But just two years ago we got caught in a snare. We travelled to Northbridge for the first iteration of this midweek GPS comp match and it’s fair to say that we were caught off guard – we suffered a classic ambush in truth, and we were left wondering how we’d let such an opportunity slip by us. We had a very strong side and a particularly magnificent backs contingent at that time. So much so that two members of that Riverview 1st XV side have just been named in the Junior Wallabies, who are headed over to the Under 20 Rugby World Cup in Italy imminently.

A massive congrats to Joe Dillon and Liam Grover who are representing their country over there in the pinnacle of Under 20 rugby. But that day at Shore, it was a quiet afternoon on unfamiliar ground, playing to near-empty stands in terms of Saint Ignatius’ supporters, while Shore’s supporters bused in, filling the opposite spaces and creating a supportive atmosphere for their long-downtrodden rugby XV. Alas, the result didn’t fall our way, and the sense of missed opportunity lingered. The one that got away. So, we learn each time we go out there...

Fast forward two years, and this time, it was a very different story. Riverview arrived first. We were set up, prepared, and focused well before a Shore opponent or support staff stepped foot on the field. While the crowd for the 2nd XV match remained relatively sparse, by the time the 1st XV kicked off at 3:15 pm, our Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview presence and spirit at least matched, if not exceeded theirs, and that was both on and off the field.

The 2nd XV held the upper hand for the early stages of their match. They had good field position with a brisk southerly blowing from Sailors Bay Road, and the slight wind chill a good harbinger of a dusting of snow incoming on the Ramshead Range near Mt. Kosciuszko, thus forcing men in shorts and docksiders to huddle in warm spaces. It was a nice afternoon to have some layers available.

The 2’s – who were running with the breeze in the first half, should have come out of the period with perhaps a larger lead than they did. We led by 14-0 at one point and looked in control. But the second half was a totally different story. Shore kicked well and played the game in our defensive third and we didn’t seem to have an answer to repel them. They came home on top of us and congrats to them for their resolute defence and good second half tactics. Despite moments of promise, we struggled to control possession, often handing back the ball to Shore at key moments in attack. Shore capitalised, and we were never quite able to wrestle back momentum, going down 19 - 28.

So, with a loss in the 2nds, the afternoon didn’t start as we anticipated.

The 1st XV encounter, however, was a true battle. The form guide said Riverview all the way after resounding wins against Kings and Scots in prior weeks, where the 1st XV have played some sparkling running rugby and lit the fuse to be very competitive in the GPS this season. It was obvious the mould had been set over in the Shore camp and coming off 3 straight losses, they were desperate to show some ticker and were not going to simply hand Riverview a win. A see-sawing affair saw Shore leading into halftime 7 – 12 and had the scores locked at 12–12 as minutes ticked by in the second half. Then came a moment of adversity. An innocuous tackle by one of key positional players, caused a red card and Riverview were reduced to 14 men for the remainder of the game. The 1st XV looked deep down into the well. And what they discovered was resilience and an effort in unison, which was breathtaking to watch. Somehow, through a mix of belief, grit, and teamwork, the boys lifted and decided that ‘today would not be Shore’s day’ despite any adversity faced. Within minutes we’d gained the upper hand and, with resolute defence and composed execution, we controlled the final 25 minutes to score some breathtaking tries down the left edge (Jack Plamondon bagged three 'meat-pies' in what must now be colloquially known as “Jack’s corner”). Gus Grover saw space out on the other side and lobbed a long ball for Archie Hartman to plunge over in the right corner. Shore had no response. Riverview literally blew them off the park. It was a memorable victory by 32 – 12, keeping Shore scoreless in the second stanza. A fantastic win away from home – on a ground that hasn’t seen many 1st XV wins for a decade or more, and one made even more impressive given the backs against the wall circumstances.

With no other GPS fixtures played across the grades, we won’t be publishing a “Top 5” this week. Instead, we want to acknowledge and celebrate the many Riverview boys who represented their district clubs at the NSW State Championships across the long weekend.

