By MARK CASHMAN

Recent history hasn’t been kind to Eastern Suburbs in their record against Eastwood and fresh from a hoodoo breaking victory at Coogee Oval the Beasties are keen to find a way on Saturday at Woollahra Oval.

The last three times that these two combatants have gone head to head the spoils have headed back to TG Millner with the Woodies winning in Round Three and last year’s qualifying final.

Throw into that mix the qualifying final in 2019 and you realise why Easts coach Pauli Taumoepeau is measured about his expectation for the weekend.

“We just don’t have an answer for them at the moment,” Taumoepeau told Rugby News.

“But in many ways that has sharpened the tension in the playing group this week.

“There’s a lot of new guys in the group this season and in some ways it’s not fair to drag them into that conversation (Beasties v Woods) at team time.

“In many ways that’s not talking to the whole team if we go down that line.

“If you are Eastwood you can look at this match and say, ‘this is how you beat them’ but for us we’ve just got to scratch around and search for a way.”

That has been helped immeasurably by the return of three significant Waratahs to the group for this game.

Scrumhalf Jack Grant, lock Jeremy Williams and the Energiser Bunny in Charlie Gamble have all been declared available by the Tahs.

Grant will start in the No.9 Jersey while Williams will play in the row and Gamble will sslot in at No.8 where he looked so good against Southern Districts.

To accomodate that skipper Jack Digby has been moved to the side of the scrum and like all locks he probably thinks that he’s a blindside breakaway in a lock’s jersey.

The Woodies have also been blessed with returnees from Super Rugby with Tane Edmed, Mark Nawaqanitawase and Ed Craig all in the starting side for Saturday.

“Easts is going to be a big challenge on the weekend,” Batger said.

“They are one of the toughest away trips in the competition and the inclusion the Jack Grant, Charlie Gamble and Jeremy Williams will already make a very good team even more dangerous.

“So we will have to be at our best to beat them.

“Mark, Tane and Ed Craig have all settled back in really well.

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“All three played the majority of last year with us and are familiar with the players and play book so I expect them to slot back in seamlessly.”

Taumoepeau is almost a little bit too humble when he talks about the record of the Woods over the past couple of decades.

“We’re definitely not at Eastwood’s level in terms of history,” he added.

“They have consistently been a championship for much of the past 20 years – ever since Chris Hickey started coaching.

“Someone told me about a crazy stat this week that said in the past 20 years either Eastwood or Sydney Uni have played a role in the grand final in 18 out of the past 20 years.

“We’re just a blip on that radar at the moment.”

History may well be made at Woollahra Oval this weekend.

IMAGE: KAREN WATSON