Brisbane State High and BBC stunned Nudgee and Toowoomba over the weekend to shake up the 2023 GPS first XV premiership race on a wild weekend of action.

TSS and Churchie are now the only undefeated sides remaining after the opening month of the 9-round season, but if this weekend is anything to go by, more upsets could be on the cards in the weeks ahead.

Brisbane State High 18-17 Nudgee

After losing three consecutive tight matches against undefeated sides, Brisbane State High recorded a famous 18-17 upset victory over Nudgee to shake up the 2023 GPS premiership race. 

State High fought back from 17-3 down and scored 15 unanswered points to beat the competition favourites. 

Nudgee opened the scoring after just two minutes when winger Emmanuel Taviri dived over in the corner following a clever pass from scrumhalf Sam Watson. 

Taviri then made a clean break to get Nudgee on the front foot and several phases later No.8 Hugo Hart scored to give the visitors a 10-3 lead. 

While neither try was converted, Nudgee pushed further ahead in the 25th minute when Hart dived over for his second on the back of a strong run from winger James Duggan. 

Trailing 17-3 at half time, State High responded with a try to centre Joshua Takai minutes into the second half. 

State High reduced the deficit to just two points following a try from a maul midway through the second half, then took an 18-17 lead in the 67th minute after a penalty goal from flyhalf Tauave Leofa, which just scrapped over the crossbar. 

With top spot on the GPS ladder up for grabs, Nudgee worked their way deep into State High territory and had a penalty attempt of their own in the final minutes that would have won them to match. 

But the attempt sailed wide and State High held on for a famous victory. 

BBC 19-17 Toowoomba

BBC handed Toowoomba their first loss of the 2023 GPS season, scoring a converted try against the run of play with five minutes remaining to stun the previously undefeated side. 

Toowoomba opened the scoring when flanker Tom Bailey crossed after his side spread the ball from one sideline to the other on the back of a dominant driving maul. 

BBC hit straight back though through centre Xavier Rubens who used footwork to beat his defender, then speed to beat the Toowoomba cover defenders to score a brilliant individual try inside the first 10 minutes. 

Toowoomba flyhalf Iliesa Baravilala stepped his way to the tryline to give the visitors the lead, but BBC hit back once again when scrumhalf James Alexander kicked through a loose ball from a Toowoomba mistake to score and level the scores at half time. 

Toowoomba regained the lead with a try from a driving maul midway through the second half and looked to be cruising to victory before a five pointer against the run of play swung the match on its head. 

Toowoomba attacked from a lineout deep in BBC territory but the lineout was overthrown. BBC scrumhalf Alexander then booted the ball downfield to open space and chased down the kick to score untouched under the post and give his side an unlikely 19-17 lead. 

Toowoomba attacked deep in BBC territory again in the final minutes, but an error allowed the home side to move play out of their danger zone and close out an important victory. 

Gregory Terrace 16-0 Ipswich

Gregory Terrace produced their best defensive performance of the season to claim a 16-0 victory over Ipswich and move to 7th on the GPS first XV ladder. 

Terrace opened the scoring with a penalty goal to fullback Nick Dunstan then extended their lead on the 30 minute mark with the only try of the afternoon. 

After a strong run from No.8 Peter-James Sua, Terrace battered the Ipswich tryline. After several phases, prop Jack Butterfield showed good footwork to beat his defender and dived over to score and give Terrace a 10-0 lead at half time. 

After adding a pair of penalty goals in the 43rd and 48th minute to extend their lead to 16 points, Terrace defended their line for close to 10 minutes midway through the first half and refused to let Ipswich through. 

That defence set up a comfortable victory for Terrace, the school’s first this season. 

TSS 56-15 Brisbane Grammar

TSS scored seven second half tries to claim a convincing 56-15 win over Brisbane Grammar in a match that was extremely tight until half time. 

Grammar opened the scoring with a penalty goal and although TSS dominated possession and territory, the home side couldn’t find a way through the strong Grammar defence. 

TSS scored through winger Charlie Coffey on the stroke of half time and led 7-3 at the half time break. 

While Grammar defended brilliantly for most of the opening 35 minutes, the lack of possession took a tool and the Brisbane side ran out of puff in the second half. 

The two sides exchanges tries shortly after the half time break before the flood gates opened. 

TSS ran in five consecutive tries in just over 15 minutes to race away to a 49-8 lead. 

Lock Fergus Gillan scored twice, while Seb Smith-Power, Will Carter, Killarney Lavender and Amare Milford also crossed for five pointers. 

After an injury delay, replacement forward Jonah Rangiwai scored TSS’ eighth try of the afternoon, before Grammar scored their second on full time. 

TSS host an in form BBC outfit next weekend.