Words: MARK CASHMAN

We’re into Round Seven of the Shute Shield and as always the phone has been ringing hot with all the news and views from the greatest club competition in Australia. Here’s what we are hearing:

Rugby News understands that the Participation Agreement to be part of the Shute Shield next year and beyond is out there and there are a number of bombshell requirements.

My sources tell me that a Shute Shield club will need to run four senior grade sides and three colts teams to be part of the action in 2022. They will also have to meet a number of requirements about the viability of how their club operates.

These requirements are sure to stretch the resources of a number of clubs with not all clubs fielding the four and three configuration at the moment.

I’m hearing that some clubs would like to run a 10-team competition, with two home and away rounds and a six-team finals series.

A number of clubs don’t mind the current three grade and two colts configuration as it allows some rounds to played on the one field.

It is an interesting development, so, as they say watch this space.

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The funeral and celebration of the life of Mosman Rugby Club great Mick ‘Doctor’ Kennedy will be held this Friday (May 28) at the Blessed Sacrament Church, 62 Bradley’s Head Road, Mosman from 1pm.

The service will be streamed live so keep an eye out for details on the club’s Facebook page and other communication channels. A celebration of the great man will be held at Rawson Oval afterwards.

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The guest list smacked of rugby royalty and a good time was had by all – that’s probably the best way to sum up the cracking 100th birthday celebration for our oldest Wallaby ERIC TWEEDALE at the Merrylands RSL last week.

TATAFU POLOTA-NAU, JOHN EALES, PHIL KEARNS, MICK MARTIN, PETER ‘FAB’ FENTON and GORDON BRAY all attended along with the former NSW Governor MARIE BASHIR.

Bashir of course is the wife of the late SIR NICK SHEHADIE who was one of Tweedale’s great mates in rugby and life.

More than 200 people attended with the lunch hosted by RAY HADLEY who facilitated some great story telling from a number of the guests.

One of the auction items that went for good coin was a sail on Sydney to Hobart super yacht with Martin, who is an avid sailor when he’s not running his highly successful roofing business.

Tweedale also unveiled the plaque that will be set at Eric Tweedale Stadium later this year.

News out of the afternoon was that the first game and opening of the ground is looking like being at the Two Blues final game of the season against Eastern Suburbs on Saturday August 21.

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It probably wasn’t the sort of return to action that top flight referee ANGUS GARDNER was planning.

Gardner was due to control the Northern Suburbs v Eastwood game at North Sydney Oval last Saturday but handed the game over to MATT KELLAHAN who did a pretty handy job in an exciting encounter.

Seems Gardner tweaked his calf warming up to run the line on Friday night for the Waratahs high scoring encounter against the Hurricanes at the SCG. Get well soon Gus!

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Warringah backrower RORY SUTTOR has turned in some eye-catching performances in recent weeks and will be a major player in Saturday’s big clash against Sydney Uni at Uni.

Suttor’s been robust in defence and great over the ball but Rugby News found out earlier this week that his grandfather DUDLEY SUTTOR was a handy winger for NSW and the Wallabies just before the start of World War I.

Dudley played two Tests, both against New Zealand, just before the outbreak of hostilities and like many of his Wallabies team-mates he signed up to join the war effort.

He was more fortunate than many former team-mates, getting through the war without suffering too many wounds, and returned to big-time rugby with the famous AIF team in 1919.

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This column had a chat to former Wallaby great DAVID WILSON earlier this week on the emergence of his two boys HARRY and TEDDY on the local club scene.

Harry is the fullback at Eastwood while Teddy in his first year out of school is a very handy scrumhalf doing his stuff and on the rise at Eastern Suburbs.

I asked Dad David if he had taken his boys up to Brisbane and shown them David Wilson Field, the home ground of Easts the reigning Hospital Cup champions.

“I haven’t been up to Queensland for a while with them but they obviously know about it,” Wilson told Rugby News.

“I can remember when they (Easts) rang me about it, Harry who was 12 or 13 at the time and a bit of a smarty said, ‘Dad I thought that you had to be famous to have a ground named after you’.”

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Some interesting thoughts about on the way forward for the Waratahs and the franchise’s connection to the Shute Shield.

Many feel that the Shute Shield should be a selection field for players to get picked up during the year if the contracted players aren’t dup to scratch.

The classic example this week was the elevation of James Turner to the Tahs side that travelled to Auckland to take on the Blues.

“Why not hold five or so contracts back for Shute Shield performers and that way we have a Super Rugby franchise and a bit of a representative team vibe,” our insider told me.

“I know the timing is out a little with starting of competitions but they are giving too many contracts out anyway.

“What a great motivator for all our Shute Shield players (they don’t have to wait until the next intake!!) and a great story for the Waratahs looking after their backyard grassroots.”

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Some very interesting names in northern beaches derby for the 2000s – Peter Hewat at fullback for the Marlins in one of their golden periods and Manny Edmonds calling the shots from No.10 for the Rats.

Some people have asked why Mark Gerrard didn’t get a look in but the selection criteria says that you must have played in the derby at least four times.

And from the magic of Facebook comes the revelation that Marlins No.7 TOM O’BRIEN is still having the occasional run around with the Narrabri Blue Boars and looking in tippy top shape.

And for the record of the 19 times that the derby was played from 2000 until 2009 the Rats won 10 and the Marlins nine.

MANLY (1-15): Eddie Aholelei, Josh Mann-Rae, James Lakepa, Sean Maloney, Bruce Raque, James Campbell, Tim O’Brien, Wycliff Palu, Chris Cottee, Paul Warwick, Lui Siale, John Payne, Lukę Donnan, Luke Johnson, Peter Hewat.

WARRINGAH (1-15): Dan Raymond, Greg Highfield, AJ Whalley, Cameron Treloar, Grant Jennings, Scott Fardy, Ross Duncan, Hugh Willoughby, Brett Sheehan, Manny Edmonds, Peter Owens/ed Doyle, Sam harris, Haig Sare, Pat McCabe, Shane Warman.

IMAGE: KAREN WATSON