Nudgee College have opened their 2022 First XV season with a hard-fought 31-15 win over The Southport School in front of a large crowd at Nudgee’s Ross Oval.
In a tough first round contest, Nudgee scored four-tries-to-two to continue their impressive winning record after finishing last season as the competition's only undefeated team.
Leading 14-10 at halftime, the home side showed great defence throughout the match despite losing two players to yellow cards for foul play at critical moments in the game.
Fullback Tory Bath starred, scoring two tries and setting up another with an electrifying run and a chip-kick to Rob Toia for Nudgee’s fourth try of the afternoon.
In the opening round's second match of the weekend, Anglican Church Grammar School came from behind to beat St Joseph's Gregory Terrace 24-19 away from home.
In a tight first-half, both teams crossed for a single try but were unable to convert that saw the scoreline locked at 5-all at the break.
Outside Centre Frankie Goldsbrough excelled in the second forty for Churchie scoring their next three tries for a personal hat-trick.
Not wanting to disappoint their supporters, Terrace levelled the scores to 19-all, before Churchie scored through winger Mac Kelley to clinch a five-point victory.
Elsewhere, Brisbane Boys College beat Brisbane State High School 31-13 at home in their opening game of the 2022 season.
As with all other games this round, scores were very close at the halftime break, with BBC leading at 14-8.
BBC capitalised on State High's errors after the break and went on to score three tries, but it was visitors who had the final say, as winger Toshi Butlin sprinted 60 metres before to set up a late consolation try in the 31-13 defeat.
In the round's final match, Toowoomba Grammar School beat Ipswich Grammar School 18-10 in an evenly contested encounter in Toowoomba.
Neither team could break each other's defence in the first-half with the only points coming from penalty kicks, the score at 6-3 in favour of TGS.
IGS scored the first try of the second half with a short-side play off of a five-metre lineout.
Hard work from the Toowoomba Grammar School forwards rewarded the home side with their first try after some good pick-and-drive work from five-metres out.
The game was ultimately secured for Toowoomba Grammar when their outside centre caught an intercept inside Ipswich Grammar's 22 in the last five minutes of play.
By Max Williamson
