The 2017 Shute Shield draw has been officially released by the Sydney Rugby Union board with all grade and colts grand finals set to be played on the same weekend as the opening round of the National Rugby Championship in late August.

The 2017 season will begin on the 1^st of April and will include a bye weekend on the 17^th of June, when the Wallabies face Scotland in a Saturday afternoon Test match at Moore Park.

Newly appointed Sydney Rugby Union president David Begg told Rugby News that the clash between the Shute Shield decider and the opening round of the NRC was unavoidable.

“It was the universal view of the clubs that we should attempt to calibrate the season back to more traditional timing,” Begg said.

“By starting on April 1 and including a bye weekend, we believe that the draw works well as a template for the future.

“The NRC, with nine teams, is more than able to work its season around this draw.”

The bye weekend was originally scheduled on the June long weekend, but the SRU board agreed to push it back a week, allowing Shute Shield players and fans to attend the Sydney Test.

Reigning premiers Northern Suburbs begin their title defence against Warringah in round one, before travelling to Camperdown to take on Sydney University in a replay of last year’s grand final in round four.

2017 Shute Shield draw

Round 1 – Saturday 1^st April

Penrith v Gordon, Warringah v Northern Suburbs, Randwick v West Harbour, Southern Districts v Manly, Sydney University v Eastern Suburbs, Parramatta v Eastwood.

Round 2 – Saturday 8^th April

Gordon v Warringah, Eastwood v Penrith, West Harbour v Northern Suburbs, Southern Districts v Randwick, Manly v Sydney University, Parramatta v Eastern Suburbs.

Round 3 – Saturday 15^th April

Gordon v West Harbour, Penrith v Warringah, Northern Suburbs v Southern Districts, Randwick v Sydney University, Manly v Parramatta, Eastern Suburbs v Eastwood.

Round 4 – Saturday 22^nd April

Southern Districts v Gordon, West Harbour v Penrith, Warringah v Eastwood, Sydney University v Northern Suburbs, Parramatta v Randwick, Eastern Suburbs v Manly.

Round 5 – Saturday 29^th April

Gordon v Sydney University, Penrith v Southern Districts, West Harbour v Warringah, Northern Suburbs v Parramatta, Randwick v Eastern Suburbs, Eastwood v Manly.

Round 6 – Saturday 6^th May

Gordon v Parramatta, Penrith v Sydney University, Warringah v Southern Districts, Eastwood v West Harbour, Northern Suburbs v Eastern Suburbs, Manly v Randwick.

Round 7 – Saturday 13^th May

Eastern Suburbs v Gordon, Parramatta v Penrith, Sydney University v Warringah, Southern Districts v West Harbour, Manly v Northern Suburbs, Randwick v Eastwood.

Round 8 – Saturday 20^th May

Gordon v Manly, Eastern Suburbs v Penrith, Warringah v Parramatta, West Harbour v Sydney University, Eastwood v Southern Districts, Northern Suburbs v Randwick.

Round 9 – Saturday 27^th May

Randwick v Gordon, Penrith v Manly, Warringah v Eastern Suburbs, Parramatta v West Harbour, Sydney University v Southern Districts, Northern Suburbs v Eastwood.

Round 10 – Saturday 3^rd June

Gordon v Northern Suburbs, Randwick v Penrith, Manly v Warringah, West Harbour v Eastern Suburbs, Southern Districts v Parramatta, Eastwood v Sydney University.

Round 11 – Saturday 10^th June

Eastwood v Gordon, Penrith v Northern Suburbs, Warringah v Randwick, Manly v West Harbour, Eastern Suburbs v Southern Districts, Sydney University v Parramatta.

BYE ROUND – Saturday 17^th June  (Wallabies v Scotland, Sydney)

Round 12 – Saturday 24^th June 

Warringah v Penrith, Southern Districts v Eastwood, Eastern Suburbs v Randwick, Northern Suburbs v Manly, Parramatta v Gordon, Sydney University v West Harbour.

Round 13 – Saturday 1^st July

Gordon v Penrith, West Harbour v Eastwood, Randwick v Warringah, Northern Suburbs v Sydney University, Manly v Eastern Suburbs, Parramatta v Southern Districts.

Round 14 – Saturday 8^th July

Eastwood v Randwick, Eastern Suburbs v Warringah, Penrith v Parramatta, Southern Districts v Northern Suburbs, Sydney University v Manly, West Harbour v Gordon.

Round 15 – Saturday 15^th July

Penrith v West Harbour, Northern Suburbs v Gordon, Eastwood v Eastern Suburbs, Manly v Southern Districts, Warringah v Sydney University, Randwick v Parramatta.

Round 16 – Saturday 22^nd July

Warringah v Manly, Gordon v Randwick, Parramatta v Northern Suburbs, Sydney University v Eastwood, Southern Districts v Penrith, Eastern Suburbs v West Harbour.

Round 17 – Saturday 29^th July

Eastern Suburbs v Parramatta, Eastwood v Northern Suburbs, West Harbour v Randwick, Southern Districts v Warringah, Manly v Penrith, Sydney University v Gordon.

Round 18 – Saturday 5^th August

Penrith v Eastwood, Northern Suburbs v Warringah, Gordon v Eastern Suburbs, Parramatta v Sydney University, Randwick v Southern Districts, West Harbour v Manly.

Finals

Qualifying Finals – 12^th & 13^th August

Semi Finals – 19^th & 20^th August

Grand Finals – 26^th August (Colts grand final – 27^th August)