The Shute Shield will this weekend prove its place as the development of Australian rugby talent, with a combined total of 19 current Super Rugby players named in the four starting sides.
Finals Week 3 Previews by Nathan Roye
Preliminary Final 1 Preview: Students and Souths to battle it out in 2012 Grand Final replay
Boasting 12 professional players from three franchises, Sydney University coach Chris Malone was quick to praise states for their support in again releasing players for the Students’ game against Southern Districts this Saturday. “It’s great, not only that they have returned, but that they are allowed to return to the Shute Shield. It’s the way Australian rugby has always worked and it is why the competition has remained high in quality for many years,” he said.
After a week off, the Students will field an impressive and experienced line up, led by NSW Waratahs skipper Dave Dennis.
“Dave has been passionate to embrace the Sydney Uni culture and style of play ever since the Super Rugby competition has ended and it’s great to see him return to the club with so much energy,” enthused Malone, who expects players to be on top form after a week’s break, which also provided valuable additional preparation time for the returning provincial players. “It’s meant that we have had time to ensure the boys understand how we are going to play the game, so they can get used to playing with each other again ahead of what will be a tough game.”
But it’s not just the big names that have impressed Malone this year. “The guys who have been there all season are just as effective (as the returning guys) and they know how our style of play works. It’s them who will control it.”
In a repeat of last year’s Grand Final, their opponents this weekend are Southern Districts, who look equally dangerous thanks to the presence of four professional players from the Waratahs (it would have been five had Force winger Nic Cummins not earned Test selection), and the confidence gained from a comprehensive 57-25 win over a strong Randwick side last week. With NSW duo Rob Horne and Ben Volavola controlling a backline that also boasts the competition’s top point scorer in flyhalf Rohan Saifoloi, the Rebels will not be easy to vanquish, with many predicting an exciting and tense 80 minutes in store at Oval No. 1.
Preliminary Final 2 Preview: Big Benn returns as Eastwood take on Manly
In the second of the weekend’s preliminary finals, the competition’s minor premier Eastwood takes on Manly this Sunday, in another game that will feature plenty of Super Rugby talent. One of the big names running on for the Woods is 56-Test cap prop Benn Robinson, whose presence is set to make the Eastwood scrum one to fear going into the finals. Says Eastwood’s General Manager Rob Frost, “Manly has some big forwards and Benn is a great leader upfront for our boys. He provides that stake in the ground for us and helps the boys to find their focus.”
As his team prepares for Saturday’s showdown against Manly, Frost has praised the standard of this year’s club rugby as the best ever. “The standard of club rugby is better than it has ever been and just keeps improving. We love seeing franchises release their players to our clubs and we encourage them to continue to do so,” said Frost, who has been watching club rugby for half a century.
In Manly though, they can expect an opponent capable of lethal rugby having, as demonstrated last week when the Marlins put away Easts. Likely to feature heavily will be up-and-coming NSW halfback Matt Lucas, who will play a key role in controlling the game and organizing a powerful forward pack that boasts Melbourne Rebels trio Cadeyrn Neville, Jordy Reid and Luke Jones. In coming from behind to secure the win over Eastern Suburbs last week, they have a proven ability to bounce back and the confidence to finish. Indeed, when the two teams last met at T.G Millner, it was Manly’s late surge that secured them a 26-all draw and it looks likely that both teams can expect an equally tough encounter this weekend.
Both games will be shown live on ABCTV at 3.10pm on Saturday (Sydney University v Southern Districts) and Sunday (Eastwood v Manly), with the winners of each match progressing to the 2013 Grand Final, which will be played at Concord Oval, kicking off at 3pm next Saturday, September 14. A full fixtures list, together with weekly previews and all the results can be found at www.nswrugby.com.au.
Shute Shield Finals Week 3
Sunday – Sydney University v Southern Districts @ University Oval, 3.10pm (ABC TV)
Sydney University: 1 Jeremy Tilse, 2 Tolu Latu, 3, Paddy Ryan, 4 Tom Boidin, 5. Liam Winton, 6 Dave Dennis (c), 7 David Hickey, 8 Tim Davidson, 9 Nick Phipps, 10 Stefano Hunt, 11 Greg Jeloudev, 12 Tom Carter, 13 Tom English, 14 Lachlan Mitchell, 15 Tom Kingston
Southern Districts: 1 Duncan Chubb, 2 Steve Fualau (c), 3 Tim Metcher, 4 Andrew Leota, 5 Sitaleki Timani, 6 Lopeti Timani, 7 Jono Hayes, 8 Luke Smart, 9 Dewet Roos, 10 Rohan Saifoloi, 11 Alex Gibbon, 12 Rob Horne, 13 Paul Asquith, 14 Ben Connolly, 15 Ben Volavola
Referee: Andrew Lees
Sunday – Eastwood v Manly @ T.G Millner Field, 3.10pm (ABC TV)
Eastwood: 1 Benn Robinson, 2 Todd Pearce, 3 Marty Plokstys, 4 Jared Barry, 5 Andrew Clyne, 6 Hugh Perrett (c), 7 Hugh Roach, 8 Locky McCaffrey, 9 James Stannard, 10 Jimmy Hilgendorf, 11 Nick Batger, 12 Michael McDougall, 13 Cam Mitchell, 14 Tom Hill, 15 Ben Batger
Manly: 1 Dave Porecki, 2 Pat Leafa, 3 Jimmy Gentle, 4 Ed Gower (c), 5 Cadeyrn Neville, 6 Dylan Sigg, 7 Jordy Reid, 8 Luke Jones, 9 Matt Lucas, 10 Marshall Milroy, 11 Jacob Woodhouse, 12 Brian Sefanaia, 13 Malietoa Hingano, 14 Richard Hooper, 15 BJ Hartmann
Referee: Angus Gardner
