GPS First XV rugby round 7 Team of the Week

With two matches remaining, The Southport School, who have a bye this weekend, join Nudgee and Toowoomba Grammar School on 10 points, with Churchie on eight points.

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Brisbane Boys College’s 38-33 victory over a talent-laden Ipswich Grammar School wasn’t enough to return them to the premiership race, but they can still ruffle feathers in the next two rounds against Terrace and BSHS.

And leading the way will be running back Martens, who was simply stunning in his season opener. He is the son of Hente Martens who toured Argentina with South Africa in 1993.

Ironically, James Martens, a First XI batting ace, replaced his First XI captain Jamie Alexander as running back in the First XV last weekend.

It was his first appearance in the top flight this season after playing in the First Division last year.

In a surprising return to First Division, Martens:

+ took on the IGS defense in a dart close to the line, keeping their legs in contact to score from 10m.

+ Showed tremendous pace as he ran 30 meters to score after Charlie Bird created a long-distance try.

+ provided splendid service from the base of their forwards, both with short balls to their forwards and longer passes to their defensive outside division.

+ finished with a 100 per cent shooting record in a performance that finally proved the difference after IGS closed the gap to just five points with a try at full time.

It was a performance from the running back and it comes in an exciting week for the BBC after 2019-20 aging Jack Howarth was named to make his NRL debut for the Melbourne Storm against the Broncos.

A wonder kid during the BBC’s 2020 premiership-winning season, he had been plagued with leg and back injuries, but will finally appear where many thought he would: in an NRL team.

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15. Ollie Spence (BGS)

Spence was brave to the core once again in the improved BGS, but ultimately lost the effort against a rising Terrace. He is a gifted cricketer who throws subtle spins in the summer, but in the winter he has used those hands to boldly grasp kicks as opponents fall towards him in great numbers.

Nudgee’s Fullback jacob johnson He was also a contender for his error-free football and chance creation.

14. Amasias Murgha (IGS)

Sometimes the pace scores your attempts and other times it saves you attempts. And Murgha used his speed to do both against the BBC. This guy is a real talent. If you blink, you’ll miss his runs, but he can also come up from the ground to make a tackle.

13.Harry Newnham (TGS)

That man Harry has been one of the breakthrough players in the competition, not because of any Flash Dan play, but because of his strong, uncompromising defense and simple, strong running and pass delivery to his wingers. No wonder TGS was vying for the premiership when they have guys like him on their side.

12. Max Blanch (Churchie)

Two weeks in a row, Blanch has been one of Churchie’s best players on the field.

Against TSS he was immense with his defense and again against Nudgee he was fantastic with his tackling.

To go along with his relentless brick wall defense, Blanch is turning himself into an inside center who can create for his teammates on the wings.

11. Nicholas Conway (Shove)

The agile Conway made great touches and with his special footwork he gained precious meters.

How nice it must be to have a Conway-caliber replacement to fill in for the injured Emmanuel Taviri.

10. Charlie Johnstone (Churchie)

The favorite for the starting starting position on our Team of the Season was once again at the forefront of his team’s effort.

Against Toowoomba Grammar, Johnstone was arguably the best on the ground, and again against TSS he was elite. This time against Nudgee, his kicking, running and passing were top notch.

9. James Martens (BBC)

He was a revelation with his running game and his goal kicks. as mentioned earlier in historyUltimately, he was the difference between winning the BBC or getting run over by a quick-ending IGS. A special mention goes to senior scrum-half Churchie. Hugh Rylance. He got off to a shaky start in Saturday’s clash before stalling and showing his fierce competitive edge.

8. PJ Su’a (Terrace)

Su’a has come of age after first breaking into Terrace Firsts two seasons ago. He has been a driving force with his ball carrying and a forceful contributor to rolling mauls. Terrace has three wins in a row and is out front, swinging the lantern and showing the way forward.

RELATED LINKS

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7. Sam Hyne (Shove)

Nudgee’s tireless forward played at No. 8, but we have him at No. 7 because he’s a must.

Hyne couldn’t have put more effort into the game. By the end he was clearly exhausted because for 70 minutes he worked and worked to try and get an advantage over Churchie.

