Round 12 of the Shute Shield gets under way this Saturday (July 14) and for the next five rounds, the top six of Sydney University, Eastwood, Northern Suburbs, Manly, Southern Districts and Eastern Suburbs will battle it out.
Thanks to the NSWRU, Nick Halfhide and Seiser Photography for this week’s preview.
With the table split into two halves based on Club Championship points, the bottom six teams will also get plenty of competitive rugby, with two finals places to be fought out by Parramatta, Penrith, Warringah, Gordon, West Harbour and Randwick.
‘The split in the competition was introduced this season and was decided on by the clubs as a way to address a number of issues facing the Premierchip competition,’ said Bruce Worboys, Executive Officer of the NSWRU.‘One of our top priorities was to ensure that players from all clubs get the maximum number of competitive matches.‘With eight finals places available, the format gives teams that have not performed so well in the first half of the season the chance to push for a finals position, whilst giving the teams at the top end of the table a taste of what is likely to come when the finals series begins.’
This week’s ABC TV game of the day will see the reigning premiers Eastwood host Manly at T.G. Millner Field (3pm). The two clubs last met on a very wet and muddy Manly Oval, with two individual tries from Waratahs and Eastwood flanker Chris Alcock proving the difference.
With dry weather predicted, Manly will be looking avenge that defeat by unleashing fullback Jacob Woodhouse and winger Damien Reti who have some serious pace out wide.
In other round 12 matches Sydney University will face Eastern Suburbs at University Oval No.1 while Northern Suburbs will hope to continue their good run of form against visiting Southern Districts. West Harbour will host Warringah in an effort to steal eighth spot while Randwick will try to upset Gordon, with an outside chance of a finals spot on offer. Wrapping up round 12, the western Sydney rivalry continues with Parramatta hoping for a victory over neighbours Penrith to grab sixth spot.
As usual, you can catch all the Shute Shield action on ABC 1 every Saturday afternoon in NSW and the ACT. For interstate viewers, tune in at 4am on Tuesday mornings nationally on ABC 1 for the replay or alternatively you can catch up on ABC Iview.
Eastwood make two changes to the side that beat Southern Districts in round 11 with prop Marty Plokstys and lock Steve Cummins returning to the first grade side. Manly make two changes to the side that defeated Gordon in round 11 with winger Lui Siale and centre Malietoa Hingano returning to the first grade line up.
Eastwood: 1. Marty Plokstys, 2. Chris Hill, 3. Barry Fa’amausili; 4. Steve Cummins, 5. Jared Barry; 6. Gareth Palamo, 7. Miles McCaffrey, 8. Tom Alexander; 9. Mick Snowden, 10. Barney Wood; 11. Mark Frost, 12. Michael McDougall, 13. Cam Mitchell, 14. Nick Batger; 15. Ben Batger.
Manly: 1. Dane Maraki, 2. James Hilterbrand, 3. Eddie Aholelei; 4 Ryan Melrose, 5 Greg Peterson; 6. Meil Meyer, 7. Jordy Reid, 8. Tevita Metuisela[c]; 9. Chris Cottee, 10. Marshal Milroy; 11. Lui Siale, 12. Malietoa Hingano, 13. Brian Sefanaia, 14. Damien Reti; 15. Jacob Woodhouse.
SYDNEY UNIVERISTY v EASTERN SUBURBS at University Oval No.1 (3pm)
Sydney University make three changes to the side that defeated Parramatta in round 11 with Trent Dyer and Josh Ellice-Flint coming into the first grade side in the flanks while Ben Murray gets his first start at the centre position.
Eastern Suburbs make four changes to the side that lost to Northern Suburbs last week with lock Will Crutchley and fullback Harry Bennett coming back into first grade while halfback James Burroughs and centre Elijah Niko get their maiden first grade starts of the season.
Sydney University: 1.Dylan Evans, 2. James Riches, 3. Sam Talakai; 4. Tom Heslop, 5. Liam Winton; 6. Trent Dyer, 7. Josh Ellice-Flint, 8. Benn Melrose; 9. Matt Schwager[c], 10. Daniel Kelly; 11. Michael Hodge, 12. Ben Murray, 13. James McMahon, 14. Nathan Trist; 15. Angus Roberts.
Eastern Suburbs: 1. Ofa Fainga’anuku, 2. Heath Tessmann, 3. Rob McMickan; 4. Will Crutchley, 5. Pat O’Connor; 6. Richard Stanford, 7. Tom Shannon, 8. Pauliasi Taumoepeau[c]; 9. James Burroughs, 10. Angus Sinclair; 11. Scott Ferris, 12. Tom Azar, 13 Elijah Niko, 14.Apakuki Maafu; 15 Harry Bennett.
SOUTHERN DISTRICTS v NORTHERN SUBURBS at Forshaw Rugby Park (3pm)
Southern Districts have made two changes to the side that were beated by Eastwood in round 11 with Waratah Atieli Pakalani returning to first grade while Chris O’Reilly grabs his maiden first grade start of 2012 replacing Grayson Hart who this week makes his second appearance for the Waratahs.
