Round three of the Dewar Shield will present an opportunity for Harlequins to extend their lead.
The third round of the Dewar Shield will be affected by the bye for the Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby. Based on published team lists, no contracted Rebel players listed in any Dewar Shield team. Teams will also be affected by the availability of the under 20 players, who played in the final against the Reds last week.
While Melbourne Unicorns enjoy the week off, the reigning champion Harlequins will visit the struggling Melbourne University on Saturday in a rematch of last year’s Grand Final.
Harlequins and Melbourne sit on top of the ladder after winning both their opening games with a bonus point. The Unicorn’s week off means that another large win for the Quins will move them to outright first on the competition ladder.
The most interesting game of round will be between Power House and the Moorabbin Rams. Both teams sit mid-table, with one win and one loss. The winner will push their credentials for the race to the finals.
Interestingly, both teams have defeated Southern Districts in the first two rounds; the Rams sank the Pirate ship in the first round, whilst Power House did the same last week. Both teams have lost to top-four teams (Melbourne and Harlequin respectively), so we can expect an even game between the two teams. Moorabbin will start the game as favourites.
Currently third, Footscray will need to blow the cobwebs away in their home game versus Endeavour Hills. The Bulldogs played only in the first round and they had two weeks off combining the easter holidays with the bye. The Eagles are a much-improved team from last season and the game is expected to be close.
Box Hill had a disappointing first game last Saturday, going down to Melbourne by three points. After a narrow lead in the first half, they weren’t able to score a single point against Melbourne in the second half of the game. They’ll look for a big win in their home game against Southern Districts.
The Round
All games will kick off at 3:10 p.m.
Footscray vs Endeavour Hills – Henry Turner South Reserve
Melbourne University v Harlequins – HG Smith Oval
Moorabbin vs Power House – Keys Road Reserve
Box Hill vs Southern Districts – RHL Sparks Reserve
The Ladder
