By MARK CASHMAN

The perfect season was certainly in the offing when the pandemics pulled the shutters down on the 2021 Shute Shield season for Sydney Uni.

Nine wins from nine starts, 431 points for and a frugal 142 conceded demonstrated that the Students were well on the way to one of those years after the stumbles of the season before.

They overcame numerous hurdles including a change of coach from Rob Taylor (off to the NEC Green Rockets in Japan) to Phil Blake but little changed in the way they went about their business

And with a selection of Super Rugby stars on the way back they were short odds to add to the title list.

Rugby News spoke to Blake, who will guide the rebuild of the Manly Marlins next season, about the season that almost was in 2021.