AIC First XV schoolboy rugby’s round 1 team of the week
The AIC First XV schoolboy rugby round 1 team of the week includes a St Laurence’s top gun rookie, the inspiring Ashgrove skip, a Padua midfield brute and a Villa attacking ace. More here.
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A head spinning round one of AIC rugby has resulted in players from six schools making top XV in the round one Team of the Week - and all schools being represented in the overall selection of the squad.
Villanova’s courageous, narrow loss to St Laurence’s, St Patrick’s strong win and Iona’s 38-point performance in a losing side showed there was plenty of substance to the competition this season.
Round 2 will feature St Edmund’s against Villa, St Peters hosting Marist, Iona clashing with Padua (at Iona) and St Pat’s playing St Laurence’s (Shorncliffe).
AIC RUGBY ROUND 1 TEAM OF THE WEEK
15. Harry Taylor (St Laurence’s College)
Taylor’s introduction to AIC First XV rugby was an impressive one.
The Year 10 rookie fullback was arguably the most threatening back on the field, returning the ball with speed, sharp footwork and purpose to give Laurie’s momentum.
Almost 70 minutes into the game he applied kick-chase pressure on a Josh Madden kick down field. Taylor arrived at the breakdown, pilfered the ball and won a timely penalty when Laurie’s held a slim 27-21 lead.
Less than a minute later hooker Brad Smith scored to nail the coffin shut.
14. Liam Rice (Marist Ashgrove)
A mighty mite, winger Rice buzzed around the field, darting here and there, and was a target for passing raids at both ends of the field.
He was a tough little rooster who was hurt after being man handled in the second half by the Iona forward pack, only to rise to his feet and play on with distinction.
13. Harlem Faalafi (Padua College)
Year 11 student Faalafi made a memorable debut alongside of his brother, prop Brooklyn.
So good was the outside centre that the St Edmund’s players voted him as Padua’s Doubles Daly Medallist.
Harlem Faalafi was dynamic, ripping holes in the Eddies’ defence after the Padua forwards settled into the match after about 15 minutes.
12. Riley Blake (St Patrick’s)
Blake (inside centre) and his brother Harry (flanker) were true-blue performers for the boys from Shorncliffe.
Riley was a great link player for his outside backs and had his moment early in the second half when he regathered and scored his own chip kick, which he lobbed over the last line of defence, to make it 22-7.
11. Darcy Kerr (Villanova)
When Villa needed something, right wing Kerr was their man.
The visitors trailed 22-14 with 23 minutes left when Kerr caught the ball on his wing and wove back infield, evading five defenders on his way to scoring near the left upright.
It pulled Villa within one point. Before this, Kerr was often chasing kicks and putting pressure on Laurie’s back three players — which highlighted Villa’s fight when they were up against it with Max Green (fullback) red carded.
10. Damon Humphrys (Padua College)
Padua’s glittering gem, flyhalf Humphrys had his paw prints all over a comprehensive 59-10 first-round rampage at Banyo against St Edmund’s.
A flyhalf who would also excel at fullback, Humphrys had his run, kick and pass package on full display, something the Canterbury Bulldogs caught onto last year when they signed him to its academy.
9. Josh Madden (St Laurence’s)
Deservedly Laurie’s first Doubles Daley medallist of 2025, Madden pulled the strings expertly from halfback with his mixture of short and long passes, box kicks and long driving kicks deep into enemy territory.
The rangy scrumhalf took advantage of Villa being without their fullback with his kicks and when the opportunity arose to pull clear in the dying moments, Madden cut out four teammates with a brilliant left-to-right cut out pass which put Smith over.
8. Ryder Childs (Villanova)
Villa forward leader Ryder Childs refused to take a backward step against a bigger Laurie’s pack.
The hard working -holic No.8 played the full 70 minutes while maintaining high energy levels and was supreme at getting his team over the gain line.
7. Seb Gardiner (Marist Ashgrove)
The Ashgrove captain cut an inspiring figure and was the best player on the field in the clash with Iona.
When Iona led 38-33 in the second half, Gardiner twice produced cracking runs wide of the ruck which led to tries.
During this period he also snuffed out Iona’s challenge at the attacking end of the field by winning a lineout against the throw and stealing possession from the ruck when Iona were just 1m from scoring.
6. Diesel Hauff (Iona)
Hauff played No.8 but is named at blindside flanker here. He was a menace to the Ashgrove line out, with his aggression at No.2 putting pressure on Ashgrove’s attacking line out throws.
Once he stole possession from the opposition throw which led to a Bailey Swifte try
He also impacted the match with his tough runs while his rugged defence had Ash runners thinking twice.
5. Billy Rowan (St Laurence’s College)
Rowan produced a polished captain’s knock to inspire his team towards a tight victory in Runcorn.
The younger brother of former Laurie’s premiership winning playmaker Darcy, Billy brought energy in defence and scored two tries on a day where Villa’s defence was outstanding.
