GPS First XV rugby upanion – round 6 teams, unsung heroes revealed here
GPS First XV rugby: Who were the Unsung Heroes moving mountains for their side this season? Revealed here along with the Rd 6 team lists which include seven debut boys from BBC, BGS and Terrace as the season reaches a flashpoint this weekend.
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Brisbane Boys’ College will blood exciting young midfielder Jonah Wilde in this weekend’s clash against Brisbane Grammar as round six of the GPS First XV rugby competition unfolds.
He will be one of seven students making their debuts for either BBC, Brisbane Grammar School or Terrace.
A young gun with a sprinkle of Reds centre Hunter Paisami about him, Wilde earlier this season played for the Brisbane Tigers representative Under-17s Connell Cup team and loves both codes of rugby.
Gregory Terrace midfielder Franck Iraguha will also start in his first match of the season up on the range against Toowoomba Grammar after coming off the bench last week following an injury to Connor Clifford.
Iraguha is an exciting talent, a big, barnstorming inside centre who has plenty of speed for a big boy.
Last week he made a strong impact for Terrace at Tennyson in a spirited 25-12 defeat at the hands of unbeaten Nudgee.
Langi Moramoro will also make his starting debut for BBC who play at home in round six.
The visitors, Brisbane Grammar, have three students making their starting debuts – hooker Jed Siganto, lock Eddie Wilmott and winger Xander Bourke.
It will be a nice moment for the Siganto family at Miskin Oval on Saturday when Jed makes his First XV debut at hooker alongside winger Tom, an inside centre who has played all season long.
They will be the first brothers to play First XV rugby together since the Davies brothers in 1992 at Brisbane Grammar.
Who were some of the other unsung heroes influencing matches for their team this season?
One of them was Ipswich Grammar tighthead Will Pamenter, a sporting all-rounder who is setting high standards for students of the school.
Pamenter was the captain of Ipswich Grammar’s high achieving First XI cricket team that finished second behind The Southport School and in the winter is someone who “does the little stuff exceptionally well” as captain of the First XV.
Ipswich Grammar master of rugby Russell Todd said Pamenter, also the school’s vice-captain, was a huge role model to the younger kids around him.
“He has grown through the school and has been in the younger kids shoes and is giving back now,” he said of Pamenter, who is also closing in on an impressive ATAR score of 99.
“He is a triple threat … A good young leader, academic and talented sportswise.
“It is all underpinned by being a hard worker across the board.”
PREMIERSHIP LADDER:
1. Nudgee 10 (no bye)
2. BSHS 8 (bye)
3. BBC 6 (bye)
4. Churchie 4 (bye)
5. TSS 4 (no bye)
6. Terrace 4 (bye)
7. IGS 2 (bye)
8. TGS 2 (no bye)
9. BGS 0 (bye)
GPS RUGBY’S UNSUNG HEROES
Levi Slater (Nudgee)
Nudgee’s powerful tighthead prop has been quietly moving mountains for the premiership pace setters this season.
Slater is not always on the scoresheet, but his teammates and coaching staff know how much work he gets through and it is a mountains worth.
He has staved off fierce internal competition for the No. 3 jersey and has relished his opportunity.
Luke Thornton (BSHS)
A wholehearted performer at lock, you won’t necessarily notice him during the game because he has his head down doing the hard work.
“He’s the tough guy of the team,’’ said head coach Steve Kefu. “He never backs down. He’s always chasing the rucks and is that player that is always reliable.”
But he plays his role well, doing things many see as chores like hitting rucks, cleaning out, making tackles and working hard in the set piece.
“He does it every game without much fuss and is very, very good at it,’’ added co-coach Toutai Kefu.
Sam Watson (Nudgee)
Watson is the starting point for Nudgee’s backline blitz and his supreme service cannot be underestimated.
A young veteran of the First XV, Watson was at the peak of his powers in the battle of the colours match at Tennyson last weekend and before that was a cut above with his service from the ruck base.
