GPS First XV rugby Team of the Week as title race hots up

With two matches remaining The Southport School, who have a bye this weekend, join Nudgee and Toowoomba Grammar School on 10 points, with Churchie on eight points.CLUB GRAND FINAL REPORTS: PREMIER, WOMEN. COLTS, RESERVESGPS FIRST XV RUGBY ROUND 7 REPORTBrisbane Boys College’s 38-33 victory over a talent laden Ipswich Grammar School was not enough to put them back in the premiership race, but they can still ruffle feathers over the next two rounds against Terrace and BSHS.And leading the way will be halfback Martens who was simply stunning in his first match of the season. He is the son of Hente Martens who toured Argentina with South Africa in 1993.A First XI batting ace, ironically James Martens replaced his First XI skipper Jamie Alexander at halfback in the First XV last weekend.It was his first appearance in the top side this season after playing Firsts last year.In a stunning return to the Firsts, Martens:+ took on the IGS edge defence in a close to the line dart, keeping his legs pumping in contact to score from 10m+ showed terrific pace to sprint 30m to score after Charlie Bird had created a long distance try+ gave splendid service from the base of his forwards, both with short balls to his forwards or longer passes to his outside back division+ finished with a 100 per cent goal kicking record in a performance which ultimately proved the difference after IGS closed the gap to just five points with a try on full-time.It was some performance by the halfback and comes in an exciting week for BBC after 2019-20 old boy Jack Howarth was named to make his NRL debut for the Melbourne Storm against the Broncos.A boy wonder during BBC’s 2020 premiership winning season, he had been plagued by leg and back injuries but will finally appear where many thought he would - in an NRL side.RELATED LINKSGPS RUGBY TEAM OF THE DECADE SO FARTHE BEST 23 PLAYERS SINCE 2010 – MIKE WALLACE REVEALSGPS RUGBY DOYEN NOMINATES TSS’ BEST IN 14 YEARSTEAM OF THE WEEK15. Ollie Spence (BGS)Spence was brave to the core yet again in BGS’s improved, but ultimately losing effort against a surging Terrace. He’s a talented cricketer who bowls subtle spin in the summer, but in the winter he has used those hands to bravely grasp kicks as the opposition tumble toward him in numbers. The Nudgee fullback Jacob Johnson was also a contender for his mistake-free football and creation of chances.14. Amaziah Murgha (IGS)Sometimes pace scores you tries and sometimes it saves you tries. And Murgha used his speed to do both against BBC. This kid is a real talent. Blink and you’ll miss his ball carries, but he can appear out of the ground to make a tackle as well.13. Harry Newnham (TGS)That man Harry has been one of the discovery players of the competition, not for any Flash Dan play, but for his strong, uncompromising defence and simple hard running and delivery of pass to his wingers. It is little wonder TGS were vying for the premiership when they have blokes like him in the side.12. Max Blanch (Churchie)Two weeks in a row Blanch has been one of Churchie’s best players on the field.Against TSS he was immense with his defence and again against Nudgee he was terrific with his tackling.To go along with his unforgiving brick wall defence, Blanch is becoming an inside centre that can create for his teammates out wide.11. Nicholas Conway (Nudgee)Fleet-a-foot Conway had some great touches and with his special footwork, he gained precious metres.How nice it must be to have a replacement of Conway’s calibre to fill in for the injured Emmanuel Taviri.10. Charlie Johnstone (Churchie)The frontrunner for the starting fly half position in our Team of the Season was at the forefront of his team’s effort again.Against Toowoomba Grammar Johnstone was arguably best on ground, and again against TSS he was elite. This time around against Nudgee, his kicking, running and passing was top notch. 