Image: Rachel Wright

GPS head coach Sio Kite admitted his side were “lucky to get away with it” after scoring a last-minute try to snatch a dramatic 29-28 win over Sunnybank on Saturday, keeping their slim Hospital Cup finals chances alive.

Trailing for the entire match after Sunnybank’s dominant first half, which included three unanswered tries, GPS slowly clawed their way back after the break. They kept Sunnybank scoreless in the second half before substitute Troy Simkin stole the game with an 81^st-minute try. 

Speaking to Rugby News, Kite said he was feeling “relieved” after the victory.

“We were really on the ropes,” the GPS head coach said.

“Sunnybank were terrific. Honestly, they probably deserved to win – they scored some unreal tries in the first half – I’m talking try of the season contenders. It was really impressive stuff.

“We came out in the second half and we were under pressure again, but we managed to defend better. If they had scored again in the second half, it might have been curtains, but the boys showed resilience, which we have struggled with recently.

“So, I am proud of my boys for fighting their way out of it and finding a way to win.”

The win was GPS’ fourth of the season and lifted them above UQ into sixth following the weekend’s results, with Kite’s side now seven points shy of fourth-place Souths. 

Although GPS are still in the finals race, a bye next round and tough games against Easts and Wests still to come make the path a difficult proposition.

“It’s not an easy run home,” Kite admitted.

“But I think when we get our game right, we are a really difficult team to beat. We need to make sure we play our own game instead of trying to copy what other teams are doing.”

One bright spark for GPS has been the form of new recruit Quentin Raravula, who scored a brace on the weekend, with Kite lauding the impact of the hooker, who is pushing for selection for the Fijian national side.

“He’s done everything we hoped he would,” Kite said.

“He’s really steadied our set piece and powered our maul – I think the [Fijian] Drua are sniffing around him, and they should be. It would be a massive outcome for him, because it was a big reason he came to play with GPS.”

Meanwhile, for Sunnybank, their ninth loss of the season was another blow for a side which has shown glimpses of real quality in 2025 but struggled to close out matches.

“They’ve had a few like that now,” Kite said.

“They’re absolutely devastated, but [head coach] Rob Roiri is building something there – they’ve got a team, no doubt.”

Around the Grounds

Elsewhere in the competition, Wests won a seventh straight game after trouncing Souths 51-28 away, while Bond snapped a three-game losing streak to win a crucial clash over UQ, 42-19, overtaking the visitors on the ladder and rising to fifth.

“The Wests game went to script,” Kite said.

“In terms of the Bond game, I am not surprised. They are a troublesome team. We experienced it at home.”

In the weekend’s final fixture, Brothers pipped Norths 29-24, with Ben McCormack’s side now occupying first spot but on the same points as Easts, who had the bye.

Norths’ loss, meanwhile, means the Sea Eagles are in eighth, but still remarkably in the finals hunt, with only eight points separating them from Souths.

With five rounds remaining, Souths (4th), Bond (5th), GPS (6th), UQ (7th) and Norths (8th) could still realistically play in the finals. 

“It’s a really tight comp this year,” Kite said. 

“If we had the results we have had this season last year, we would be planning for Mad Monday – but we are still in with a shout.”