Dan Wells (TSS)
Bolstered by headgear and strapping tape around his legs, lock Wells fears none and is an all-or-nothing performer for The Southport School.
A supreme lifter in the lineout and rolling maul orchestrator, Wells does the little things well like applying pressure off the kick restart or on opposition lineouts.
Sam Russell (Terrace)
Gregory Terrace’s right winger has been almost faultless this season and his matchwinner against Churchie was just one of many highlights he has produced.
A Speedy Gonzales who can stop on a dime and go again without losing momentum, Russell has all the makings of a first rate winger and makes up for what he lacks in size with the effort plays.
The diminutive Russell was around the squad last year before being injured and never got a chance to play Firsts. But he is making up for lost time this season, impressing with his desperation in cover defence, work rate off the ball and finishing skills.
He reminds old-timers just a little of former Queensland champion and Bledisloe Cup winning winger Paul Carozza.
H Hattingh (Ipswich Grammar)
The softly spoken Ipswich Grammar prop just works and works until there is nothing left in the tank.
Meticulous in his detail, Hattingh gets on with the job without looking for praise.
Harry Scheibel (Ipswich Grammar)
A 201cm beast, Scheibel is no flash dan but is one of the reasons why Ipswich Grammar can defeat any team on their day.
A workhorse, Scheibel gets the job done, hits hard, carries hard and hits the breakdowns even harder.
He goes about his work with the same ferocity in the 70th minute as he does in the first.
Tom Wood (Churchie)
Churchie’s blindside flanker or silent assassin, Wood goes about his business quietly and effectively to influence games for his side.
The hardworking, elite on-ball flanker does all the dog work that nobody notices at a high level and when Churchie need something, he is usually the one to provide it in the crucial moments.
Be it through a breakdown win, tough carry or big tackle.
Harry Solofa (Churchie)
Churchie’s young hooker has performed brilliantly for the side in his debut season and the good news is he is back again next year.
Solofa has a bit about him, he is not just your everyday hooker. He has the footwork of an outside back, a turn of speed and a thirst for contact that holds him in good stead moving forward.
He also throws the ball into the lineout and engineers the rolling maul if there was any doubt about his spot in this company.
Lincoln Manuel (Brisbane Grammar School)
Brisbane Grammar’s blindside battering ram is the definition of an unsung hero.
He doesn’t say much, but on the field fronts up regardless of the score or the quality of the opposition and he is always near the action.
A thickly set flanker who hits and sticks, Manuel early this year represented the Norths Devils Connell Cup team as well as the Met North representative rugby team.
Sam Bolam (Brisbane Grammar)
Bolam has produced four solid seventy minute performances built on hard work and precision.
He has done what has been asked of him and more at lineout time and in close quarter battle where he acts as an extra front rower.
Harrison Humphreys (Toowoomba Grammar)
A loyal servant to Toowoomba Grammar’s A teams coming through the ranks, hulking tighthead prop Humphreys has come to life in the high octane environment that is GPS First XV rugby.
Powerful in every meaning of the word, Humphreys knows his role back to front and does his job without a fuss each week.
Rupeni Baravilala (Toowoomba Grammar)
The same can be said about gentle giant Baravilala who turns fierce when push comes to shove.
The team’s blindside flanker, Baravilala is always near when a strong carry is needed and his size and power game is an added bonus for the TGS pack.
Cooper Eagle (BBC)
After missing the first match, a tight loss against Brisbane State High, returning second rower Eagle has added an extra dimension to BBC’s forward pack.
A tremendous leader, Eagle could play lock, flanker or No. 8 but has been stationed at lock this season and since returning to the fold, BBC have won three matches in succession.
Weighing 104 kgs and standing tall at about 191cm, Coast kid Eagle has plenty of upsize and is using his stature to win lineouts for premiership contenders BBC.