Rowan, sporting bright blue headgear, scored the decisive 61st minute try when the game hung in the balance at 22-21, in favour of Laurie’s.
4. Matt Linnell (Villanova)
The Villa captain and lock, Linnell helped his side own its lineout, using his height to lift Finn Staley high above the pack and generate a flow of possession from the set piece.
Confronting adversity, in windy conditions against a forward orientated opposition, Linnell gathered his troops after the send off of a teammate and ensured his side were still in the match late in the fixture.
3. Denzel Savelino (St Patrick’s)
Savelino started his final school season in fine fashion.
The Paddies prop put the Saints forwards on the back foot at scrum time, was heavily involved in attacking raids and was sound in defence.
2. Josh Heinrich (Marist Ashgrove)
Heinrich rose with the tide, and got better and better the more the match unfolded. His 45m try, Ashgrove’s second of the match, featured a dummy on the inside.
His running game and pass in contact then sparked Ashgrove’s second long distance try, while his soft hands also linked a movement leading to Xavier Howard scoring.
Heinrich also delivered a clutch sideline conversion which recaptured the lead, 40-38.
1. Bailey Swifte (Iona)
The two of the three best players on the field in the Marist versus Iona clash were hookers Bailey Swift and Josh Heinrich, so to get both players into the side Swifte was selected at prop.
Swifte was a colossus for Iona. His powerful runs resulted in two tries, while on numerous other occasions he was involved in momentum building charges. In the scrum he helped win a scrum penalty against the feed, and from that possession Iona scored. He was elite.
BENCH
Ryan Smallhorne (St Patrick’s)
The Paddies fullback forced defenders to bite on his sharp footwork and elusiveness and it got his team in the groove.
An attacking weapon from the Redcliffe Dolphins, Smallhorne is sure to be one of St Patrick’s most valued backline members this year — if his sound showing in round 1 is any indication.
Harry Cairns (St Patrick’s)
Winger Harry Cairns cashed in twice within the first 13 minutes of Saturday’s game to give Paddies a 12-0 head start on a muddy Mayer Oval surface.
His positioning and finishing skills were top notch on the right edge.
James Kenny (St Peters)
In an outgunned forward pack, flanker Kenny was brave to the core for St Peters.
St Peters manned the pumps against an advancing St Patrick’s pack and leading the resistance was Kenny with his defence.
The flanker also managed to steal back possession at the breakdown on a couple of occasions.
Abraham Huxtable (St Patrick’s)
Huxtable would have left Indooroopilly grinning ear to ear knowing he put in one of his finest school rugby performances to christen the new season.
At No.8, Huxtable came to life where on both sides of the ball he had St Peters’ measure.
Josh Polkinghorne (St Edmund’s)
In a 49-point loss to amped up premiers Padua, No.10 Josh Polkinghorne held up his end of the bargain.
He was stoic in the defensive line, at times inspirational as he felled Padua opponents.
With the ball he helped his side create some opportunities.
Alex Borger (Villanova)
The service of the Villa scrumhalf was to die for.
The Laurie’s forwards were a menacing presence at the breakdown and tried their best to ruffle Borger’s feathers as they swamped their Villa counterparts.
Under pressure, Borger put it on a platter for No.10 Lachlan Francis.
Will Lovegrove (St Peters)
Lovegrove’s kicking game was tipped to be a key part of the Saints’ challenge in 2025.
The young flyhalf was quick to put his effective boot to good use in Saturday’s clash and he also involved himself with stoic front-on defence and runs here and there. Lovegrove earned the Doubles Daley Medal from the opposition.
Keanu Bothma (Iona)
Unsung heroes in the exciting 93 point match between Iona and Ashgrove were the halves, Bothma and Harry Graham, whose clearance from the ruck contributed to a free flowing affair. Bothma’s astute box kicking was also beautifully executed.
Xavier Howard (Marist Ashgrove)
Howard had a ding-doing battle with his opposite, the Iona captain Matt Doherty.
While never running amok, Howard was strong with his runs and authoritative at the point of contact which enabled his side to win back possession and keep its flowing, running rugby going.
Howard also produced a try-saving tackle on Luke Coffey
Finn Staley (Villanova)
The sight of Staley rising above to bring down the lineout ball was welcomed by one and all Villa supporters on Saturday.
Villa lost two players in the first half, one to a red card and another to a yellow, and if they were to any chance of staying intact with Laurie’s they had to make sure the little things were done right.
Blindside flanker Staley had all bases covered, delivering the ball on a platter each and every time to halfback Alex Borger.
Honourable mentions: James Johnston (Ashgrove), Sam Hodder (Iona), Pat Albion (St Edmund’s), Matt Doherty (Iona), Elliott Aldridge (Ashgrove), Harry Graham (Ashgrove), Gio Koopu (St Laurence’s), Max Bolton (Iona), Luka Smith (St Laurence’s).
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