By MARK CASHMAN

Well the 2021 Shute Shield season is with us 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 can confirm that highlights and mini match packages will be part of the offering that Stan Sport has for its extensive coverage of the Charter Hall Shute Shield in Sydney as well as the Hospital Challenge Cup in Brisbane.

The highlights and mini match buttons have been a welcome addition to the new home of rugby in Australia and mean you can really be across everything that moves in the competition of your choice.

Rugby Australia have been pulling together the commentary teams and camera crews to call all the matches in Sydney with one of the matches being covered by three cameras.

Eastern Suburbs v Southern Districts at Woollahra Oval is the pick on Saturday and that game will give considerable insight into how both teams are tracking in 2021.

Manly v Gordon must have been in the discussion but I am sure they will have their time in the sunshine as the season rolls on.

All up it’s going to be 480 minutes of Shute Shield rugby on our streaming screens each week with some free-to-air time locked in for a bit later in the season.

Those games will get the full treatment with some of the Stan big dog commentators like Sean Maloney, Andrew Swain and Drew Mitchell likely to spice up the coverage.

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Eastwood coach BEN BATGER is an unabashed TANE EDMED fan and says he is quietly chuffed about the way that the young No.10 is going about his business with the NSW Waratahs.

After a full season in the No.10 jersey at TG Millner and a grand final appearance to boot Edmed is growing with every training session and every minute of game time at Super Rugby level.

“We reckon he’s a bit of a blueprint on how kids should be managed on their way to being good Super Rugby players and beyond,” Batger told Rugby News.

“Playing against men from week to week in the Shute Shield is a good way to grow as a rugby player and I reckon that when the chance comes along for Tane he will be ready for it.”

So for the record the Waratahs coming back for a crack at club footy this weekend are: Joe Cotton (Southern Districts), Darcy Breen (Sydney Uni), Sio Tatola (Manly), Charlie Gamble (Eastern Suburbs), Michael Wood (Randwick), Jack Grant (Eastern Suburbs), Mitch Short (Randwick), Henry Robertson (Sydney Uni), Kristian Jensen (Randwick), Tane Edmed (Eastwood), Ben Donaldson (Randwick), Mark Nawaqanitawase (Eastwood), Harry Wilson (Eastwood)

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It’s fair enough to say that Warringah were held back last year at different times by not having a solid scrum.

A big part of their off season has been all about getting better in that area because once the finals come around if you haven’t got a solid set piece the chances of staying alive another week plummet.

So Rats coach MIKE RUTHVEN was a happy man when experienced prop SAM NEEDS walked in the door a week or so back.

Needs had linked with the Hunter Wildfires in a playing and coaching role centred around his emerging scrum coaching business but things didn’t work out with the housing market taking off in the Hunter.

Needs was going to transplant the family to Newcastle but the lure of the northern beaches couldn’t be held off, but the Wildfires particularly coach SCOTT COLEMAN are keen to go down the same track next season.

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THE JACK Scott Cup kicks off this weekend with Sydney Uni taking on the Hunter Wildfires and Eastern Suburbs hosting the improving Gordon outfit.

In the other games the Warringah Ratettes take on the Sydney Uni No.2 side while Campbelltown will play Randwick.

The Western Sydney Two Blues have the bye.

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All sorts of drama at Coogee Oval of late for the Galloping Greens with the big wet that Sydney copped over the past month or so.

A sink hole appeared on the pitch in and around drainage work while a quick fix up to the grandstand that houses the changing rooms has got very complicated.

It doesn’t look like they will be able to use the normal dressing sheds any time soon but it’s full steam aheasd for the big Anzac Day Derby against Eastern Suburbs at Coogee.

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Sydney Uni always react quickly when they don’t have a season that they reckon they should have had and that has been the case in the off season just past.

ROB TAYLOR is back from a stint at the Leicester Tiger in the UK and has his charges humming along with all sorts of learnings from the English Premiership.

The Students have been tipping the work into their senior squad with training on three days during the week and an extended session on Saturdays in the lead up to the start in the Shute Shute Shield.

They have also added one PHIL BLAKE to their first grade coaching roster along with former Wallaby and Melbourne Rebel LAURIE WEEKS.

It’s a pretty good team with MICHAEL HODGE taking over the colts program and LUKE INMAN involved in their Colin Caird Shield group.

Taylor got to know Blake when both were at Leicester and it’s good to see ‘Blakey’ back in the Shute Shield.

He coached the Marlins to a grand final not that long ago and he’s been close to taking a number of clubs in the recent past.

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Last week we reported on the untimely death of former Gordon hooker HUGH ‘FLASH’ GORDON near his home on the mid-north coast of NSW.

Gordon collapsed and died after his morning swim at Hawks Nest and his life will be celebrated at a memorial at the local surf club from 11am on Sunday April 18.

Friends, family and on-field foes will then head to the Tea Gardens hotel for a more complete debrief and celebration of what was a full life.

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I Can’t think of a better man than the great TONY ‘SLAGGY’ MILLER to have the lunch to celebrate 50 years of the Northern Beaches Derby named after him.

‘Slaggy’ of course had a foot in both camps at different stages of his life in rugby and is considered a legend of both clubs.

That contribution will be celebrated at the lunch and there will all the usual shenanigans that comes with this derby.

The lunch has been set for Friday June 4 at the Miramare Garden at Terry Hills with tables of 10 going for $2000 or $200 a ticket.

Stan Sport’s chief caller SEAN MALONEY will be the MC and ringmaster and a guest panel that will include the likes of ROD MACQUEEN, STEVE LIDBURY, DAMIEN CUMMINS and a selection of HOLMES will sledge and counter sledge.

The lunch will be staged on the day before the first Battle of the Beaches at Rat Park on June 5.

Go to iwannaticket.com.au and search the event section but get in early.

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Okay let’s finish off with a few bold predictions for the season ahead.

Sydney Uni with the edge that ROB TAYLOR gives them will go deep into the finals series this year.

Stan Sport’s coverage of the Shute Shield will bring in massive numbers.

Southern Districts and the Hunter Wildfires will be the big improvers, while the Woodies will make their second grand final in as many seasons.

And finally SRU bosses will see sense and send the grand final back to its spiritual home of North Sydney Oval.

IMAGE: ANDREW QUINN /GORDON RUGBY