and it was 20-19 with the game up for grabs.
It was IGS who escaped on this occasion and at the centre of their efforts was No. 12 Brock Coombes, tidy winger Hemi Rakuita, backrowers Edmonds and Baker and impressive lock pairing Ranel Filipine and Mostyn Bowen.
Front-rowers Riddell, West and Lance Po-Ching were also excellent at times, with Po-Ching’s defence at times jarring.
BSHS were well led by busy hooker Cyrus Suniula, workhorse lock Luke Thornton and tireless flankers Willis and Robert Piutau.
The kicking game and reliability of fullback Angus Tagicakibau was also important given the conditions and the trying kicking game of IGS flyhalf Walker.
Originally published as GPS First XV rugby’s second round saw TGS hit and run with a win over TSS and BBC survive a Terrace ambush
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