In a thrilling display of resilience and skill, QEGS 1st XV continued their impressive start to the season with a hard-fought 37-21 victory over GSAL in the National Cup yesterday afternoon. Riding high on confidence from a narrow win against St Peter’s, York over the weekend, QEGS faced a formidable opponent right from the start.

GSAL quickly opened the scoring in the early minutes, setting a challenging pace for the visitors. However, QEGS soon found their rhythm, with Fly-Half Lance Barker slotting in a penalty to kickstart their response. The team then took the lead with a well-executed try, finished by captain Jack Bailey, bringing the score to 10-7.

Just when it seemed QEGS was gaining momentum, GSAL struck back decisively, scoring two unanswered tries during a period where QEGS was reduced to just 13 players due to yellow cards for Charlie Rust and Jayden Kalambay. With the score sitting at 21-10, QEGS managed to narrow the deficit with another penalty, concluding the first half at 21-13.

The second half saw a revitalized QEGS, now back to a full squad. They unleashed a barrage of attacking play, scoring 24 unanswered points to secure their victory. Tries from Will Hunter, Sam Mackenzie, and Fin Smith, all converted by Barker, along with two additional penalties, highlighted an extraordinary second-half performance.

As the final whistle blew, the jubilant sounds of “Black and Gold” (credit: Sam Sparrow) filled the GSAL pitch, marking a fantastic team effort celebrated by players, coaches, and parents alike. With this victory, QEGS sets their sights on the next challenge: a tough away trip to Hill House School in the upcoming round. Congratulations to the team on a remarkable win!