Nudgee College completed a rare three-peat of GPS First XV rugby premierships with a clinical 45-28 win over Brisbane State High School today.
Sandy-haired flyhalf Charlie O’Connell was the villain turned hero because the “grand final” of unbeaten teams on the final Saturday of the season was locked at 21-all at half-time.
O’Connell was yellow-carded in the minutes before the break for a tip tackle on State High halfback Marley Ngatai.
The crowd at Nudgee’s Ross Oval was hushed for one of the few times on the day when State High took advantage of their superior player numbers.
On half-time, two-try prop Tyrece Herniman surged over for a pick-and-go five-pointer. The 21-all scoreline cranked up the tension to that befitting two schools entering the match with 7-0 records.
O’Connell had already shown his class with a neat pass to put attacking fullback Jacob Johnson over for a first half try.
The flyhalf sealed the premiership midway through the second period at the 53-minute mark when he scooted over for his own try.
Johnson returned the favour with the last pass but it was classy winger Nick Conway’s off-balance pass which oiled the excellent backline move.
Knocking over the angled conversion for 38-21 put Nudgee out of reach and O’Connell’s seven-from-eight goalkicking on the day had plenty to do with it.
He finished with a personal haul of 20 points amongst a team with standouts across the park.
Centre Prestyn Laine-Sietu scored two decisive tries in the second half because of his shrewd running angles close to the tryline. He stretched for one and punched over off a left foot sidestep for another.
Flanker Hugo Hart’s defence and quick surges, Queensland Under-19s hooker John Grenfell’s reliable strength up front with prop Isaac Rauluni and the team’s set piece dominance were also keys.
Towering locks Ed Kasprowicz and Bennett Armistead monstered the State High lineout with regular steals. The State High scrum was just as unreliable and backpedalled from the moment key prop Elijah Sa’u was forced off in the opening 15 minutes.
A spluttering set piece and costly errors at kick-offs were too much of a handicap for State High’s obvious spirit and determination to overcome.
State High No.8 Roman Siulepa, the most dominant figure in the GPS First XV competition this season, never stopped trying.
It was his one-handed offload in a sweeping move late in the game that helped set up winger Jackson Hill’s try. Siulepa’s best charge in the final 90 seconds of the game was a reminder of all he has put into playing with his school mates this year rather than opt for an early start to the National Basketball League pre-season.
State High had their moments and none better than in the second minute of the game when Ngatai timed a perfect pass from the ruckbase which centre Laquan Afamiliona turned into a defence-splitting 35m gallop to the tryline.
NUDGEE COLLEGE 45
Tries: Prestyn Laine-Sietu 2, John Grenfell, Isaac Rauluni, Jacob Johnson, Charlie O’Connell
Conversions: Charlie O’Connell 6
Penalty Goal: Charlie O’Connell
Def
BRISBANE STATE HIGH SCHOOL 28
Tries: Tyrece Herniman 2, Laquan Afamiliona, Jackson Hill
Conversions: Seamus Boakes 4
Half-time: 21-all
