Brisbane State High School have won the 2016 GPS Rugby Premiership with a last gasp 29-24 win over The Southport School.In a match ravaged by wet weather, a pick and drive by number eight Patrick Tafa in the dying seconds of the match sealed a memorable comeback for the home side.
It was fitting that captain Quinton Mahina put the icing on the cake with his conversion, after an exemplary season at the helm of the State High side.
Going through the competition with seven wins and one loss, State High were one of the form sides all year long and deserved premiers.
The school’s first outright premiership since 2009.
Head coach Sione Fukofuka attributes the win to the grit and determination his side has shown all year.
“I’m extremely proud. All year we’ve talked about positive football, putting ourselves in a position to compete and we got an opportunity at the end and the boys took it,” Fukofuka said.
“We scored five tries to two and the game was in the balance. We finished like we started this season against Terrace, with a pick and drive to win it.
“I’m delighted with a really committed group. Watching them develop and grow as a team all season has left us as a coaching staff with a lot of pride.”
Southport will be rueing a missed opportunity at their first premiership since sharing it with State High in 2010.
The boot of Campbell Parata kept the visitors in the hunt early in the match, notching three penalties after tries to State High’s Patrick Tafa and Alex Smit.
The visitors were looking strong and had the momentum heading into the half-time break, only down 12-9.
However, lightning and thunder would halt play, and ultimately cause a half hour break before the second half.
Parata levelled up the scores minutes into the second stanza with his fourth penalty goal, before an intercept to Jordan Petaia put State High back on the attack deep in TSS territory.
Clinton Maloula, State High’s huge prop scored from a pick and drive, before Alex Smit bagged his second of the day extending the lead to 22-12.
With little over 10 minutes to play, TSS narrowed the deficit to just seven when captain Declan Day crashed over.
Before the home side could recuperate, TSS were in again through their huge number eight, Tipena Mavoa off the back of a rolling maul.
Parata couldn’t add the extras, as TSS led 24-22 with just over a minute remaining.
However State High’s determination never wavered, re-gathering off the kickoff and immediately going on the attack deep in Southport’s territory.
The home side did well not to force any unforced errors inching towards the try line.
Before Tafa crashed over in front of a jubilant home crowd, sending the premiership to State High for 2016.
Fukofuka commented after the game:
“What I’ve been most impressed with as a coach is the development and maturity of the boys over the season.
“Each game they’ve improved, and we’re at a point now where the game was in the balance two weeks in a row and they’re good enough to take it out.
“We always had faith that if the boys played positively we’d get our opportunities, we scored 5 tries to two and came away with the win. I couldn’t be happier.”
Final Round Results:
Brisbane State High School 29 (P Tafa 2, A Smit 2, C Maloula 1, I Crone 1 conversion, Q Mahina 1 conversion) def The Southport School 24 (T Mavoa 1, D Day 1, C Parata 4 penalties, 1 conversion)
Toowoomba Grammar School 26 (L Sperling 2, W Shelton 1, K Oates 1 conversion, 3 penalties) def Brisbane Grammar School 17(Jersey (11) 1, (8) 1, (3) 1, Z Allan 1 conversion)
St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace 19(W Eadie 1, H Wilson 1, B Burgen 1, S Kirk 2 conversion) def St Joseph’s Nudgee College 15(E Bullamor 1, T Jeffries 2)
Ipswich Grammar School 19 (N Hughes 1, J Faulalo 1, K Petersen-Timu 1, C Whiteside 2 conversions) def Brisbane Boys College 10 (R Van Nek 1, L Tietie 1)
Final Ladder:
1.Brisbane State High: 14 points
2.St. Joseph’s College, Greary Terrace: 12 points
3.The Southport School: 10 points
4.St. Joesph’s Nudgee College: 10 points
5.Ipswich Grammar School: 8 points
6.Brisbane Boys College: 8 points
7.Toowoomba Grammar School: 6 points
8.Anglican Church Grammar School: 2 points
9.Brisbane Grammar School: 2 points
