BY MARK CASHMAN

Around The Traps is hearing that there are a few “undercover cops” out there on the beat attempting to keep rival clubs in line and adhering to the letter of the law of the new points system.

One particular club is extremely quick on the draw when it comes to possible breaches.

The new system is having some effect around the many layers of Sydney Rugby Union premier grade rugby and there have been a few casualties already.

Heading into Round 6 the Eastwood and Southern Districts Colin Caird Shield sides have been stripped of points, with the Woodies contesting the matter but finally agreeing to cop it on the chin.

Gordon first and second grade colts along with Norths seconds colts have also been stripped of points for breaches of the points regime.

Some are saying that the language of the points system has a few holes in it that may lead to some “misunderstandings”

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We’ve got some good people in the Shute Shield and I’d like to throw up Warringah’s bullocking backrower Chlayton Frans as my hero of the week.

It had nothing to do with what he did on the field on Saturday, which I must say was substantial, but it was what he did in the time after the whistle had been blown for full-time.

Frans went out of his way to connect with Sam Carson, the son of former Wallabies scrum half Peter, when he could have been decompressing in the dressing sheds after the hard fought encounter against Norths.

Some years ago Sam acquired a major brain injury after a fall from a balcony and Frans at one stage provided important care.

Frans connected well with Sam who spends most of his time in a wheelchair and still loves to watch the red and blacks go around.

Yes there are lots of good people in the Shute Shield – take a bow Frans.

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Shute Shield clubs have really upped their game with their social media offerings in recent months.

The one though that really touched a nerve this week came from the Hunter Wildfires’ ‘Our Way’ series and the catch up that injured playmaker Jack Evenden had with his teammates.

Evenden suffered a serious neck injury in the game against Southern Districts at Forshaw Rugby Park last month and his recovery to normality will take some time.

The short video shows an obviously emotional Wildfires Director of Rugby Darren Coleman welcoming Evenden, in a neck brace, to their team meeting.

“Things can change quick, real quick,” Coleman told the meeting underlining the appreciation, the privilege even, of what the players at the Wildfires do.

Evenden then chimed in at Coleman’s prompting: “It’s been a funny two weeks I suppose. You see these things happen on TV and you never really think that’s it’s going to happen to you.

“The next minute I’m doing things like learning how to walk again and realising that I’m not going to be able to play footy again.

“It’s been frustrating but I’ve been buoyed by the messages that I have got from you boys. It makes a difference.

“Sometimes you might be in a bit of dark hole and a message just seems to lift the spirits.”

At one stage doctors weren’t sure what the future looked like.

The journey for Evened is far from over and a GoFundMe page has been set up to help defray costs of care and just living bits and pieces.

If you can help got to https://www.gofundme.com/f/zqj9aj-jacks-road-to-recovery

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We heard some weeks ago about Eddie Jones “blowing up deluxe” as the leagues say about the refereeing and other things when he brought a Japan Under 23 side to Australia last month.

Some extremely experienced sports administrators that I spoke to at the time said Jones’ comments that were directed at the refereeing team in the game against the Australian Under 20 side at Coffs Harbour were “far from okay”.

I thought there wouldn’t be too many ramifications from the incident but the Japanese Rugby Union have pout him in the naughty chair for six weeks.

Jones will not be allowed to take any part in two games pitting a Japan select team against Hong Kong on May 22 and 29.

He is also banned from the Japan XV game against the Maori All Blacks on June 27 in Nagoya and the full Japan side’s Nations Championship opener against Italy a week later.

Jones will be free to return to the team when Japan play Ireland in the Nations Championship on July 11 in Newcastle.

We all sometimes disagree with the way games are adjudicated – like the Reds v Chiefs game last weekend – but that sort of behaviour isn’t helpful.

I reckon the standard of refereeing in the Shute Shield this year has been pretty good with a number of young bucks making their way through the system and looking good.

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A few changes at Sydney Uni with the appointment of David Schmude getting the nod as their Executive General Manager.

Schmude has been working as the Director of Sports Diplomacy and International Partnerships at UniSport Australia.

He takes over from former Wallaby Nathan Charles who I am told is exploring opportunities in Pickleball which is becoming a real boom sport.

Uni are an important part of making the Shute Shield – and for that matter the Waratahs and the Wallabies – robust and vibrant and there are challenges ahead for him.

But the bones are there for everyone to thrive at Camperdown.

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Rugby journalistic royalty was on hand at Rat Park last Saturday for the big game between Warringah and Northern Suburbs.

Phil Wilkins, who is testing out life on the upper north shore after spending the last 23 years in Forster in blissful retirement, and Jim Webster were there to take in the action.

Both graced the pages of Rugby News back in the day and both have a keen interest in the ups and downs of the Shute Shield.

I’m not sure what grade of celebrity this makes him but Webster was asked to draw the winner of the meat raffle at halftime.

Elsewhere in the house Mike Munro, another with ink in his veins from his Daily Mirror days and then his TV days, was watching on from Stephen Doyle’s fully catered box.

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Props always make good copy and the SMH’s chat with Apolosi Ranawai this week hit the bullseye.

Speaking with Iain Payten about his relationship with former Wallabies prop Matt Dunning Ranawai said they have a daily chat about “scrummaging and food”.

Gotta love that sort of stuff!

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Always get some good feedback from Harry Burey’s Stat of the Week from the Shute Cast podcast so here we go again.

In the Eastwood v West Harbour game at TG Millner the Woodies make 90 tackles compared to the Pirates 187.

It says something about how hard Wests fought throughout the afternoon and also the input that Isaac Crowe, Dylan Nelson and Lachlan Shelley had on the contest.

Keep them coming H!