Participation is central to the AIC sporting charter and few students live that like Liam McConville from St Laurence’s College.
On Thursday, McConville will captain St Laurence’s football First XI team in a clash with Marist Ashgrove in a wider schools knockout competition.
Two days later, he’ll face Ashgrove again, only this time in the rugby league uniform of St Laurence’s for the third round of the AIC season.
McConville ran the length of the field to score against St Edmund’s College last weekend as St Laurence’s posted its first win of the league season.
At the same time, Marist Ashgrove announced its arrival after a first-round bye with a win over St Patrick’s College.
The teams will meet for the first time in rugby league this season but they have already logged some memorable contests in other sports this year
The dominant Marist Ashgrove First XV rugby union team faced a serious test against St Laurence’s while McConville’s football team finished second, missing Marist Ashgrove by only one point on the First XI ladder.
St Laurence’s rugby league coach Lane Bird said his team had continued to improve in a season that began with their appearance at the 40th Confraternity Carnival in Bundaberg and players such as McConville – nicknamed “Soccer” among his league teammates – were typical of their approach.
“We ask two things of our players and they always show it – courage and effort,” Bird said.
“There are no easy matches in the AIC competition and Ashgrove are always strong but our guys will be out there giving everything they have.”
St Laurence’s have welcomed in three players who missed Confraternity Carnival because of rugby union representative duties.
They will head to St Edmund’s for Saturday’s third round hoping to continue the momentum that began with a close loss to St Patrick’s in the first round before the win over the Ipswich team last weekend.
Marist Ashgrove hosted last weekend’s second round, celebrating an historic day of rugby league on McMahon Oval as a Term sport with a 44-12 win over St Patrick’s College.
Marist Ashgrove had been impressive in finishing seventh at the recent Confraternity Carnival but entered the AIC competition with an X-factor after their bye in the opening round.
They took only four minutes to make an impact when centre Riley Brown crossed for a try before tries in the 10th and 13th minutes pushed Marist Ashgrove to a comfortable 16-0 lead.
The expected fightback from St Patrick’s, the school of current NRL players Dylan Napa and Jason Bukuya, ensued as fullback William Boland – a member of the Confraternity Carnival honorary representative team – showcased his skill with a jinking, stepping try in the 17th minute that brought the visitors back to 16-6.
St Patrick’s meets St Edmund’s on Saturday while Iona College and Villanova College will clash. Iona had a bye last weekend.
Padua College has a bye this weekend after defeating Villanova in the second round.
