By MARK CASHMAN

We’re into the fifth 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:

Interesting reactions in the wake of our story earlier this week about plans afoot by the Sydney Rugby Union to stage the Shute Shield grand final at night at Brookvale Oval.

There are two camps in this one – those that absolutely love it and those that absolutely hate it.

SRU chairman PHIL PARSONS is bullish about doing something completely different in this unusual season and it’s hard to argue with that.

I’m not against having a crack at playing it at night but I must say I long for a Saturday afternoon grand final at North Sydney Oval catching up with friends and foes alike!

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What a great initiative by the WARRINGAH club for their juniors day on Saturday at Pittwater Rugby Park when they take on WEST HARBOUR.

The Rats cherish their junior pathways and have struck a special jersey this week that has the name of the registered juniors from all their village clubs on it.

Injured outside back HARRY JONES modelled the jersey earlier this week and they are sure to be a hot item when they are auctioned off after the Shute Shield game.

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The wins are yet to come from their Shute Shield side but WEST HARBOUR are making sure that their back office is in good order.

This week they announced the appointment of SAM WYKES as their schools and women’s development officer in a move that will have a huge effect on the game in the inner west areas of Sydney.

Wykes is back in Sydney after a playing career that has seen him play Super Rugby for the WESTERN FORCE and the SUNWOLVES as well as a number of professional clubs in Japan.

Well done to all concerned!

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Because we like to make this a one-stop shop on a Sunday here are all the results from Saturday’s round of action.

Sydney Uni 31 Southern Districts 32, Manly 3 Gordon 26, Northern Suburbs 50 Hunter Wildfires 10, Two Blues 14 Eastwood 57, Randwick 59 Penrith 3, Warringah 28 West Harbour 14.

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We spoke a few weeks back about the INVICTUS movie which was directed by CLINT EASTWOOD and starred MATT DAMON. Well I love a good rugby movie and there is one about that is worth a look.

It’s called THE NOMADS and tells the story of rugby being introduced to an inner-city Philadelphia high school by a young female teacher and their journey “amidst the chaos of massive budget cuts and school closures”.

It premiered at the 28th Philadelphia Film Festival in October, 2019, and received the Filmadelphia Audience Award for Best Feature Film, as well as the Audience Award for Best Feature Film at the 2019 Napa Valley Film Festival.

The film is inspired by the North Philly Nomads U19s and is on Amazon Prime and YouTube.

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It’s game on in the club newsletter stakes with the Manly Marlins coming to the table with their offering MARLIN FILLETS, an obvious shot across the bow of the popular RATS TALES pulled together by tantric yoga and lap swimming junkee, JON GEDDES.

Rats Tales was first in the market and fills a gap for many Warringah fans while the initial offering of Marlins Fillets told some great yarns about the late TUI MALIFA last weekend.

It’s pulled together by by former Manly Daily sports editor ADAM LUCIUS and is sure to give great insight to the up and downs in the Marlins camp in 2020.

Geddes said: “All I’ve got to say at this point is that imitation is the greatest form of flattery.”

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Former NORTHERN SUBURBS fullback SAM GILTRAP headed back to the far north coast of NSW after the birth of his first child and has been having a wow of time being close to family and old mates.

He had a real day out when he turned out for BALLINA in the local far north coast competition last weekend scoring five tries and kicking 13 conversions (that’s 52 points) in their 106-0 win over CASINO.

Elsewhere up that way BERRICK BARNES continues on his merry way for the LENNOX HEAD TROJANS laying on a few tries and kicking five conversions and a penalty goal in their 48-7 win over GRAFTON.

A bit further west JOSH MANN-REA, the former BRUMBIES hooker familiar to many at Manly, made his return to the paddock in the Harden Red Devils 44-3 win over the West Wyalong Weevils.

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Our story earlier this week on www.rugby.net.au on CHARLIE SMITH and his battle to overcome six major shoulder surgeries got huge traction.

But it also unveiled a pod of aspiring SHUTE SHIELD stars doing extras under the supervision of JUSTIN LANG at LIVE ATHLETIC in Caringbah.

As well as Smith Lang, the son of league great JOHNNY LANG, has HENRY PATERSON from Easts, MAX BUREY from Norths, MICHAEL ICELEY from Eastwood and JAKE TURNBULL from Randwick putting in the hard yards.

It’s not just pushing tin in the gym that they do, there is also a skills session on Mondays where they work their way through passing, catching, footwork and kicking.

It’s where the next wave of stars is being made.

IMAGE: KAREN WATSON