Colts 1 rugby: 12 talking points from round 3 as Tom Howard fires, Easts win in dying moments against Bond and Souths, GPS triumph
Easts Tigers No. 8 PJ Su’a was a two-try hero on the Gold Coast as round 3 of the Colts 1 club rugby season continued to deliver stunning results and highlights. Everything you need to know here.
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Easts Tigers No. 8 PJ Su’a was a two-try hero on the Gold Coast as round 3 of the Colts 1 club rugby season continued to deliver stunning results and highlights.
Su’a scored his second try minutes from full time to turn a 21-all deadlock with Bond University into a 28-21 triumph.
In a stark contrast to last year’s slow start where they won just one from their first seven matches, Easts have started unbeaten after a 18-14 opening round win over Wests was backed up with a gutsy win down the Gold Coast.
Last year’s premiers, Souths, were also unbeaten after claiming their third win on Saturday when topping Norths 24-19.
GPS broke through to win their first match after near misses against University and Souths. The Gallopers beat Brothers 15-3 before lightning caused the game to be called off about 20 minutes from time.
At Wests, fleet-footed fullback Tom Howard was a scintillating performer as University won their third match, 31-7.
Read on for the round 3 run down.
HOWARD HAS IT
First-year phenom Tom Howard had his prints all over University’s 31-7 thwarting of Wests at The Kennel.
A whiz in broken play, the exciting fullback forced Wests defenders to bite on his sharp right foot-step and it paved the way for a superb long distance try scored by Kingbenjamin Swirling.
Howard caught the ball on the halfway line, danced his way back to the 22m before finding Swirling, another impressive new face at University.
Before a headknock nearing full-time forced Howard to miss the final quarter of play, his kicking game under pressure and assurity under the high ball was all-important on a day where Wests rarely found their way into University’s red zone (22m).
MCKENZIE’S MOTOR
University have been well serviced by new second rower Raife McKenzie, a terrific toiler out of Ipswich Grammar.
University’s captain, McKenzie has set a high standard with his work rate and most importantly his efforts at the lineout.
He was a sure thing against Wests, bringing down Moe Koroi’s throws and scrumhalf Tafito Ah-Ki was delighted to get the ball away quickly to busy flyhalf Isaac McAuliffe.
KELLY IS KING
Dominant in all he does, No. 13 turned No. 8 Kelly was again hard to handle at Sylvan road on Saturday.
A coaches dream player, Kelly clobbered his opposition more than once and while he dropped the ball more than he would have liked, he made up for that tenfold with his defensive intensity and metre-eating carries.
DOUBLE A’S DELIVER
Backrowers Adam Latham and Alex Watkins were two of Wests’ best in the stop-start clash which the Bulldogs will be itching to bounce back from.
When things hung in the balance midway through the game, Latham pulled off a crucial trysaving tackle in the left corner to give his team respite.
The powerful Watkins also worked hard on defence to try wrestle back momentum from the visitors.
He won a timely breakdown penalty late in the first half and was primed for the physical battle.
T IS FOR TERROR
GPS inside centre Tobias Graham delivered his best performance of the season and lock Avery Thomson the same to propel the Gallopers to their first win.
A 15-3 scoreline ensued and the pair of them played a big part in the breakthrough.
Thomson was a locksmith picking apart Brothers’ lineout. So impressive was he, Brothers opted for quick taps rather than kicking for touch late in the match.
He was a menace defending the lineout and No. 8 George Griffiths also had his say to starve the Brethren of clean ball.
WORK-A-HOLIC CANAVAN
Springing into a starting role for the first time in 2025 was blindside breakaway Riley Canavan and what an impact he made.
A tough competitor, Canavan went at full throttle before the match was called off.
“His work ethic is just enormous,” praised GPS coach Steve Meehan.
“He has that huge ability to keep the engine going.”
RIBOT-DE-BRESAC GOES BANG
GPS winger Matt Ribot-de-Bresac was up to his usual tricks at Crosby Park - plucking intercepts and scoring tries.
Renowned for making attackers pay for errant passes, de-Bresac scored two of three tries scored by either team on the day.
His first was a 60m intercept try. His second was another stunner after Flynn Horton got his radar working on a cross-field kick.
CLARKE’S COMPOSURE
On a flat track at Bond, Larry Clarke proved a point of difference for the Tigers.
A smart, unflappable character out of Villanova College, Clarke kept his head when things went pear-shaped as swirling storm clouds brewed above.
“When we weren’t playing well, he managed it so well,” praised Easts coach Jack Richards.
Richards is referring to when Bond had controlled proceedings across the middle stages and when panic started to creep in after surrendering a 14-nil lead, Clarke was the first on hand to problemshoot.
He played outside centre and turned panic into points.
STEPPING UP
Easts were without key players: Winger Mac Kelley, Joe and Tom Stoddart and Jackson Moloney (played the final 20 minutes after driving down) who all had university exams.
Despite this, the Tigers stuck in there to turn the tide when opportunities arose and show their desire to push through troughs in the game.
Their fighting mentality was epitomised by 20-year-old loose-head Dante Febo whose 70 minute showing featured no errors, strong scrummaging, unrelenting clean-outs and stoic defence.
Strong as an ox, Febo fought hard alongside reserve hooker Jakeb Horne whose impact off the bench was a game-changer.
Will Kartelo, a three-try terror in Colts 2, was also sharp in a stint off the bench.
Joey Gray, who started at openside flanker, led the way with his effort on a day where the Bull Sharks took Easts away from their game after returning from an early 14-deficit to be level at 21-all with three minutes left.
RETURNING SERVE
Bond’s flankers Charlie Wake and Heinrich Fourie sent plenty of traffic back Easts’ way with their work on both sides of the ball.
Just tireless, the pair of them dealt plenty of damage taking the ball forward in an arm wrestle where the difference was ball-handling.
Easts did well to retain possession and it went a long way in overcoming the home side.
KING, COTIE CARVE UP
Bull Sharks newcomer Mason King was cooking with gas in his first start of the season.
After playing his rugby for the Bond Pirates in the Gold Coast first grade competition in 2024, King has found a home at outside centre where he scored twice on Saturday.
The Southport School product missed the first game but made up for lost time by evading first defenders for fun.
He was superb in open space, as was winger Spencer Cotie.
A 40m dash by Cotie set up one of King’s tries under the sticks and he was dangerous with every touch.
SOUTHS FORWARDS FIRE
In a ding-dong battle against the Eagles, Souths front-rowers Malachi Tuakura (hooker) and Viliami Motuapuaka (tight-head) delivered the goods.
At Caboolture Rugby Club, Tuakura scored a double with one of his tries a tricky lineout-play which had everyone fooled.
Motuapuaka muscled up well in the scrum to nullify Norths front-rowers Jake Peirce, Manaaki Bateman, and Ta’ialalolei’aasassaumani Faalogo.
In the backrow, Trent Picot put pressure on and it showed in the 24-19 result.
His tough carries, productive pilfering and link play between his forwards and backs was brilliant.
Flyhalf Darcy Rowan also played strongly shifting from inside centre and kicking Souths into the right parts of the field.
Originally published as Colts 1 rugby: 12 talking points from round 3 as Tom Howard fires, Easts win in dying moments against Bond and Souths, GPS triumph
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