By MARK CASHMAN

The 2022 Shute Shield season will kick off with a huge western Sydney derby between the Two Blues and West Harbour at Eric Tweedale Stadium on Saturday, April 2.

The Two Blues had hoped to officially open “The Eric” with their game against Eastern Suburbs earlier this year but the pandemic pulled the shutters down on the competition before that could happen.

Since then there has been major movements at Granville with the appointment of Sailosi Tagicakibau as their first grade coach, the hiring of a new general manager in Christian Burden and a major recruitment drive on and off the field.

The battle for the west is just one of a handful of intriguing encounters on the first day of the 2022 Shute Shield season.

In other big games Warringah will host Sydney Uni at Rat Park, Easts will play Norths at Woollahra and Eastwood will Randwick.

Then there’s the battle of the beaches at Forshaw between Souths and Manly as well as a first look at the Hunter Wildfires, another big recruiter in the off season, as they take on reigning premiers (from 2020) Gordon.

A finals format is yet to be settled on but Rugby News understands that an eight team finals series played out over four weeks is the favoured models at this stage.

There is one spare weekend throughout the 18 rounds – June 11 and 12 after Round 10.

The final round of the minor premiership will be played on Saturday August 6 with the grand final due to be played on Saturday September 3 if the eight team finals model is approved.

SRU PREMIERSHIP DRAW 2022

ROUND ONE
Sat 02 Apr
Eastern Suburbs v Norths
Eastwood v Randwick
Warringah v Sydney University
Souths v Manly
Wildfires v Gordon
Two Blues v West Harbour

ROUND TWO
Sat 09 Apr
Sydney University v Randwick
Eastwood v Eastern Suburbs
Warringah v Norths
Souths v Gordon
Manly v West Harbour
Two Blues v Wildfires

ROUND THREE
Sat 16 Apr
Norths v Souths
Eastern Suburbs v Two Blues
Gordon v Warringah
Randwick v Manly
Wildfires v Eastwood
West Harbour v Sydney University

ROUND FOUR
Sat 23 Apr
Sydney University v Wildfires
Norths v Eastwood
Warringah v Manly
Randwick v Eastern Suburbs
West Harbour v Souths
Two Blues v Gordon

ROUND FIVE
Sat 30 Apr
Sydney University v Two Blues
Eastwood v Warringah
Gordon v Randwick
Souths v Eastern Suburbs
Wildfires v West Harbour
Manly v Norths

ROUND SIX
Sat 07 May
Norths v Sydney University
Eastern Suburbs v Warringah
Randwick v Wildfires
West Harbour v Gordon
Manly v Eastwood
Two Blues v Souths

ROUND SEVEN
Sat 14 May
Eastern Suburbs v Sydney University
Eastwood v West Harbour
Warringah v Two Blues
Gordon v Norths
Souths v Randwick
Wildfires v Manly

ROUND EIGHT
Sat 21 May
Sydney University v Souths
Norths v West Harbour
Eastwood v Two Blues
Randwick v Warringah
Wildfires v Eastern Suburbs
Manly v Gordon

ROUND NINE
Sat 28 May
Eastern Suburbs v Manly
Warringah v Wildfires
Gordon v Sydney University
Souths v Eastwood
West Harbour v Randwick
Two Blues v Norths

ROUND 10
Sat 04 Jun
Sydney University v Eastwood
Warringah v West Harbour
Gordon v Eastern Suburbs
Randwick v Norths
Wildfires v Souths
Manly v Two Blues

SPARE WEEKEND

Sat 11 Jun

ROUND 11
Sat 18 Jun
Sydney University v Manly
Norths v Wildfires
Eastwood v Gordon
Souths v Warringah
West Harbour v Eastern Suburbs
Two Blues v Randwick

ROUND 12
Sat 25 Jun
Norths v Manly
Eastern Suburbs v Randwick
Warringah v Eastwood
Gordon v West Harbour
Souths v Two Blues
Wildfires v Sydney University

ROUND 13
Sat 02 Jul
Sydney University v Eastern Suburbs
Eastwood v Wildfires
Randwick v Gordon
West Harbour v Norths
Manly v Souths
Two Blues v Warringah

ROUND 14
Sat 09 Jul
Norths v Gordon
Eastern Suburbs v Eastwood
Warringah v Randwick
Souths v Sydney University
Wildfires v Two Blues
West Harbour v Manly

ROUND 15
Sat 16 Jul
Sydney University v Warringah
Eastwood v Norths
Gordon v Souths
Randwick v West Harbour
Manly v Wildfires
Two Blues v Eastern Suburbs

ROUND 16
Sat 23 Jul
Eastern Suburbs v Gordon
Eastwood v Sydney University
Souths v Norths
Wildfires v Randwick
West Harbour v Two Blues
Manly v Warringah

ROUND 17
Sat 30 Jul
Sydney University v West Harbour
Norths v Two Blues
Eastern Suburbs v Wildfires
Warringah v Souths
Gordon v Manly
Randwick v Eastwood

ROUND 18
Sat 06 Aug
Norths v Eastern Suburbs
Gordon v Wildfires
Randwick v Souths
West Harbour v Warringah
Manly v Sydney University
Two Blues v Eastwood

IMAGE: COURTESY OF WS TWO BLUES