GPS First XV rugby: Nudgee and TGS remain undefeated as BSHS and Terrace boldly enter the winner’s list

An imposing Nudgee College sent a shiver down the spine of rivals by unravelling Ipswich Grammar by 60-24, while Toowoomba Grammar sit atop the competition after the country kids defeated Brisbane Grammar School 38-17 at home.

Gregory Terrace were both bold and brave in finding a channel to victory, 28-19, over The Southport School, while at South Brisbane the BSHS players rose to the occasion on the annual State High Day to pip Brisbane Boys’ College, 31-26, in an old-fashioned cliffhanger.

A penalty try awarded to the visitors inside the last eight minutes had edged BBC ahead, but BSHS’s never-say-die attitude was rewarded when a gallant pick-and-drive assault generated the winning try for the home side.

While BSHS supporters were a rockin’ and a rollin’ in celebration, the Terrace faithful were also dancing to the beat of another drum after finding a winning score against dangerous TSS.

The victory was a rich reward for the Terrace players and coaching staff who went oh so close to snaring an upset victory just seven days earlier against BBC.

When Terrace lost round 1 by 41-7 to IGS, you could see green shoots sprouting, but who could have guessed the same playing group would branch out two weeks later and topple TSS. Well they did. And they did it very well.

At South Brisbane, when the BBC players walked through the BSHS school gates on annual State High Day, they would have known they were entering ambush country.

Every nook and cranny around the oval was taken as spectators roared on an amped up BSHS playing group which were laying in wait.

To a man BSHS players hustled and bustled in defence, particularly the forwards who hassled BBC’s ball runners at every opportunity.

BSHS’s defence was not impregnable, but they were enthusiastic, forever moving and persistent from start to finish. No one took a short cut in the front line of defence.

BBC did not help their cause, falling into errors all too frequently for the liking of college supporters wedged in pockets around the BSHS No.1 oval amphitheatre.

Despite becoming more disjointed the more the match progressed, they were in a winning position when a rolling maul was pulled down, prompting a penalty try to be awarded.

But BSHS deserved to win and were actually better than their winning score of 31-26.

The BSHS forwards were magnificent on both sides of the ball, particularly hooker Cyrus Suniula, prop Darnel Taki, flankers Robert Piutau, Henry Willis and No.8. Jesse Maugatai.

Second rower Luke Thornton also had plenty of moments, as did fellow forwards Tristan Auela and Manasa Vunibola.

But arguably BSHS’s best was fullback Angus Tagicakibau, while No.10 Richie Taulagi and his inside centre Jeremiah Patea threatened with the ball.

Outside centre Taoso Taoso got better as the match wore on, while BSHS wingers Corbett and Phinney were hard working.

The seesawing game swung wildly in the wind that whistled through the BSHS classroom corridors adjoining the No.1 oval.

One side, and then the other would cross as five tries flowed during the opening half which ended with BBC ahead, 19-17.

BSHS should have taken the lead shortly before the break, but the final pass from halfback Lincoln Hicks to his fullback Tagicakibau was intercepted by BBC winger Cooper Murray who saved the day.

The best try of the half was a trick shot from a line out which was scored by BSHS hooker Suniula after he had thrown short to his prop Auela and received the ball back.

The trickery between the front rowers was like watching a magic show in Las Vegas, such was the magical interchange of passing between Suniula and Auela.

Earlier in the match, BSHS started superbly with a scintillating 50m team try which whipped through the hands of No.10 Taulagi and winger Corbett before outside centre Taoso put his fullback Tagicakibau on a 30m run to the corner.

Within minutes BBC were on the board courtesy of mobile marvel, prop Oscar Donovan, whose dynamic leg drive thrust him 10m to the line to score from a precision lineout.

The teams continued to trade tries, with BSHS’s own lineout generating a rolling maul which saw the team’s smallest forward, flanker Willis, fly under the radar to cross for a five pointer.

But the you score, we score trend continued when BBC recaptured the lead after a wonderful right side movement started by quick hands at the base of the ruck by BBC breakaway Charlie Wehl. Wehl’s pass to halfback Harry Munro opened up space for No.10 Toby Kennedy to put his fullback Jonah Wilde through.