9. James Martens (BBC)He was a revelation with his running game and goalkicking. As mentioned earlier in the story, ultimately he was the difference between BBC winning or being run down by a fast finishing IGS. A special mention should go to tallish Churchie scrumhalf Hugh Rylance. He had a shaky start to Saturday’s clash before really getting stuck in and showing his fierce competitive edge.8. PJ Su’a (Terrace)Su’a has come of age after first breaking into the Terrace Firsts two seasons ago. He has been a driving force with his ball carrying and a thumping contributor to rolling mauls. Terrace has three wins on the trot and he is out the front, swinging the lantern and showing the way forward.RELATED LINKSGPS RUGBY ROUND 6 REPORTSSTUARTHOLME ON RUGBY HERITAGE JOURNEYROUND 6 TEAM OF THE WEEK7. Sam Hyne (Nudgee)The tireless Nudgee forward played No. 8 but we have him at No. 7 because he’s a must have.Hyne could not have put more effort into the game. He was so clearly exhausted by the end of it because for 70 minutes he toiled and toiled to try get an edge over Churchie.The Churchie boys were exceptional but the strength and determination of Hyne, especially in the final 20 minutes, ultimately proved the difference as Nudgee hit-back from 12-10 down.6. Joe Gray (TGS)Before he leaves school TGS needs to clone this bloke. What a sensation Gray, his No. 8 Jimmy White and fellow flanker Tom Bailey have been this season. Gray certainly earned his post match sandwiches and soft drink with another fearless display.5. Fergus Gillan (TSS)Yes, here he is again. What value Gillan gives TSS and not enough credit can come his way for his role in pulling together TSS’s dramatic premiership campaign which few predicted at the start of the season.4. Harrison Angel (BBC)Adorned with black head tape, Angel was a “follow me boys’’ leader of a pack. He had a lock partner, Jack Randell, on debut alongside him and gave splendid on the job training to young Randell.3. Macarius Pereira (Nudgee)The 18-year-old Nudgee skip was a man on a mission Saturday, propelling his team past the winners post with a colossal 70 minute performance.His powerful carrying of the ball was evident all game but when it mattered most down the stretch Pereira channelled sixth gear and busted enough tackles to allow Prestyn Laine-Sietu to land a telling blow.2. Cooper Hoare (BBC)It was a day for hookers last Saturday because the IGS No. 2 Jean-Paul Sia was also a top notch player and TSS’s Blaze Moana was elite. BBC needed to establish forward parity, such was IGS’s aggression and intent, and Hoare answered the call to arms.1. Will Pamenter (IGS)Pamenter left nothing in the tank in what was a complete performance from a prop. His exhaustive effort with and without the ball included deservedly scoring a try from a clever scissors movement off a lineout set play.ReservesBlaze Moana (TSS)TSS have a gold nugget in this mobile workhorse hooker who is a damaging runner, but also well drilled in the basics. And it is just as well because the stiff breeze he confronted during lineout throw time could have put less seasoned No.2 off.Hamish Ward, the muscular Churchie hooker, was another contender for the bench side. He would make one tackle, get up and go again. And he did that for the entire contest.In white headgear, Ward put in an exhaustive effort which denied Nudgee on numerous occasions.He earned a KFC family box for oneRyan Heaton (Nudgee)It was a toss up between inside centre Heaton and his opposite Max Blanch (Churchie), who also played very well.It was a flip of a coin.Heaton’s footwork and power shone through when he got the ball at a standstill and quickly mustered the strength and speed to advance Nudgee past the gain line.Jean-Paul Sia (IGS)Against bigger, grizzly opponents Sia played himself to a standstill as IGS’s forwards established a platform which gave IGS a sporting chance of running down two big deficits. We are not sure if he called the lineout move which led to Will Parmenter ‘s try, but if he did, then take a second bow.Will Pascoe (BGS)Not for the first time this season, the BGS forward leader Will Pascoe makes his way into our squad. He is a robust, physical type not intimidated by anyone.Harry Scheibel (IGS)Hats off to Harry who had a terrific debut against very talented rivals. Playing in the arduous lock position, he settled any runs early with involvements and never let up.Ed Kasprowicz (Nudgee)The towering Nudgee lock was a big-time-player, stealing a Churchie lineout in the final moments of the game to deny them one final shot at stealing victory.Before that, he was 100 per cent from the lineouts. Oliver Barrett (Nudgee)In a tight tussle against Churchie and specifically Hamish Ward, Diamond Fifita and Emil Willie-Jawai (rival front rowers), the Nudgee hooker couldn’t have played better.He scored two of his team’s three tries with strong rolling maul efforts.Max Campbell (Churchie)The gutsy No. 8 was all heart and at one stage the head-strapped Campbell had blood spurting out of his nose. It highlighted he was willing to put his body on the line and his teammates fed off that to deny Nudgee on their goal line.NEXT ROUNDBSHS v BGS TGS v NCBBC v GT IGS v ACGSTSS: ByeRound 9TSS v NCBSHS v BBC IGS v TGSACGS v GT BGS: Bye