Gordon v Sydney University
In a match full of passion, Sydney University held strong to run away with a win, defeating Gordon 49 to 10. Both sides fought hard throughout the match but it was the Students who capitalised on their opportunities, running in six tries to one.
Said Students’ lock Bryon Hodge after the game, “There’s always going to be mistakes but we’re really pleased with the way we stuck to our game plan, despite those handling errors. As a team we’re really happy with our performance.”
Gordon scrumhalf Terry Preston admitted his side too had its fair share of errors. “It’s been something we’ve been trying to work on all year, I think mainly today it was big and brutal with lots of hard tackles. We were in there for the first half (but) same as most games this year, we just couldn’t hold on.”
In the first half, both sides ran in quick tries but it was the Students who held strong, used their possession and put the pressure on the Highlanders. The Highlanders struggled as a result, making a number of mistakes and providing their opponents with three kickable penalties. Although the Students squandered a number of scoring chances, losing the ball numerous times on the Highlanders’ try line, they still managed to take a 21-10 into the break, courtesy of a two tries and three Bryson Hodge penalties and one conversion to a Tom Matthews try and five points from scrumhalf Preston.
When Gordon went a player down early in the second period, the Students wasted no time in capitalising, scoring two tries in quick succession.
Tom Kingston’s introduction with 20 minutes remaining added extra speed to the backline, and the winger soon helped set up his side’s fifth try before adding one of his own to take the final score to 49-10.
Sydney University 49 (Tom Boidon, James Dargaville, Hugo Dessins, Stuart Dunbar, Tom Kingston, Nathan Trist tries, Bryson Hodge 5 cons 3 pens) d Gordon 10 (Tom Matthews try, Terry Preston pen, con) at Chatswood Oval. Referee Graham Cooper.