ROUND SIX TEAMS
Toowoomba Grammar School v Terrace
TGS: 1. Archie Campbell, 2. Ruben Kruger, 3. Harrison Humphreys, 4. Jonah Allen, 5. Rupeni Baravilala, 6. Ethan Ramsay 7. Joe Gray (Capt), 8. Thomas Bailey, 9. Sam Elms, 10. Illy Baravilala, 11. Adam Davis, 12. Trace Beattie 13. Azariah Toki-Mautairi, 14. Ben Burgess, 15. Myles Rosemond.
Terrace: 1. Alec Weir, 2. Cody Harkins, 3. Charlie Hollyman, 4. Charlie Cross, 5. Rupert McGrath, 6. Nate Wines, 7. Archer Ilott, 8. Oliver Nasser, 9. George Hales, 10. Sam McGahan, 11. Sam Russell, 12. Franck Iraguha, 13. Saia Poese, 14. George Joseph, 15. Joe McGahan.
Ipswich Grammar School v The Southport School
IGS: 1: H Hattingh, 2: Jean-Paul Sia, 3: William Pamenter, 4: Mostyn Bowen, 5: Harry Scheibel, 6: Jack Calleja, 7: Tannar Baker, 8: Ezalle Matautia, 9: Joseph Post, 10: Tyson Walker, 11: Brock Coombes, 12: Finn Kendall, 13: James Grey, 14: Marlon Frost, 15: Amaziah Murgha
TSS: 1. Kingsley Uys, 2. Blaze Moana (C), 3. Jonah Rangiwai, 4. Hayden Keldie-Genner, 5. Daniel Wells, 6. Viliami Fifita, 7. Ky Morris, 8. Agapetos Lote-Felo, 9. Tom Goldie (VC), 10. Dallas Ingram, 11. Jake Lane, 12. Eli Vea, 13. Kilarney Lavender, 14. Callum Dalton, 15. Dylan Terblanche.
BSHS v Churchie
BSHS: 1. Tyrece Herniman, 2. Cyrus Suniula, 3. Elijah Sau, 4. Luke Thornton, 5. Eli Langi, 6. Jesse Maugatai, 7. Trent Picot, 8. Roman Siulepa, 9. Marley Ngatai, 10. Seamus Boakes, 11. Jackson Hill, 12. Junior Latu, 13. Laquan Afamiliona, 14. Paddy McInally, 15. Angus Tagicakibau.
Churchie: 1. Kasper Tammela, 2. Harry Solofa, 3. Sio Kite, 4. Caleb Godfrey,
5. Sam Williams, 6. Tom Wood, 7. George Ward, 8. Jye Crothers, 9. Alfie Bowman, 10. Fletcher Austin, 11. Oliver Chancellor, 12. Max Blanch, 13. Liam Gordon, 14. Will Bloxham, 15. Treyvon Pritchard.
Brisbane Boys College v Brisbane Grammar School
BBC: 1. Oscar Donovan, 2. Tyler Maybery (c), 3. Lucas Clifford, 4. Cooper Eagle, 5. Jack Randall, 6. Austen Neame, 7. Gray O’Neill, 8. Kiama Jione. 9. Isaac Kefu, 10. Toby Kennedy, 11. DJ Colaivalu, 12. Jonah Wilde, 13. Frank Howarth, 14. Langi Moramoro, 15. Stan Keats.
BGS: 1. Barry Smith, 2. Jed Siganto, 3. Tristian Knudsen, 4. Sam Bolam, 5. Eddie Wilmott, 6. Lincoln Manuel, 7. Lincoln Dalton, 8. Dyer Akauloa, 9. Flynn Horton, 10. Elijah Breen, 11. Xander Bourke, 12. Tom Siganto, 13. Max Romer, 14. Seth Kennedy, 15. Zac Reader
Originally published as GPS First XV rugby upanion – round 6 teams, unsung heroes revealed here
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