By Mark Cashman

I LOVE THE COVERAGE OF the Shute Shield that Stan Sport has brought to the table and it’s about to go up a notch as we head towards the finals.

One game a week will be telecast on free to air – Channel Nine’s GEM the likely landing pad – starting from Round 16 on July 23.

They are throwing the “big dogs” at the telecast too with Sean Maloney on the microphone for the first game scheduled, the Battle of the Beaches game between Manly and Warringah at Manly Oval.

When Maloney has duties on the Test scene Andrew Swain will fly down from his luxury mansion in Brisbane to add his particular style to the telecast.

The extra coverage will continue right through to the Shute Shield grand final on Saturday September 3 at Leichhardt Oval.

The move expands the competition’s already considerable footprint and can only be good for the game.

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Coaches and Rugby players are superstitious at the best of times but I’m sure that Randwick coach Ben McCormack won’t be invited to Warringah coach Mike Ruthven’s home during the rest of the footy season.

Ruthven and McCormack are great mates from their time together at Warringah a couple of years back when they worked under Darren Coleman in the Rats premiership season.

McCormack and his partner had dinner with the Ruthvens last Friday night and then stayed over rather than head back home to the eastern suburbs with the following day’s game at Rat Park.

Footy I am told was off the menu at the dinner but a good time was had by all and McCormack came away from his weekend on the northern beaches with bragging right after the Galloping Greens’ 35-19 victory at Rat Park.

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For many years Eastwood and Sydney Uni were the first port of call for many of the old boys from St Joseph’s College at Hunters Hill, but Coogee Oval now seems to have taken over.

There were a collection of the Joeys’ alma mater (some may say mafia) in the Galloping Greens side that played last weekend.

The list starts with skipper Ben Houston, continues with Dan O’Brien and Nick Chan and includes James Hendren, Andrew Deegan as well as Dylan Dowling who has come across from Gordon for a crack.

And judging on the synergy that Randwick showed against Warringah the teaching of the skills that goes on at Hunters Hill was there for all to see.

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Sons have a tendency to hose down the achievements of their fathers and Gordon scrum half Harry Emery is not, it appears,  immune to that.

Talking to Rugby News Emery was asked if there was anything that people wouldn’t know about him or his life so far.

Quick as a flash young Harry said: “My old man played at Gordon winning a Third Grade premiership and also played a bit of cricket on the side.”

Harry’s dad is Phil a highly respected international cricketer who played one Test and the single one day international for the Australian side in Pakistan.

He was one of only three players (along with Ian Healy and Adam Gilchrist) to keep to the great Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath and also led NSW to their 42nd Sheffield Shield title. I’m sure Harry was talking very much tongue in cheek!

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Are we about to see Wallabies bad boy Tolu Latu have a bit of a cameo at the back end of the Shute Shield?

Latu has reportedly signed a one year deal at the Waratahs and as such would be available for the final four rounds of the competition and then the finals.

Wouldn’t it make sense if the Waratahs steered him to a club where he is going to get plenty of game time?

Sydney Uni was his home the last time he was playing in Australia but their propping and hooker stocks are already pretty handy.

There is also talk that Gordon may well see Harrison Goddard at the club in coming weeks as he has also been signed to the Waratahs and is in town.

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Randwick held a special reception for England coach earlier this week at the Coogee RSL with about 90 well wishers and former teammates joining ‘Beaver’ for a couple of reds and a chin wag about old times.

Stan Sport’s Morgan Turinui hosted the “ask Eddie” session and from all reports it was, as you would expect, robust.

Earlier in the day Randwick players Christian Poidevin, Max Moore and Hugo Carr trained with the England squad at Coogee Oval and all were mightily impressed.

Around the Traps hears that the line out calls and the calling variations were intricate to say the least.

Poidevin has got his clearance through from the USA where he played for the LA Giltinis and should suit up for the Greens in coming weeks.

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Great to see the Barbarians squad do so well at the recent National Schools Championships staged at Knox College in Sydney.

They managed to beat NSW 2 during the round robin part of the titles and made their way through to the final.

Many of the players are from the public school system and the juniors and from what Around The Traps is hearing played a great brand off Rugby.