Well, this is something to do whilst watching the cricket:
Shute Shield Players in Europe
Saracens v Leicester - Round 10
Sydney-siders may have recognised a name on the reserves bench for Leicester last weekend: centre Terrence Hepetema, who had played for Randwick in the Shute Shield this year, got on the park for six minutes for the Tahs against the Force in June and went on tour with the NSW Barbarians to Argentina in August.
He's already started a few games for the Leicester Tigers and was in the reserves against Sarries after returning from injury. He came on not long after oranges but he should have stayed on the bench because 6. Billy Vunipola of Saracens took a run at him not long after.
Hepetema bravely went to tackle him low but got it horribly wrong and went to ground before Big Billy, who fell over because of the speed bump. He was penalised for not using arms, but he did not realise it as he was groggy and had to be assisted off the field, probably thinking he was back at Coogee Oval.
Gloucester v Worcester - Round 10
There were lots of old Shute Shield players in the next Premiership game I watched, which was notable for the delay of 30 minutes while they fixed the broken crossbar.
Gloucester had Huia Edmonds, ex-Eastern Suburbs, on the bench, and ex-Tahs, Stormers, and Brumbies, but Worcester had four from the Shute Shield in their 23.
One Worcester starter played for a few Sydney clubs: scrumhalf Jeremy Sua, who was ex-Oz Schoolboys and played at Westfield Sports High School alongside Israel Folau of the Waratahs and Steve Mafi of Leicester—and played for the Junior Waratahs as they were called then, and later for Tasman and the Crusaders, plus Samoa.
Another run-on Worcester player was LHP Ofa Fainga'anuku who represented Tonga after playing for Gordon and Eastern Suburbs in the Shute Shield; also for the Junior Tahs, then for Glasgow, before being recruited at Sixways.
On the Worcester bench was ex-Manly and Oz Sevens player, Paul Warwick, who went to Connacht then to Munster, to Stade Francais, to Worcester.
The fourth Shute Shield player appearing for Worcester was hooker Nick Seymour (Southern Districts and North Sydney) who got a few gigs for the Junior Tahs.
He should not be confused with serious traveller, flyhalf Ben Seymour, who played for Sydney Uni and Manly, trialled with the Tahs and represented the Western Force in 2012 before he was recruited by Agen for the French Top14 comp. He played for Northland in the ITM Cup this year and is currently playing for US Bressane in the Pro D2 (the French second division).
Not a bad experience so far for Ben—and he's only 23 years old.
Play rugby union and see the world.
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