Donovan then scored his second try from a pick-and-drive assault before BSHS’s Suniula crossed for two tries.

BBC had spent a couple of minutes turning their opponents away before Suniula was able to chiesel his way over for a try from close range to give his side the lead again and finish the job.

It was Suniula’s third try.

On the Internationals Oval in Tennyson, Gregory Terrace started well, stuck in the fight and pushed through to draw first blood on their season against TSS.

Gregory Terrace won a thriller, 28-19, after leading often and defending like there was no tomorrow to prevent a late TSS comeback spearheaded by its forwards.

Terrace had been building form and fought tooth and nail to pull off the big scalp of TSS.

What a reward it was.

They started slow and lost 41-7 against IGS in round 1, almost defeated BBC on its Old Boys day when going down 31-24 in round 2.

With Ollier Nasser outstanding as captain, Terrace weathered the storm of an imposing TSS coming for them at full throttle and found their path home when fierce halfback George Hales lunged over to score and put the game to bed.

Before Hales scored, Terrace were up 21-19. When flanker Archer Illot added the extras, Terrace were all but in the clear, ahead 28-19 with time dwindling down.

TSS thundered down field and knocked on the door for about three minutes before a trio of brave Terrace boys held barnstorming TSS No.8 Elijah Galloway up over the line.

Hales, fullback Dennis and outside centre Tom Merrett all rushed up as one and prevented Galloway’s try. The referee then called time and in the process sparked a wild celebration by the home side.

What a match it was, by both teams.

But it was Terrace’s day with a performance built on effort and dogged defence that dragged the side to victory after, at one stage in the final 10 minutes, three players were strewn on the grass cramping up.

Cramping TSS centre Eli Vea, TSS halfback Max Kahler and Terrace prop Nick Weir were a spitting image of the hard work and exhaustive effort every player had put in.

Earlier, Terrace got an early jump when awarded a penalty try but TSS hit back to be 7-5 down when Galloway, Dallas Ingram, Kilarney Lavender, James Smith and Vea all touched the ball before big Kingsley Uys scored.

Terrace got out to a 14-5 lead shortly after when Charlie Hollyman mauled his way over with fullback Dennis and winger Frank Illot flying in to latch on and help.

Flyhalf Tom Weir, who kicked well all game, put Ioane Fe’aunati over shortly after with a glorious right-to-left cut out pass.

Down by 16 points at the break (21-5), TSS had to be the ones to score first.

They did when abrasive flanker Viliami Fifita said ‘do not argue’ and ploughed over the defence to score.

Terrace protected its 21-12 lead with their lives. Twice second-row debutant Rohan Clancy latched on to breakdown ball and came up with a penalty, while openside Illot also produced a turnover.

There was no way to stop loosehead Uys when he tapped quickly and scored in the 58th minute to give TSS its chance, down 21-19.

His teammates rallied and both Vea and Smith were on hand to hold up Terrace hooker Hollyman when he tried to muscle over for the knockout blow.

Moments later Hollyman almost scored again but after being staved off, the eyes of halfback Hales lit up when he saw clean air to pounce.

Flanker Illot then stepped up and converted to give Terrace a 28-19 advantage. What they did to keep it that way was willing and warranted victory.

Before the trysaver on Galloway, blindside flanker Rupert McGrath stole a TSS lineout when they were 10m out and closing in with more than enough time to go.

On Ross Oval, Nudgee College turned a 12-all deadlock into a 60-24 smashing as the reigning premiers sounded the alarm announcing themselves as premiership front runners.

After scoring 46 points in round 1, the hosts had their way again putting out a dangerous IGS fire that had started the season so well.

Even when the ball hits the deck, Nudgee can swoop to score. Or when a player is thumped to ground, they can take full advantage of an overlap.

Both these things happened during the course of Nudgee’s nine-try blitz.

To take a 19-12 lead, fullback Noah Fien gobbled up an errant pass from scrumhalf Will Reardon, attacked the line and found Billy Spicer.

