Graham Croker
Sydney University’s topsy-turvy start to the 2010 Shute Shield season crescendoed again on Friday night with a 29-19 win over Northern Suburbs at Sydney University No.1 Oval.
The Students only managed two tries – through Ed Jenkins and Peter Betham – but the boot of Eddie Brendanhann kept the scoreboard ticking. The young halfback landed a conversion and five penalty goals in the first night game of the season at SUFC headquarters.
The Students have now won two of the opening five games of the season. They went down 37-7 to Randwick in the opening round – losing the Sir Roden Cutler Shield in the process – before hitting back with a 47-nil win over Parramatta at Granville Park.
In the past three weeks they have lost 19-17 to Southern Districts at Sydney University No.1 Oval and 13-10 to Warringah at Pittwater Rugby Park, before returning to the winner’s circle on Friday.
The Students also won Second Grade 28-24, with Nathan Trist bagging a pair of tries, and Third Grade 22-12, but lost Fourth grade 26-17.
Sydney University’s three Colts teams remain undefeated after five rounds, with a 16-12 win over Northern Suburbs in First Grade, a 54-19 win in Seconds and a 61-8 win in Thirds.
Meanwhile, a host of SUFC players continue to perform well with Super 14 franchises, including Pat McCutcheon, who earned a starting role in NSW Waratahs 46-19 win over the Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday night.
Other SUFC members in the Warahas were captain Phil Waugh, second-rower Dean Mumm, halfback Luke Burgess, five-eighth Berrick Barnes, inside-centre Tom Carter, and bench players Dave Dennis, Jeremy Tilse and Daniel Halangahu.
Prop Jerry Yanuyanutawa was given some game time off the bench in the ACT Brumbies 31-3 win over the Highlanders, while hooker Nathan Charles and outside-centre Mitch Inman were in the starting side and flanker Ben McCalman on the bench for the Western Force in their 29-14 loss to the Cheetahs.
The club also has five players in the Australian Sevens side in captain Pat McCutcheon and Nick Phipps, Jacob Taylor, Bernard Foley and Ed Jenkins.
Scoreboard
Sydney Grade competition – Round 5
First Grade: Sydney University 29 (Ed Jenkins, Peter Betham tries; Eddie Brendanhann goal, 5 pen goals; Bernard Foley goal) d Northern Suburbs 10 (Cam Crawford try; Pete Smith goal, pen goal) at Sydney University No.1 Oval.
Second Grade: Sydney University 28 (Nathan Trist 2, Sam Roberson, James McMahon tries; Justin Bosilkovski goal, 2 pen goals) d Northern Suburbs 24 (Gordon Whitehead 2, Richie Hunt, James Price tries; Tom Lee 2 goals).
Third Grade: Sydney University 22 (John Morallato 2, Jack De Guigand, Nick Phipps, Charlie Versi tries; Nick Phipps goal) d Northern Suburbs 12 (Hugh Medway, Stephen Scholes tries; Warren Randall goal).
Fourth Grade: Northern Suburbs 26 (Chris Beresford, Alex Simkin, Xavier McCoy, Brad Collins tries; Brad Collins 3 goals) d Sydney University 17 (James Cameron, Josh Munro tries; James Metcalf goal, 2 pen goals).
Colts
First Grade: Sydney University 16 d Northern Suburbs 12.
Second Grade: Sydney University 54 (8 tries) d Northern Suburbs 19.
Third Grade: Sydney University 69 (8 tries) d Northern Suburbs 8.
