All the lads should be proud of their efforts today, especially the Twos players who had to contend with the cold, and the wettest part of the day.
Ones
GPS 32 – CAS 10
It was 5-3 to GPS at oranges and an attritional game though not without some merit in defence from both sides. But in the 2nd half GPS kept breaking away on raids which were often converted into tries. They looked fitter than the CAS lads and it was hard for the players in the red jerseys to shine when their forwards had to retreat so often in the 2nd half.
2. Roach (New) and 3. Millar (Kings) had outstandingly hard, yet agile, games for GPS and 1. Gillespie (Kings) had his side of the scrum going forward. 2009 Oz Schools hooker Roach had a few problems throwing to the lineout but he wasn't the Lone Ranger on the day. None of the 2nd rowers would have got a lot of ticks on the clipboards of the NSW selectors but Harris (Waverly) from CAS did his chances no harm.
In the backrow the GPS pairing of 6. Killingworth and 7. Connor, both of Kings, looked better than Bursle (Knox) and Goodman (Barker), but CAS skipper Goodman was an outstanding motivator, as usual. Both 8s were good but I marked Holloway (Waverly) in a team on the back foot better than Kent (Kings), though I would have no beef if the NSW selectors saw it the other way around.
In the backs the superiority of the GPS 9, 10, 12, 13 nexus: Donlan (View), Wylie (Kings), Latinupulu (New) and 13 Ingate (Kings), was palpably superior, but how selectors would factor in the difference in the quality of ball disbursed by the two forward packs, is anybody's guess.
On the wing Hulme (SJC) seized his chances and worked well with fullback Lenehan (View) who had a top game especially on counter-attack. CAS 15. Clark (Knox) usually got the ball and 4 GPS players in front of him at the same time, but he had a go at them. I wonder how my assessment of the two fullbacks would have been had they played behind the opposing team's backline.
The Man Of The Match was 12. Apolosi Latinupulu (New) of GPS. In the 1st half with everything at the margin he played an accurate minimalist game yet when the match opened up in the 2nd half he was almost irresistible every time he had the ball. In a stellar performance he ran over folks, skipped around them or dished out the golden ball, most often for a try.
Twos
GPS 33 – CAS 5
These lads got the worst of the weather at a time when spectators were more worried about getting wet than watching the game closely. I thought GPS 8 Luani (New) was one of the most dynamic players on the park, the GPS midfield was good and winger Buchanan, more often in the Twos at SJC, had a good day. Unfortunately GPS 2 Moore (Scots) damaged his ankle so badly he had to be assisted off the field.
Threes
GPS 54 – CHS 7
GPS were too fit and to well drilled, and were better in practically every position.
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