GPS I outlasted a fast finishing CAS I outfit to claim a hard fought 19-10 victory in tough conditions at Knox on Thursday evening. 

GPS led 12-10 late in the match then eventually landed the knockout blow when the GPS forwards barged over from close range to score the final try in the 68th minute. 

Both sides struggled to adapt to the cold, wet conditions in the opening 20 minutes. 

GPS eventually opened the scoring when hooker Paddy Burns finished off a well worked line out move. 

In almost identical fashion to a try he scored for Joeys last weekend, Burns threw a short lineout to Riverview lock Louis Dalrymple who showed good speed and skill to draw the covering defenders and pass back to Burns who scored in the corner. 

CAS hit back when Barker No.8 Ned Slack-Smith broke off the back of an attacking maul and dived over to level the scores at 5-5 at half time.

GPS should have pushed further ahead early in the second half but failed to control possession close to the line. 

The visitors eventually regained the lead midway through the second half when No.8 Sam Allsopp found space on the short side and passed to winger Ollie Cummins who showed good speed and footwork to finish off the best of the evening’s tries. 

CAS almost hit back immediately but opted for a scrum after receiving a penalty on their five metre line. 

GPS drove CAS off the ball and won possession back but CAS continued to attack deep inside GPS territory. 

Waverley No.9 Klayton Thornton threw a clever inside ball to schoolmate Aaron Dimovitch who found space close to the ruck and raced towards the try line. The Waverley winger looked certain to score but had the ball knocked out of his grasp by a tackler less than a metre from the tryline. 

CAS looked set to score again just minutes later when Ned Slack Smith dived over on the back of a dominant CAS scrum. 

But again, the home side dropped the ball over the line. 

CAS eventually scored in the 63rd minute through replacement back Tom Morrison but the missed conversion left the home side trailing 12-10. 

GPS moved possession to the other end of the field from the ensuing kick off and after a brilliant individual break from fullback Max Jorgensen, scored the match winning try from close range to seal a 19-10 victory. 

While the match was arguably more dour than the second XV fixture played before it, the physicality and intensity produced by both sides made for an interesting spectacle on a horrible night at Hornsby. 

Keep an eye out tomorrow for Rugby News’ top performers from both fixtures.