Outside centre Spicer sliced forward through two defenders, fended off one and crashed over another to score.

Later on, after IGS No.13 Finn Kendall produced the biggest tackle of the game, Nudgee College turned a 10m advantage-line loss into a 65m gain through quick hands and elite strategy.

Kendall’s outstanding tackle meant IGS were one short out wide. That’s exactly where Nudgee attacked the play later.

Flyhalf Archie Mesritz, who scored the final try of the match, spotted the space in an instant and got the ball into the hands of Oli Patterson who did the rest for a 33-12 lead 43 minutes in.

Nudgee scored again through flanker Ben Di Donna for a 38-12 lead and at that point, midway through the second half, the war had been won.

IGS started just fine, with that man Kendall pulling off a terrific trysaver on busy Nudgee winger Barry Taukolo.

Kendall’s defence remained outstanding but there was no stopping Nudgee, purring after a week off with a bye.

Teina Graham, at No.8, scored twice and was an absolute monster at the back of the scrum and through the midfield.

After he got Nudgee on the board first, Spicer scored the first of his two tries when fullback Fein and winger Patterson cooked up a 55m special.

That’s not the first time, or the last.

IGS were at their best early when Hemi Rakuita pounced on a Leo Briggs grubber to score and when a Tyson Walker grubber was dotted down by hooker Caleb West.

But 12-all was as close as they came as Nudgee ran in an unanswered 26 points to lead 38-12.

Graham’s set-piece lineout try right after the break was the catalyst which moved Nudgee ahead 26-12 and got the forward pack fired up to move in on their prey.

IGS, down 38-12 after the Di Donna try, returned serve when a dislodging tackle by winger Briggs was toed forward and regathered by Kendall.

Kendall’s terrific try made it 38-19.

IGS looked like scoring again moments later which would’ve made things very interesting.

Hooker Isaac Rauluni said it’s my time to take control and he did, winning a timely breakdown penalty to start Nudgee’s push for three final tries, scored by Reardon, Patterson and Mesritz.

Pelted by pea-sized hail and soaked to the bone, Matt Johnston warmed the hearts of the Toowoomba Grammar faithful with a try for the ages in his team’s 38-17 defeat of Brisbane Grammar.

As a bitterly-cold wind blew rain horizontally across Old Boys’ Oval and snow onto the Granite Belt just 120km south, the TGS winger jinked, jived and stepped his way past multiple BGS players to score the second of his two tries.

Johnston’s five pointer, which gave TGS a 21-10 halftime lead, was a key moment in the match because up until then the gritty visitors were keeping pace with the determined TGS. In the second half, the boys from up the range ran away with it and are now 3-0 on the season.

It was an impressive performance from BGS, who gave the ball up in the first 30 seconds of the game after dropping the first kick-off. BGS then did not touch the ball in attack for the next minutes and conceded two tries in the first eight minutes.

Despite the early woes a gallant BGS trailed 14-10 at the 20-minute mark and looked every bit the stiff competition TGS expected them to be.

“We were very aware that BGS are a great side,” Toowoomba coach Scott Gale said.

“They’re the best BGS side I have seen in some time between my time coaching here and at other schools.

“We weren’t short of motivation to get up and get the job done at home even in this cold, windy weather.”

Johnston’s try in the 26th minute will no doubt rank among TGS’ best this year, if not the competition’s best.

With his side forced into some stout defending after turning the ball over near their own line, the TGS winger intercepted an errant pass and ran almost the length of the field to score.

With a strong wind at their backs and the rain all but forgotten aside from the soft ground underfoot, TGS ran away with the match in the second half, winning that period 17-7.

Gale said it wasn’t the polished performance rugby purists might like but he welcomed the win all the same.

“We pride ourselves on our hard work and building tries rather than relying on those brilliant individual efforts,” he said.

“But at the same time we do have some players can produce those and we are very lucky to have them.

“I’d describe it as an ugly win.”

Originally published as GPS First XV rugby: Nudgee and TGS remain undefeated as BSHS and Terrace boldly enter the winner’s list