By Henry Jacobs

New South Wales I has defeated Queensland I 22-20 to win the Australian Schools Rugby Championship at St Ignatius’ College, Riverview on Saturday.

Brad Gill’s side survived a second half Queensland comeback and a last minute penalty attempt to triumph in the final.

“Queensland had a very good tournament, they hadn’t let a try in so we knew it was going to be tough,” Gill said.

“In the first half we got the momentum and had the field position and it was a reverse of that in the second half, the boys had to dig deep to get that try at the end and hang on.”

Led by a composed halves pairing of St Ignatius’ Jack McGregor and Oakhill’s Harrison Goddard, NSW capitalised on poor discipline from Queensland to dominate the first half.

Goddard opened the scoring within the first ten minutes, off the back of a rolling maul.

Queensland replied shortly after, with a penalty by Toowoomba Grammar’s Hamish Stewart.

Goddard crossed the line again for NSW when Scots flanker Charlie Smith broke the line and gave an offload to the halfback, who scored under the posts.

Fast hands from the backs gave Newington winger Sepesa Loga-Tarogi space on the right flank and he was too quick for the covering Queensland defence, scoring in the corner to give NSW a 17-3 lead at the break.

The second half was a polar opposite to the first as Queensland came out looking to make amends.

Michael Cranks’ side scored three tries within the opening 15 minutes to lead for the first time in the match.

Southport’s Jordan Lenac combined with Ipswich Grammar’s Efitusi Ma’afu at the front of a 5m lineout for the hooker to dive over in the corner.

Brisbane State High School’s Zac Shepherd put his side in touch when he dummied and sliced through the defence from close range, Hamish Stewart converted and Queensland trailed 15-17 with 20 minutes remaining.

It took the lead shortly after when Southport winger Dylan Riley barged through multiple defenders from 30m out.

NSW finally managed to gain some field position with five minutes remaining and St Josephs fullback Tom Wright wrestled his way over in the left corner after picking the ball up from a ruck.

McGregor’s sideline conversion drifted wide and NSW lead 22-20 with three minutes on the clock.

Queensland worked hard to gain field position and was rewarded with an offside penalty 42m from the line on the right hand side, in the last play of the match.

Flyhalf Hamish Stewart was unable to seal victory as his kick drifted short and into the hands of Goddard, who put the ball into touch to give NSW the victory by the slimmest of margins.

“It was a tough game, the boys came out hard in the first ten minutes, I was lucky enough to get a few tries for myself but I think it was off the back foot of the forwards,” Goddard said.

“We built a platform in the first half and had courage at the end, the boys are pretty sore now but it was all worth it in the end.”

The Australian Schools side was named following the match and will take on Samoan Schools on Monday 28 September at Tennyson Sporting Fields in Brisbane.

New South Wales I: 22

Tries: Harrison Goddard (2), Sepesa Loga-Tarogi, Tom Wright

Conversions: Harrison Goddard 1/3, Jack McGregor 0/1

Queensland I: 20

Tries: Efitusi Ma’afu,, Zac Shepherd, Dylan Riley

Conversions: Hamish Stewart 1/3

Penalties: Hamish Stewart 1/1