QLD GPS Rugby 2016

[DarkSide]

The official in the middle did everything he could to keep GT in the game. By my count there were 9 straight penalties against TSS for infringements at the breakdown. Throw in two yellow cards and one verbal warning beforehand, absolutely appalling. Having said that, I take my hat off to the entire GT team for their awesome defence. A very entertaining game to watch.

Wait... What was it? Good GT Defence in an entertaining game or a shocking ref?

Cmon, the quality of refs at 1st XV is often better than premier reserve at club. If you're complaining about them I suggest taking the law exam, picking up a whistle, and finding out how hard it is just to get to that standard.

 

[High cut boots]

Very entertaining game at Toowong could have gone either way. Congrats to BBC but could not understand why TGS only used one sub at number 12. Lots of exhausted forwards going down with cramps no fresh legs on to help out. BBC bought on 3 big boppers which seemed to lift their game when needed.The last BBC try scored while TGS had one man in the bin and one down injured, try brilliantly converted from the touch line by the 9. TGS way to good a side to be winless.

 

[Countryjack]

Very entertaining game at Toowong could have gone either way. Congrats to BBC but could not understand why TGS only used one sub at number 12. Lots of exhausted forwards going down with cramps no fresh legs on to help out. BBC bought on 3 big boppers which seemed to lift their game when needed.The last BBC try scored while TGS had one man in the bin and one down injured, try brilliantly converted from the touch line by the 9. TGS way to good a side to be winless.

Re BBC v TGS
Ground presentation 10/10 - surely the best manicured ground in gps
excitement 9/10
defence both sides 5/10
backline defence both sides 4/ 10
BBC kicking game 2/10'
TGS 15 and BBC 13 were 10/10

 

[HJ Nelson]

Photos from TSS v GT yesterday:

Flickr or Facebook

 

[Ippy 15As]

Photos from TSS v GT yesterday:

Flickr or Facebook

is that a mouthguard I see in the left sock (also why were they white) of the TSS player on the left?

 

[bahog]

Attended NC to watch the coach killers fumble their way to an unimpressive and dramatic win over a team that turned up to play - IGS. The game was a contrast of two teams - one team outclassed in the backs and bettered in the forwards but keen to play against a bumbling, poor passing, misfiring team. NC 13 best summed it up when, half way through the second half, he turned to his team-mates and screamed, "...we just have to f'ing run straight." The headmaster, stationed in his roped-off area on the side line, turned to his entourage seemingly to apologise when a supporter yelled, "Its about bloody time....run hard" Five tries to 2 tries and 2 penalties. NC 10 had a bad day with the boot missing 4 conversions, 2 penalties and a drop goal. First try to NC winger who strolled over after some strong work on the inside by NC 9, 10 and 12. Second try highlighted to the silky smooth acceleration of NC 13. 2 penalties ended the half at 10-6. Not an indication of the game, but a better indicator of poor choices, passing behind the support player, rushed passes and even the more sinister NC trait of not passing the ball to unmarked players. The second half started with a flurry with an NC try in the corner after great forward play. A halftime replacement to NC back-line put two players with an obvious lack of defence skills side by side, leading to IGS's first of many forays down the left side eventually leading to a try to IGS. NC scored again via the forwards 20-13. Stayed like this for most of the second half and when NC camped on IGS line, the inevitable should have occurred, but great defence and bad NC passing resulted in IGS scooting down the field only to be held up over the line twice, over twenty phases later the IGS 14, running a different angle, scored wide out, on the opposite wing. IGS 10 coolly nailed the conversion leaving the unbelievable score line of 20-20. The kick-off resulted in a flurry of activity by NC with my man of the match NC 6 breaking the line, take the tackle and hold the ball up for NC 9 to pass to NC 10 to execute a kick through for NC 13 to run through and score what turned out to be the last play of the game. Another missed conversion by NC 9 25-20. A highly frustrating display for NC supporters and over the next few weeks, if the passes go to hand and momentum maintained, IMO NC will take the premiership. However play like that again, they will be smashed by GT and BSHS and beaten by TSS and BBC.

 

[Blue & white]

Surprised to see TSS beat GT in 15A s
That is a massive turnaround from last year.
I know TSS would have had a heap of new players but enough to beat a team that didnt lose amatch last year ?

 

[paddywagen]

TSS had a promotion for White Sock Day for victims of Domestic Violence

 

[Oracle83]

Surprised to see TSS beat GT in 15A s
That is a massive turnaround from last year.
I know TSS would have had a heap of new players but enough to beat a team that didnt lose amatch last year

Now that's going to open a can of worms

 

[jack07]

At BBC yesterday a lot of grumbling was heard when it became known that the tradition of walking down the hill to bagpipes was no more.
The new coach had stopped this.
The boys did not look impressed and I am wondering what the old boys will have to say about this.
Headmaster how could you allow this to happen?

