Another entertaining, if one-sided, day of GPS matches saw Newington clinch their first GPS title since 1979, Kings rout Shore at Northbridge and Scots continue Grammar’s frustrating season. As usual, G&GR was present at a few of the games, and have recorded our half-baked opinions below.
Here is what Lee Grant thought of the Newington vs Joeys game at Stanmore, which saw the home side run out 51-7 victors:
Ouch. Well done to Newington: they were superior, and it’s good to see another school, not one of the usual suspects, winning the GPS, And watch out in 2011 too folks as 9 from the Newington Ones and 10 from the Twos are back for Year 12. They had just 4 lads in the 2 NSW Schools squads this year; so look for more than that in 2011.
I thought it was going to be a long season for Joeys watching them get smashed twice in the trials by Augies and Kings. Then they were well beaten by Scots in Rd.1; but they picked themselves up and pipped both Kings, with all their Oz Schools stars, and Riverview, traditionally their main rivals. However, Newington was a bridge too far and after being 0-19 down at oranges, they looked drained and they got blitzed.
To be fair: two of their stars 10. Walford and 12. Ashby were playing hurt but that didn’t explain the big loss. 7. Dicembre got a yellow card and New scored two tries whilst he was sitting down but afterwards he snaffled a bit of pill and kept going to the end. Skipper 6. Williams made a few good charges but Joeys best were 13. Parker, 14. Buchanan – and 15. Le Lievre ran as though he was covered in snakes and spiders as nobody seemed to care to tackle him.
Apart from the scrummie the New players were bigger than the Joeys lads and they played bigger too. They took all their chances plus a couple from the bounce of the ball. Joeys were seldom allowed to have good pill and when they did get chances they spoiled it by poor passes.
New was impressive across the park. 2. Roach played like TPN again with brutal play and if he gets big enough he will play Super rugby IMO. The two big props 1. Ezra A and 3. Allan A looked a lot fitter than they were in the trial game at Hunters Hill and often attracted Joeys defenders with charges near their goal line only for the ball to be whipped out wide for tries. They will be back next year and I won’t say bigger and stronger as it may beggar belief.
4. McKenzie had a few fast runs and 8. Luani was always hard to stop; but all the forwards played hard.
Small scummie Bannon had a terrific game and sniped long for a top individual try but skipper 12. Latinupulu was the star. Joeys held him in check in the 1st half but he was hard to contain in the 2nd. Like Roach, he is in the Oz Schools Ones this year and either could be the skipper.
Well done again Newington and congratulations to Joeys for playing above their weight in 2010. Both schools are proud of you.
[PS. Joeys had some good news: the Twos beat New 45-14 and are undefeated.]
I ventured out to Northbridge to watch Shore vs Kings. Shore were hitting their straps with a draw against Scots and a win over Grammar, and some locals hoped they may show up their more fancied opponents. These hopes were quickly dashed though, with Kings running out 48-20 winners in a convincing display. Kings scored two early tries and never looked like being headed, despite a strong late resurgence from the home side in the second half.
It was an entertaining game played in front of a vocal home crowd. This was my first experience of the new Shore grandstand- an impressive multi-million dollar facility that has an indoor cricket centre somewhere in its insides. It provides undoubtedly the best viewing position of anywhere in the GPS, and makes a mockery of the ramshackle stands at Riverview and Scots. Although the game was never really close, Shore still scored 4 tries to keep the crowd engaged.
The game was won and lost in the back row, and as always the Kings trio were outstanding. Killingworth and Connor took numerous pilfers, and Kent provided the highlight of the day with a length of the field try which included a perfectly executed chip-and-chase. They are well primed for their representative duties. The backline was also running smoothly, with pivot Josh McCormack having another standout game. Although normally the Kings inside centre, he has flourished of late in the 10 jersey and showed his class again today with a refined performance.
Sadly Shore’s defence was not up to standard, and many of the Kings tries came from elementary missed tackles. Their attack, however, was quite potent considering the loss of captain and five-eighth Harry Cleaver in the early minutes. Furthermore, their lineout maul has been a powerful force for as long as I can remember, and this year appears to be no exception. Fullback Christian Jones and winger Seb Wileman threatened with every touch, while halfback Draper and lock Chapman also put in good efforts. Alas, though, it was not nearly enough to threaten the powerful Kings side, who will no doubt kicking themselves over a season that has been sadly tarnished by two one-point losses. None could fault their effort on Saturday though.
