Toowoomba Grammar, Churchie, TSS and BBC all claimed victories on the opening Saturday of the 2023 GPS first XV season.

Catch up on all the action from the opening weekend, or click the link below to view our in depth season preview interviews with each school’s first XV coach.

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Toowoomba Grammar 34-28 Gregory Terrace

A hat trick to gun Toowoomba lock George Griffiths proved the difference in his side’s 34-28 round one win over Gregory Terrace in Brisbane. 

Griffiths barged over from close range in the fourth minute to open the scoring for the visitors before winger Clancy McCosker scored a brilliant chip and chase counter attack try to help his side to a 10-0 lead after 17 minutes. 

Gregory Terrace scored from close range through flanker Charlie Cooke with their first opportunity deep in Toowoomba territory, then took an unlikely 14-12 lead to the halftime break when fullback Nick Dunstan identified space and linked with centre Henry Hill who scored next to the posts. 

Griffiths scored his second try of the match shortly after the half time break to help the visitors reagin the lead, before his No.8 Jimmy White scored in near identical circumstances from close to the line to give Toowoomba a 24-14 advantage. 

The visitors added a penalty goal, then Griffiths claimed his hat trick from long range to set up a 34-14 lead. 

With Gregory Terrace on the attack in Toowoomba territory, Griffiths scooped up a loose ball, beat two defenders then showed incredible pace to run 80 metres and score. 

Terrace hit back with two late tries and trailed by just six points with time still remaining on the clock, but Toowoomba were in control for the majority of the round one match and finished deserving winners on the opening weekend of the season. 

Churchie 22-21 Brisbane State High School

Churchie scored two tries from driving mauls in five minutes to set up a 22-21 victory over Brisbane State High in a thrilling but mistake riddled round one clash. 

The home side opened the scoring in the 8th minute when flyhalf Charlie Johnstone strolled over after the Churchie forwards pushed the State High scrum off their own ball to cause a turnover.

State High responded when flanker Joel Broderick found space running in the 15-metre channel and offloaded to winger Nick Pareti to score in the the corner. 

Churchie’s forward then battered the BSHS tryline but were unable to break through. Flyhalf Johnstone then switched to the short side and threw a nice long ball to winger Sam Nott who scored in the corning to give his side a 10-7 lead after 30 minutes. 

But BSHS took the lead to the break when prop Moses Manu dragged three defenders over the line to score from close range and give his side a 14-7 advantage. 

The visitors turned down a chance to kick a penalty goal early in the second half and extend their lead, then turned over possession and allowed Churchie to march their way down the field. 

Churchie eventually earned a penalty, kicked to the corner and scored from a driving maul to take a 17-14 lead. 

Minutes later after a fairly mild push and shove, the referee sent one player from each school to the sin bin and awarded Churchie a penalty. The home side kicked to the corner and scored again from their driving maul to claim a 22-14 lead. 

BSHS scored again through replacement winger Bailey Trew in the final minutes and converted the try from the sideline to reduce the deficit to just one point. 

The visitors continued to attack past the 70th minute, but State High’s raid was ended by a classy pilfer from Churchie flanker Joe Crothers who stole possession and sealed victory for his side.

TSS 34-26 Ipswich Grammar

TSS opened their GPS title defence with a 34-26 victory on the Gold Coast but were forced to work for their two competition points against a gritty Ipswich outfit who refused to go away. 

Ipswich opened the scoring with a try to impressive winger Brock Coombes in the 15th minute. 

TSS turned to their set piece in response. Hooker Blaze Moana threw a lovely lineout to the back then controlled his side’s maul nicely as it raced towards the Ipswich goal line. 

Moana broke away from the maul and was tackled inches from the tryline, but lock Fergus Gillan crashed over two phases later to level the scores. 

Five minutes later, Gillan’s lock partner Sebastian Smith-Power made a strong run and attracted several defenders. He then offloaded and winger Charlie Coffey showed good speed and footwork to score and give his side a 14-7 lead at the half time break. 

TSS ran in two quick tries early in the second half, the second try coming when forwards Amare Milford and Smith-Power combined in the midfield, and suddenly the home side led 28-7 after 47 minutes. 

But Ipswich refused to go away and after a yellow card to Coffey, the visitors scored two quick tries, first through Coombes, then through No.8 Lyncoln Cliffe. 

After looking down and out early in the second half, Ipswich trailed by just seven points in the 60th minute. 

TSS kicked back to back penalty goals to create some breathing space, but Coombes scored his third try of the afternoon in the final minutes to set up a 34-26 scoreline with minutes remaining. 

TSS managed to control possession in the final minutes but were forced to work for their victory against a gritty and talented Ipswich outfit. 

BBC 39-14 Brisbane Grammar

BBC scored three tries in each half to claim a 38-14 victory over Brisbane Grammar at Northgate on Saturday. 

Grammar led early following a try to scrumhalf Flynn Horton which came on the back of a strong run from flyhalf Elijah Breen. 

Breen’s opposing No.10 Oscar Shaw then responded with a clean break of his own, which led to a try from close range to hooker Cooper Hoare and a 7-all scoreline after 15 minutes. 

BBC scrumhalf James Alexander then produced a clever box kick which came within inches of earning his side a lineout from a 50/22. But Grammar kept the ball in play and BBC winger Samson Tuqiri scooped it up to score his first and what will likely be his easiest try of the 2023 season. 

BBC then capitalised on another error from Grammar and flanker Tyler Marbery and centre DC Ripley combined nicely to score against the run of play and give the visitors a 19-7 lead at the break. 

BBC extended their lead when Hoare scored his second try of the afternoon early in the second half on the back of a strong run from flanker Gray O’Neil. 

But Grammar responded with a try to hooker Kody Perry and then missed a penalty goal that would have reduced the deficit to just seven points. 

BBC got the upper hand late in the game though, scoring first when wingers Samson Tuqiri and Stan Keats combined on the same side of the field then again when Frank Howarth crossed after another strong run from Keats. 

The 38-14 victory was comfortable in the end, but neither side would be overly pleased with their round one performance.