 

[DarkSide]

Surprised to see TSS beat GT in 15A s
That is a massive turnaround from last year.
I know TSS would have had a heap of new players but enough to beat a team that didnt lose amatch last year ?

Not surprised. TSS have seven new boys who all starred at the recent state champs. Seems TSS don't really recruit until that age.

 

[warrenwobble]

TGS29 - BBC 30

Sounds like a great game at BBC - got to feel sorry for the farmers....Hope they went back to the Spotted Cow and bought a few Keno Tickets while they were drowning their sorrows - their luck had to change!

And Terrace well go you good things! I thought it might be close but an upset is a great result. Don't tell any Terrace parents, but this team is as close as they have got to a premiership for quite some time.

 

[Prince Henry]

At BBC yesterday a lot of grumbling was heard when it became known that the tradition of walking down the hill to bagpipes was no more.
The new coach had stopped this.
The boys did not look impressed and I am wondering what the old boys will have to say about this.
Headmaster how could you allow this to happen?

I suppose when you win a rugby competition with the same sort of frequency as Halley's Comet, you have to change things up a bit. The bagpipe pageantry on the field still established a similar Highlander atmosphere to the walk down the hill.

Unfortunately, didn't seem to help the BBC boys focus as they let TGS out to a 12 point head start. If I was BBC, I'd make those emotive coaches stay on halfway on the bench instead of stationing themselves all over the sidelines and behind the posts. It just looks like they continually badger their players with instructions. Begs the question, if your team needs so much extra coaching during the game, what are you teaching the boys during the week?

 

[Oracle83]

At BBC yesterday a lot of grumbling was heard when it became known that the tradition of walking down the hill to bagpipes was no more.
The new coach had stopped this.
The boys did not look impressed and I am wondering what the old boys will have to say about this.
Headmaster how could you allow this to happen?

As an old boy I can say it was a very dissapointing break in tradition - the Firsts were training on P&F one minute then running out the next to a very low key entrance as opposed to the normal build up desspite this being a home game - they started softly almost to the point of complacency..

Certain folk don't get the impact of the traditional entrance down the hill through the bagpipes but it still gives me goose bumps from the stands many years later.

 

[Rugby follower]

"Not surprised. TSS have seven new boys who all starred at the recent state champs. Seems TSS don't really recruit until that age"

Other than the captain the TSS boys, who all played well, weren't the stars at the state champs, it was the boys from non GPS schools that were the standouts and formed the nucleus of the very strong U15 Gold Coast Junior Gold cup team. Having said that the coaches of the South Coast team are from TSS and obviously know what they are doing, which is showing in TSS's results this year in this age group.

 

[BraveandGame]

Another quick update on the preseason form guide after four rounds:

16A’s – Battle of today V tomorrow

TSS
GT
NC
IGS TGS

NC & GT will benefit greatly without their immersion programs. IGS were good last year, but I still think at full strength NC and GT are the cream of the crop here. If they are not required to supply too many to the Firsts they should finish top 3 with TSS who usually sport a few new recruits.

BBC could be the surprises here.

Round 2 Update
Wow way off the mark on this one – ACGS looking good and already accounting for IGS and GT, NC looking out of sorts even with little Firsts impact, I’ll also put the watch on TGS rather than BBC.

Round 4 Update
ACGS still looking the goods after flying under (at least) my radar this preseason, GT handed TSS their first loss – A win to NC over AGCS could see a very interesting last round of fixtures. TGS away will test GT greatly, forget IGS and BBC will need to improve to upset any of the top 4.

15As – Oh what might have been?

BSHS TSS
BBC
GT
NC

BSHS look bigger and faster than ever with amazing depth across the age group. BCC remain classy but I defiantly saw some defensive issues being hidden by speed over the last few years and I think BSHS catch them this year. GT are a very good team (IMO the best in the age group) but will miss players and be distracted throughout while NC face the same issues as Terrace but are not quite as good.

No surprise packages here the top 3 are all very good and well balanced – BBC V BSHS should decide the title and it is a shame we won’t see GT at its best.

Hard to change much here yet, other than to say missing a full strength BBC V GT battle is the tragedy of this seasons GPS Competition

GT suffered their first loss in over a year to a ‘near’ full strength TSS who might just be ‘the team’ in this age group now -very big, strong and if the weekend is any guide FIT –BSHS have not come on as I expected with TSS comfortably taking their spot in the top three, NC keep winning against the bottom half of the table, while BBC not as dominant as they once were, still have plenty of class and fight as well as an unbeaten record!

14A’s – The bigger they are the harder they fall

IGS
BSHS
BBC
GT

Same top 4 as last year – but not necessarily in the same order. BBC and GT will be stronger in personnel and on the field and just a little closer than they were last year. This year is probably too soon but I expect a changing of the guard in U15 with BBC rising to the top and GT closing the gap but cruelled by immersion.

