AUSTRALIAN SECONDARY SCHOOLS
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Opens: Tweed Heads      4 July - 9 July 1999

MATCH REPORTS

Wednesday 30 June     Ipswich

First "Test" : Queensland Secondary Schools v NSW Combined High Schools

Queensland Secondary Schools gave themselves a nice boost for the national championships which begin at Tweed Heads on Sunday, when they scored a rousing 28-20 win over New South Wales Combined High Schools in the traditional "first test" at First Provincial Oval Ipswich on Wednesday night.

QSS:  Trent Clayton 2, Matthew Bowen 2, Brent Tate, Shane Tronc tries; Bowen 2 goals.
CHS:   N Heffernan 2, P Richards 2 tries; Richards 2 goals.
Players of match: Matthew Bowen (QSS); Trent Hemsworth (CHS).

Intermittent rain did not detract from an entertaining spectacle. The two teams will meet again next week at the nationals.

Sunday 4 July  Tweed Heads

Queensland Secondary Schools 36 def NSW Combined High Schools 0

Recording the biggest ever win by a Queensland Open schoolboys' side over New South Wales, the Maroons shocked their opposition with a 36-0 hiding, in this return encounter which opened the national championships at Cudgen near Tweed Heads on Sunday.

The score reflects the difference between the two sides, with Queensland dominant in all areas of the game. Team officials were loathe to nominate their best players, saying it was a strong performance by the whole team.

The power of the win sees the Maroons in a position of favouritism for the championship, although they must play twice more before the finals on Friday. They meet Australian Capital Territory on Tuesday and NSW Combined Catholic Colleges on Wednesday.

Tries: Blake Henzell 2, Justin Hodges 2, Trent Clayton 2, Matthew Bowen, Corey Parker.
Goals: Bowen 1/7; Hodges 1/1.  Player of Match: Justin Hodges, Metro North.

Tuesday 6 July  Tweed Heads

Queensland Secondary Schools 44 def Australian Capital Territory 6

Queensland were guaranteed a place in Friday's championship final when they scored another big win today at the expense of ACT. Regardless of the result of their match at 1.30 tomorrow (Wednesday) against New South Wales Combined Catholic Colleges, the Maroons will meet CCC again on Friday in the decider.

QSS and CCC both have beaten CHS and ACT, ensuring they will meet in the final. After scoring 80 points to 6 from their first two games, the Queenslanders are entitled to favouritism for the big one on Friday.

QSS 44 (Trent Clayton 3, Shane Tronc 2, Stephen Corbett, Matthew Bowen, Dustin Cooper tries; Justin Hodges 2, Bowen 2, Blake Henzell goals) def ACT 6. Player of match: Brent Tate.

Wednesday 7 July  Southport Tigers

NSW Combined Catholic Colleges 20 def Queensland Secondary Schools 14

A thriller seems assured for Friday's championship final at Burleigh Bears', after today's last minute win by Catholics over Queensland. The scores were tied at 14-14 when Catholics scored just before the siren. Queensland had no time to take the restart before full-time sounded.

Queensland five-eighth Aaron Payne scored a sizzler of a try in the second half when he took a great intercept and left the defence in his wake.

With the Maroons carrying no serious injuries, the final promises to be an exciting display of rugby league at its finest. Kickoff Pizzey Park is 1.30pm.

NSWCCC 20 def QSS 14 (Matthew Bowen, Blake Henzell, Aaron Payne tries; Bowen goal). QSS Player of match: Blake Henzell.

Friday 9 July  Pizzey Park

CATHOLICS DEFEAT MAROONS FOR TITLE

In a virtual repeat of Wednesday's result, New South Wales Combined Catholic Colleges today defeated Queensland Secondary Schools 18-9 to take out the Australian Secondary Schools' Rugby League Open National Championship. Catholics again proved just that bit stronger and hungrier.

NSWCCC 18 def QSS 9 (Trent Clayton try; Matthew Bowen 2 pen goals; Nathan Jordan field goal).   QSS Player of Match: Brent Tate (Clontarf Beach SHS).

nine queenslanders named in australian side
queensland open team
make another selection