Robb College might have set up Saturday's win over Tamworth with their attack in the first half, but it was their second half defensive effort that ultimately sealed it for them.
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Captain Will Armstrong said post-match they defended most of the second half.
But they held firm to come away with a 32-nil win and spoil the Magpies' homecoming party.
"We're pretty happy with that, our defence was unreal," Armstrong said.
A key part of that was their line speed.
"Our line speed throughout the whole game just stayed up and stayed up and we didn't let them in, so we were really happy with that," he said.
Converted tries to Max Allingham and Tom Jackson, and two penalties to Will Green, the last right on half-time, gave the students a 20-nil lead at half-time.
Green scored nine minutes into the second half but from there it was all about defence, until the final minute with Sebastian Greenup crossing to secure the bonus point.
The backs scored all of their points, the students finding a lot of success getting the ball wide.
"Obviously Magpies have got bigger boys and we're pretty smaller boys.
"So [we wanted to] get it wide early and get it to our fast backs," Armstrong said.
He said Jackson was really good at outside centre as was Green at fullback.
"Especially in the windy conditions in that second half, he copped a lot of ball," he said.
Dan Lethbridge was also "outstanding" at seven.
"In defence he was there turning up every time," he said.
The win sees them head into the second round in second, with a match up their sleeve after their clash with Barbarians last week was postponed.
It was for the Magpies not the show they were hoping to put on for their first home game of the season but coach Andrew Jack saw "a lot of positives out of it".
He felt the scoreline didn't truly reflect the game, noting that in the second half they were in Robb's half for probably 60 per cent of the half but "just couldn't convert it".
"I think the boys were getting ahead of themselves. They weren't settling down to the structure we're trying to get them to do and they were overplaying it," Jack said.
"Had they slowed down a little bit and just did the basics right they would have gone through Robb."
"But that's fine because this is new and it takes a while to get changes done. But it's starting to come through."
He gave Connor Lang the three points.
"He did some outstanding tackles and worked well with the fullback in covering defence, and made some great runs," Jack said.
After getting a late call-up Tim Umbers picked up the two and Nat Ellerton the one.
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