TGS if anyone upsets the top 4.

The top two are away and heading towards a monumental clash, while GT threatened to spring an almighty upset in round one, BBC still flying under the radar with the bye (&BGS) and TGS are 2 for 2 against some handy competition.

Wow!!! GT so nearly get the double against BSHS and IGS but in the end come away with nothing, while TGS went one better and held BSHS to a draw only to be beaten by BBC who finally got to make a statement in 2016– main interest now lies in who wins BSHS V IGS, although GT V TGS and BBC V all the top teams should be great games and real guides to how this age group is shaping for future years. Just how good are BBC??

13A’s – Size really does matter

GT
IGS
BSHS ACGS
BBC

GT were easily the pick (and biggest) of the under 12s in 2015 and have some quality new boys arriving as do BBC. IGS and BSHS are always good in 13’s and were pretty good last year in the 12s - IGS field a couple of the hardest tacklers I have seen at this age. I know little of the BSHS new boys but I expect them to be good and big. BBC will probably lack the depth of the top 3 but have some real class, a few worthy workers and could (but probably won’t) beat any of the top three on their day. IGS V GT to decide the title.

ACGS the dark horse with an excellent forward pack but not much size out wide.

Interesting start to the season – GT not looking as dominant as many predicted, but still getting the job done – IGS have deservedly overtaken them for favouritism. BBC have yet to show any of their cards and ACGS have performed extremely well against the (preseason) top 2 – could they go undefeated from here on out.

Well GT stood up against IGS and were a trifle unlucky not to get the prize as did NC, IGS seem to be doing it tough but keep on winning, We all now wait for BBC to show their ‘form’ against the top 4 sides IGS, GT, NC and ACGS. BSHS have been disappointing and are really a mid-table team.

Really looking forward to how this age group matures over the next few seasons – a few teams are (over) relying on size and speed and the 14’s this year have shown how quickly that proves problematic. Must say I have been impressed by ACGS and think with a key addition or two (preferably in the backline) could be the real improvers over the next season or two.

 

[Monday's Expert]

At BBC yesterday a lot of grumbling was heard when it became known that the tradition of walking down the hill to bagpipes was no more.
The new coach had stopped this.
The boys did not look impressed and I am wondering what the old boys will have to say about this.
Headmaster how could you allow this to happen?

There are no bagpipes in the Pacific Islands so the boys would not have known what was going on.Better to do a school haka.

 

[Whisperer]

There are no bagpipes in the Pacific Islands so the boys would not have known what was going on.Better to do a school haka.

That is uncalled for and poor form.

 

[Hound]

Another quick update on the preseason form guide after four rounds:

13A’s – Size really does matter

GT
IGS
BSHS ACGS
BBC

GT were easily the pick (and biggest) of the under 12s in 2015 and have some quality new boys arriving as do BBC. IGS and BSHS are always good in 13’s and were pretty good last year in the 12s - IGS field a couple of the hardest tacklers I have seen at this age. I know little of the BSHS new boys but I expect them to be good and big. BBC will probably lack the depth of the top 3 but have some real class, a few worthy workers and could (but probably won’t) beat any of the top three on their day. IGS V GT to decide the title.

ACGS the dark horse with an excellent forward pack but not much size out wide.

Interesting start to the season – GT not looking as dominant as many predicted, but still getting the job done – IGS have deservedly overtaken them for favouritism. BBC have yet to show any of their cards and ACGS have performed extremely well against the (preseason) top 2 – could they go undefeated from here on out.

Well GT stood up against IGS and were a trifle unlucky not to get the prize as did NC, IGS seem to be doing it tough but keep on winning, We all now wait for BBC to show their ‘form’ against the top 4 sides IGS, GT, NC and ACGS. BSHS have been disappointing and are really a mid-table team.

Really looking forward to how this age group matures over the next few seasons – a few teams are (over) relying on size and speed and the 14’s this year have shown how quickly that proves problematic. Must say I have been impressed by ACGS and think with a key addition or two (preferably in the backline) could be the real improvers over the next season of two.

Great Update Thanks. It is amazing how 12 months can make a difference or the addition of a few new player to change the team.

At Churchie on the weekend BSHS played 7 player from the 13A team in the 13B's and the boys also backed up (I think). Both games were played with great spirit and comments from the ACGS boys were that the BSHS boys showed good sportsmanship and always made sure the ACGS boys were or OK and helped them after after so big hits. Congrats to BSHS. This was also seen in other year groups.

 

[from the side]

Yes it is amazing how these rumours start and get blown out of proportion.

I heard that BBC 1st XV had every intention of walking behind the Piper on the weekend and they will continue to do so in the future.

The coach just has been trying to find a "Conch Shell" to replace the bagpipes and hasn't yet been able to do it. Just so the boys feel at home. If anyone has one can they let him know please.