There is never anything that you can say about a 97 to Nil score line that is going to be nice to one team or the other. If you say that Saint Josephs First XV were brilliant, it would belittle Grammar. If you say that Grammar never were in the game, it would demean SJC’s attack and defence. I for one, am not about to do that.
But it was a hard game to watch, especially after a good hard slug out from TAS v SJC 2’s. Congrats to the Joe boys who took the lollies 26 -14. SJC 3’s beat High 62-5. (see photos at bottom)
In the Firsts SGS had Gorry missing and SJC were without their captain and 7. Murphy. O’Donahue wore the captain’s armband and played 8, doing both admirably, whilst Watts wore the 7 Jersey.
The combination of some slick work and wrap-arounds saw Wilde cross for the first of his three tries. The backs would do well today. The next couple of tries were scored by Carolan after some steamrolling work from Tom Robertson and deft off loads.
I am not going to go through every try, but what showed in the first half was that the SJC forwards committed to the breakdown and didn’t play the heroes by going for a big gallops down field . They left it to the backs to exploit the forwards’ good work. Grammar defended stoutly for a good 10 – 12 minute period and pushed hard at the SJC defensive line, but were repelled time after time.
Realistically the game was over at half time with 7 converted tries and the score 49 – 0.
Straight after oranges Grammar were caught out wide from the flying Robertson who blasted through to score pretty much straight after the kick off. Then SGS got their hands on the ball and had their best period of play. They rumbled up the paddock and it took some good tackling from the SJC men to keep them out. They were looking dynamic in traffic and had Joeys pinned down in their own 22 but then some great work from the 3 SJC loosies with a series of tackle – release – stay on feet – pilfers, lead eventually to a brilliant breakout try by Barclay.
Grammar kept turning up and a missed tackle here or there was punished to give the final score of 97 to Nil.
I know there are plenty of people that say that Grammar should pull out of the GPS Comp, but to watch these fine young men from BOTH schools busting their backsides out on the paddock today makes me hope that they continue on the path of Rugby.
The men from Joeys did not treat the Grammar lads with contempt, by all doing the jobs that they were meant to do. The men of SGS never once shirked their duties to themselves, their team mates or their School.
For SJC their 1, 2 and 3 showed why they are the premier front 3 in NSW Rugby. In the backs today, all did their jobs today at pace and from 10 through to 15 scoring. Good luck to Br Boyd and Messrs Ticehurst and Whalley for their final games..
Man of the match
When everything was said and done Grammar have a long road ahead, but it isn’t a tunnel. There is light. There is passion. Good luck for Messrs Fear and Danks for the final couple of games. Best for Grammar were 8 and 6 in the forwards and 13 in the backs but the Man of the Match was their scrumhalf 9. William Lee.
With the score at 61-0 he was reminding his team mates behind the goal posts what they were there for. Patting the crest on his jersey he said: “To play with great heart”. With a few minutes to go and Joeys kicker trying to convert one of 15 tries he was the only player to attempt to charge it down. He actually slipped in the effort to get off the mark – but the easy kick hit the upright. Karma. Well done young William: your team, school and family should feel proud of you.
Saint Josephs’ College – 97 (Tries: J.Wilde (3), A.Pay (2), A.Newsome (2), S.Barclay (2), B. Carolan (2), T.Robertson, J.Goldie, A.Deegan and J.Kay; Conversions: Kay (11) – beat Sydney Grammar School – 0
