ACGS VS BSHS

ROUND 7 GPS FOOTY, 18/07/2009

Written Sunday 19/07/2009

ACGS VS BSHS

An absolutely gorgeous day greeted me in Brisbane, could have easily slept out there today under that sun, and I wasn't even tired. Plenty of commentary during the week about State High smoking Churchie, and this from Churchie people amongst others. I knew the State High coaches wouldn't be thinking this way, and I certainly wasn't either. In fact I thought that if ever these guys were vulnerable, this was the day. The other people that weren't told about the smoking, or alleged smoking, were the Churchie players, and they turned up to play, and went within a heartbeat of causing the season's biggest upset. I couldn't be sure if they even knew how close they came.

From my "seat of unabounded knowledge", the whole momentum thing was with Churchie, State High hadn't played together as a team since way back in June when the bears were still bad, and 13 or 14 of them had just been away to collective and arduous representative trials, and you can add to that, were pretty much 100% knocked over by some cold/flu bug. They were pretty wounded, and hardly trained during the week, as I understand it. If I was coaching at Churchie, I would have pencilled this in as a big chance, big chance, one I was really going to have a crack at.

The whole afternoon seemed rather flat, maybe it was just me, I don't know. While I heard lots of people walking away saying what a great game it was, I actually found it scrappy, and stop/start, something else that should have suited Churchie. State High on a roll, even a wounded State High on a roll is not a pretty sight for oppositions.

Churchie shot out to a 10 to nil lead, after about 8 minutes, a bad read on a simple second man play saw them in with a converted try after 5 minutes, and straight back on the attack saw them awarded a penalty in front.

State High replied with a couple of tries of their own, and we were back at 10 all, and then a penalty to Churchie, put them back in front, 13 to 10. If Churchie had their time again, they would probably re assess their kicking game, several times kicking to Joe Lalagavesi at the back, who delivered some great counters down the left hand side in conjunction with Matty Garland and Joel Faulkner. Maybe 6 kicks like that, perhaps converted by this pacey trio into 3 tries, not sure, would need to view the DVD, but Joe and co seemed to hurt them badly when those kicks failed to find touch, or space. It was easy work for Joe and his freakishly fast friends to make some big metres down seemingly always the left hand side.

Churchie certainly seemed to have the upper hand for most of the match, just every now and then, even though almost mortally wounded, State High showed what makes them so dangerous, that ability to open oppositions up from kick returns, from turnover pill, anywhere on the park.

Churchie were however, for most of the game, winning the turnover clash, competing pretty well in the lineout, but getting smashed 6 ways from Christmas in the scrum. The Churchie loosehead was in all sorts of trouble, and I thought the refereeing here was inconsistent, the first penalty going to State High for the Churchie loosehead standing up. Not only did he stand up, he was turned inside out in a most uncomfortable fashion. AS referees do though, the dominant scrum was soon penalized, with penalties, and being stopped on the shove after about 10 cm. The law I think says a meter and a half, so please let the boys scrum. Why? Because scrums are fun!

A couple of times, deep in Churchie territory, like 5 metres out, State High broke the Churchie scrum, it was reset, and then they broke them again only to be penalized. Little word of advice to any dominant, over enthusiastic scrum, rip them once, and on the reset, just take the side up a little, only a little to give your flanker on the nominated kicker side a clear and unabridged shot a the kicker. And, never say sorry!

The lead changed a couple of times in the second half, with just the tiniest bits of State High rugby played. At no stage were Churchie out of the contest, and there were a number of times I thought they should/could win, probably also their vest performance of the year, by a long, long way.

While Churchie played well, there is nothing like getting into the trenches and fighting beside your mates, against all odds. There was a level of character and bravery shown by the State High outfit in this match that was befitting guys much older than them, and that many of or professional footballers would have done well to be having a look at. They kept putting themselves in a hole, digging themselves into it, and then having to claw their way back out of it.

Churchie, well these guys will be ruing lost and missed chances, did enough to knock the State High side over, State High boys and their supporters and coaches can be very proud of an effort that probably went beyond what was called for, on a day when things just didn't go to plan.

Well done to both sides on a very competitive game of footy, while not spectacular, it is always good to watch competitive.


Jordie Tuapou leads the State High side out for the third last time.	The State High back three, Matt Garland, Chris Sautia and Joe Lalagavesi	Aussie Schools players everywhere, Curtis Browning regurgitates some water while Matt Ika looks on.

The boys taking on some fluid after a try	Curtis Browning misjudging a restart take.	Matt Ika carting it forwards.

Joel Faulkner on his way to the line for a try that put State High back in the lead, 27 to 26 I think.		Walter Petaia getting a smack around the chops for his trouble.

A good clearance from a Churchie scrum under pressure with excellent interference being run by Steve Pocock.	Sam Caslick finds himself in space.	Paul Alo Emil on the charge, and this is probably not the way to tackle him.

Paul Alo Emile on the other side of that tackle, and very impressive to see the nice, long, flesh ripping, meat grinding tags that used to be able to be used on bodies that lay in the road of the ball. Ah memories.