By MARK CASHMAN

We’re into the 10th round of the Shute Shield competition and 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:

Eastern Suburbs seem to have got through their clunky start to the season and have now had a rush of Super Rugby talent head their way to Woollahra Oval.

The latest recruit for head coach Pauli Taumoepeau to get his hands on is ROB LEOTA from the Melbourne Rebels. Leota has some family links already at the club and will be a veru handy addition.

That’s on top of the likes of Alex Newsome, Tom Staniforth and Lalaki Foketi returning last week from the Waratahs Super Rugby bubble.

Not sure how the points work out with all those big dogs but you’d want to have your calculator with you as you unleash the bench late on a Saturday afternoon.

After all one slip and points will be lost!

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There’s a bit happening at Rat Park on Saturday with Josh Holmes playing his 200th first grade game while Seb Wileman will run out for his 100th against the Two Blues on Saturday.

But amidst all that hoopla will be the battle for the Rob ‘Noddy’ Sawtell Cup, something that is on the line every time that Warringah and the Two Blues play.

‘Noddy’ was a stalwart of both clubs and played 124 games for the Two Blues before heading to the northern beaches and racking top another 222 games in the 1970s and 1980s.

That’s an exhausting 346 games of senior footy.

Once he hung up the boots he dabbled in coaching and helped to establish the Ratettes women’s side, the first such side attached to a senior club in Sydney.

He is fondly remembered for his love of life and a dry sense of humour and is missed by many. His daughter Jessica will be on hand to present the troops to the winning side.

The Rats have won it each year since 2015.

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Further to the Josh Holmes milestone on the weekend, his wife Sarah has revealed that he cleans his boots with a tooth brush every Friday night before a game. Whatever works I suppose!

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If you were wondering why GORDON wore a special jersey for their clash with NORTHERN SUBURBS at Chatswood Oval on Saturday well I can reveal that it was tribute to their entry to the Shute Shield back in 1936.

The blue and white were the original colours with the Highlanders moving to their tartan feel at a later date.

Emotions have always been high between the two clubs over a number of matters like the use of Chatswood Oval as a home base back in the day and some voting attitudes at SRU board level in the 1980s and 1990s.

The animosity has never been far from the surface and it bubbled over after full-time yesterday when Norths expressed their disappointment at the manner in which the BAXTER MORTLOCK CUP was eventually presented.

That’s one for the Shute Shield Book of Feuds for sure.

The results in Round 10 were: Norths 24 Gordon 13, Randwick 42 Sydney Uni 24, Warringah 58 Two Blues 15, Easts 22 Manly 5, Souths 49 Wildfires 24 and Eastwood 47 Penrith 14.

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I’ve been covering the NSW GPS season in recent weeks and it’s been interesting to see a number of familiar names popping up amidst the scorers each week.

The sons of footy playing fathers are dotted throughout the competition with the sons of David Wilson and Jason Little in The King’s School first XV.

Also at King’s is the son of former Wallaby flyhyalf Scotty Bowen, but he out at the moment with a knee injury.

At Joeys you will see a Jorgensen, Websdale, Elias and a Dalton running around which suggest that the footballing talent doesn’t fall far from the tree.

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Good to see SOUTHERN DISTRICTS make the move to lock in their head coach TODD LOUDEN for next season.

The Rebels have exposed a hell of a lot of talent to first grade this year in the middle of their injury woes but as Louden says it’s the pain before they get the gain.

“Todd’s ‘One Club’ approach and incredible focus on the program, the players and the coaches is really starting to bear fruit with some exciting initiatives being prepared for 2021,” Souths president KEN McKAY said.

While we are at Forshaw Rugby Park it’s great to see the HARRY MCLENNAN go fund me page still ticking over with GORDON players and coaches making a donation only a couple of days ago.

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The MARLIN FILLETS doesn’t mince its words when the editor ADAM LUCIUS has got something to get off his chest – and he didn’t miss the ground announcer at TG Millner Field when Manly travelled there last weekend.

The Fillets newsletter gave the TG Millner ground announcer a bit of a spray when the august organ offered: “We’re all for a bit of home ground parochialism but the peanut on the PA at TG Millner takes it to the next level.

“Ears were bleeding by full time following his incessant gibbering. At least the Chinese feed is still top shelf. Long may it reign.” Ouch!

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It’s back to Uni day this week as the Students take on Randwick in the 7TWO TV match of the round at Uni No.2 Oval and the first grade side will be donning a special heritage jersey celebrating the club’s history.

The jersey includes the classic University crest, popular white collars and the names of the 35 men who have played 100 first grade games!

It’s been a big week for the club with seven Sydney Uni aligned players named in Dave Rennie’s first Wallabies squad.

The Uni “ton up” club includes the likes of RUPERT ROSENBLUM, NICK FARR-JONES, TIM DAVIDSON, TOM CARTER, BRAD PILLINGER, MICHAEL HAWKER and BOB EGERTON.

For those interested there will be a limited amount of supporter’s jerseys to purchase at the game but I reckon you should get in quick.

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With cricket kicking in soon it’s going to be interesting to see where the early weeks of the finals will be played.

Well if you were a betting person of which I am not then I would pencil in a ride on the B1 to Narrabeen and PITTWATER RUGBY PARK.

Rat Park is in tippy top shape at the moment and is an easy ground from which to broadcast.

Uni No.2 is also on the list and Leichhardt Oval is firming and with crowd restrictions being lifted slowly there should be room for a half decent crowd.

A bit to play in the GF venue but that’s the way that things are shaping.

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It seems that TIM ANSTEE from Eastwood and the national sevens squad is getting some attention around the place for the way that he has transitioned so quickly to XVs rugby in the Shute Shield.

The sevens program are obviously keen to have him back but some of the Super Rugby franchises have expressed some interest.

He has adapted well, playing in the back row and at lock and on top of that has bagged four tries so far.

IMAGE: ANDREW QUINN / GORDON RUGBY