Churchie’s boys were exceptional but Hyne’s strength and determination, especially in the last 20 minutes, ultimately made the difference as Nudgee struck back 12-10 down.

6. Joe Gray (TGS)

Before leaving school, TGS needs to clone this guy. What a sensation Gray, his number 8 Jimmy White and his wingman Tom Bailey have been this season. Gray certainly earned his postgame sandwiches and refreshments with another fearless display.

5. Fergus Gillan (TSS)

Yes, here it is again. The value Gillan places on TSS and not enough credit may get to him for his role in staging the dramatic TSS premiership campaign that few predicted at the start of the season.

4. Harrison Angel (BBC)

Adorned with a black headband, Ángel was the leader of a pack of “follow me boys”. He had a security partner, Jack Randell, in his debut alongside him and he gave young Randell some splendid on-the-job training.

3. Macario Pereira (Nudgee)

The 18-year-old Nudgee jumper was a man on a mission Saturday, propelling his team past the winner’s spot with a colossal 70-minute performance.

His powerful ball-carrying was evident throughout the game, but when it mattered most down the stretch, Pereira channeled sixth gear and broke enough tackles to allow Prestyn Laine-Sietu to land a telling blow.

2.Cooper Hoare (BBC)

Last Saturday was a day for hookers because IGS No. 2 Jean-Paul Sia was also a top player and TSS’s Blaze Moana was elite. The BBC needed to establish a parity of advance, such was the aggression and intent of IGS, and Hoare answered the call to arms.

1. Will Pamenter (IGS)

Pamenter left nothing in the tank in what was a complete prop performance. Extensive effort from him with and without the ball included deservedly scoring a try with a clever scissoring move off a set piece from the lineout.

Bookings

Blaze Moana (TSS)

TSS has a gold nugget in this mobile, workhorse hooker who’s a damaging runner, but is also well-trained in the basics. And it’s all the better because the stiff breeze she faced during lineout kick-off time might have put off the less-experienced No. 2.

Hamish neighborhood, Churchie’s muscular prostitute, was another contender for the bench. He would make a tackle, get up and attack again. And so he did throughout the contest.

Donning a white headdress, Ward put in an exhausting effort that denied Nudgee on numerous occasions.

Won a KFC family box for one

Ryan Heaton (Shove)

It was a toss between inside center Heaton and his opposite Max Blanch (Churchie), who also played very well.

It was flipping a coin.

Heaton’s footwork and power shone as he stopped the ball and he quickly mustered the strength and speed to advance Nudgee past the gain line.

Jean-Paul Sia (IGS)

Against bigger opponents and bears, Sia stalled as the IGS forwards set up a platform that gave IGS a sporting opportunity to cut two huge deficits. We’re not sure if he scored the lineout move that led to Will Parmenter’s try, but if he did, then let’s take a second bow.

Will Pascoe (BGS)

It is not the first time this season that BGS forward leader Will Pascoe has joined our team. He is a robust and physical guy who is not intimidated by anyone.

Harry Scheibel (IGS)

Congratulations to Harry, who had an excellent debut against very talented opponents. Playing the tough blocking position, he worked out any run early with implications and never gave up.

Ed Kasprowicz (Nudgee)

The towering Nudgee was a great player, stealing a lineout from Churchie in the closing moments of the game to deny them one last chance to steal victory.

Before that, he was 100 per cent from the lineouts.

Oliver BarrettNudgee

In a close fight against Churchie and specifically against Hamish Ward, Diamond Fifita and Emil Willie-Jawai (opposing early rowers), Nudgee’s hooker couldn’t have played better.

He scored two of his team’s three tries with strong rolling mallet efforts.

Max Campbell (Churchie)

The brave No. 8 was all hearted and at one point Campbell, with his head tied up, had blood gushing from his nose.

He stressed that he was willing to put his body on the line and his teammates took advantage of that to deny Nudgee his goal line.

NEXT ROUND

BSHS vs. BGS

TGS vs. NC

BBC vs GT

IGS vs. ACGS

TSS: Goodbye

round 9

TSS vs. NC

BSHS vs. BBC

IGS vs. TGS

ACGS vs. GT

BGS: bye

Originally published as GPS XV rugby seventh round team of the week includes son of a Springbok