Northern Suburbs make only the one change to the side that defeated Eastern Suburbs last week with Western Force representative Samu Wara to start in the centres after impressing off the bench last weekend.
Southern Districts: 1. Marcus Heather, 2. Andrew Sulter, 3. Joe Lynch; 4. Andrew Leota, 5 Jed Holloway; 6. Mick Kauter, 7. Jono Hayes, 8. Matt Swann; 9 Chris O’Reilly, 10. Rohan Saifolio; 11. Ben Connolly, 12. Lester Salanoa, 13. Apo Latunipulu, 14. Atieli Pakalani; 15. Brackin Karauria-Henry [c].
Northern Suburbs: 1. Cruz Ah Nau, 2.Scott Podmore, 3. Nick Lah; 4 Rory Walton, 5. Ben Matwijow; 6. Jordan Smiler, 7. Will Miller, 8. AJ Gilbert [c]; 9. Dave Hardisty, 10. Dave Harvey; 11. Corey Brown, 12. Chris Tuatara-Morrison, 13. Samu Wara, 14. Isaiah Mosese; 15. Mitch Walton.
WEST HARBOUR v WARRINGAH at Concord Oval (3pm)
West Harbour make three changes to the side that defeated Randwick in round 11 with prop James Horrocks, hooker Reg De Jager and lock Scott Stevens coming into the starting line up. Warringah make three changes to the side that defeated Penrith last round with No.8 Jack Tomkins, flanker Adrien Clements and centre Josh Smith grabbing first grade starts after strong second grade efforts in round 11.
West Harbour: 1.James Horrocks, 2.Reg De Jager, 3. Vaughan Lomax; 4. Alfed Pinomi, 5. Scott Stevens; 6. Tom Games, 7. Tom Andrews, 8. Sione Tau,; 9. Barton Jones, 10. Henry Seavula; 11. Macquire Tatola, 12. Nua Alone, 13. Tito Mua, 14. Oleni Ngungutau; 15. Shaun Treweek.
Warringah: 1. Ray Brown, 2. David Mason, 3. Wayne Borsak; 4.Ben Adams[c] 5. Vincent Wright; 6. Adrien Clements, 7. Mark Porpiglia, 8 Jack Tomkins; 9. Timothy Donlan, 10. Hamish Angus; 11. Edward Doyle 12. Josh Smith, 13 Dylan Smouha, 14. Michael Dalton; 15. Chris Arnold.
RANDWICK v GORDON at Coogee Oval (3pm)
Randwick have made five changes to the side that were defeated by West Harbour with Waratahs prop Lotu Taukeiaho returning to the first grade side, while lock Lai Vatadroka, flanker Steve Bennie, No.8 Peter Samu and centre Terrence Hepetema all enter the first grade line-up for round 12.
Gordon make only two changes to the side that lost to Manly last round with winger Lachlan Mitchell and hooker Ron Hobden returning to the first grade side.
Randwick: 1. Patto Noriega, 2. Nio Halangahu, 3. Lotu Taukeiaho; 4. Lai Vatadroka, 5. Geoff Ingram; 6. Tim McGann, 7. Steve Bennie, 8. Peter Samu; 9. Nathan Sievert, 10. Toby Browne; 11. Apaola Tea, 12. Terrence Hepetema, 13. Ethan Ford, 14. Tom Joseph; 15. Tim Wright.
Gordon: 1. Hugh Cropley, 2. Ron Hobden, 3. Tobias Gukibau[c]; 4. Roni Scarano, 5. Mark Johnson ; 6. Cameron Thorburn, 7. Mitch Greenway, 8. Sebastian Murphy; 9. Terry Preston, 10. Chris Burnett; 11. Michael Manners, 12. Tom Hill, 13. Matthew McDougall, 14. Lachlan Mitchell; 15. Tom Coupland.
PARRAMATTA v PENRITH at Merrylands RSL Rugby Park (3pm)
Parramatta make three changes to the side that lost to Sydney University last round with prop Mika Polota Nau and winger Moses Tavola returning to the first grade side while fullback Daley Harper gets a first grade start . Penrith make just one change to the side that lost to Warringah last round with lock Tyrone Emilio returning to the first grade line-up.
Parramatta: 1. Nicholas Blacklock, 2. Trent Hosher, 3. Mika Polota Nau; 4. Ryan Aniseko, 5. Adam Coleman; 6.Evan Olmstead, 7. Andrew Cox [c], 8. Maile Latukefu; 9. Kaleb Rech, 10. Tom Woods; 11. Tui Fa’asisila, 12. Damien Fakafanua, 13. Iese Leoota, 14. Moses Tavola, 15. Daley Harper.
Penrith: 1. Faitotoa Asa, 2. Kerren Straker, 3 Richard Aho[c]; 4.Dale Shane, 5. Tyrone Emelio; 6. Junior Taavili, 7 Cohen Masson, 8 Jason Peseta; 9. Solomona Silipa, 10. Fokolulu Taumalolo; 11. Tala Mapesone, 12. Fred Tuua, 13. Mark Murray, 14. Wilson Silipa; 15. Chris Aunise-Scalan.