In Dubbo, the Northern Suburbs U14 team , featuring several of our Riverview boys, won the State Championship .

The North's U15s finished runners-up to Gordon in the State Championships final in Maitland, again with Riverview boys central to both campaigns.

And a special mention to our U13 boys , who battled through freezing, snowy conditions (0–4°C temperatures all weekend!) in a true test of character and resilience out at Orange in the beautiful but frozen Central West.

Congratulations to all who proudly represented their clubs and our College.

Fixtures tomorrow versus St Joseph’s College

So, after the small rest for the long weekend, we now turn our focus to an annual clash against St Joseph’s College, Hunters Hill. The day against Joeys is always a special day for country families, city-folks and old boys alike.

The one thing you need to know for this weekend is that it will no doubt be very busy on the Riverview campus. Arrange lifts, car-pool, Ubers whatever. Parking will be at a premium. But be there early and rug up as it looks to be cool with a chance of a light shower. These Riverview v Joeys matches are steeped in over 120 years of history, rivalry and mateship. It’s an amazing feeling to be involved. Lots of P&F volunteering opportunities are still available too!

Looking forward to a great day of rugby. See you on the sidelines.

Quantum Potes Tantum Aude

Mooting is a simulated court proceeding, typically focused on appellate law. Unlike a mock trial – where barristers examine witnesses to establish guilt or liability – mooting challenges participants to engage in pure legal argument. Judges adopt an interrogative role, challenging counsel to defend their interpretation of statute and precedent through rigorous questioning. Angus and I had to adapt our submissions and construct arguments on-the-spot in response to the interests of the bench.

I encourage all students with an interest in law to try out for Mock Trial in Year 10/11 and Mooting in Year 12 – they are both extremely rewarding. Analytical reasoning, rhetorical advocacy, and articulate communication skills are invaluable for all professions.

The Riverview team had the opportunity to play the CIS Plate Quarter Final at home, hosting Masada College on a cold and blustery June afternoon, and with a semi-final berth beckoning.

The team was off to an ideal start with Liam McCarthy ruffling the netting within a minute of the kickoff and defender Angus King repeating the dose 2 minutes later. Luca Bet was the next to score on his way to a brace before half time. Masada got in on the goal scoring act in the 23rd minute and Sam Ryan converted a penalty and Cooper Morton also scored before Liam McCarthy joined Luca to register a first half brace. If you’ve lost count, that was 7 goals to Riverview and 1 to Masada within the first half. The goals scoring action helped warm the cockles of the hearts of the small, enthusiastic and very welcome crowd, principally of Yr 12 students on a study period, who came down to the field to lend support to the home team.

The second half proceeded in a slightly more conventional manner, with only 4 goals being scored, all to Riverview and shared between Louis Portale who bagged two, including a well-taken penalty, and veterans Chalie Geddes and Ashton Drew.

The strong win at home helped the Squad put the disappointing 1st XI result of the previous Saturday behind them and hopefully sets up a positive attitude toward the Plate Semi-Final with The Illawarra Grammar School on Wednesday, June 11.

Another visit to Valentine Sports Park was undertaken by the Riverview team for the semi-final of the CIS Plate competition. The opponent was The Illawarra Grammar School who had earned their place in the match with a win over Rouse Hill Anglican College. The Riverview team started well, having the better of field position and combining well in attack. The first goal came 15 minutes into the match when Liam McCarthy headed the ball in at the far post. An onrushing Cooper Morton headed in a rebound off the goalkeeper 10 minutes later do consolidate the lead and take a 2-0 advantage into the half time break.

In the second half there were some close calls at either end, but Riverview continued to look like the team most likely to carry off the win. Despite this, the lack of further scoring added to the tension and the fear that the 2-0 curse would manifest itself with a resurgence from the team from the Illawarra. With 10 minutes left to play, Louis Portale took a long range shot from the left of field to beat the ‘keeper and score a third goal for the team. This secured the win and has propelled the team into the CIS Plate Final to be played at the same venue on June 25 in the last week of term.