2013 Colin Caird Shield Winners: Sydney University – Photo: seiserphotography.com

by Paul Cook –

Sydney University have exacted sweet revenge for a loss to Eastwood three weeks ago with a dominant Grand Final display to defeat the Woodies 41-22. That loss in the first week of the finals only served to fire the Students up and having recovered to reach the final day of the season, they didn’t hold back in proving a point despite only outscoring their opponents by four tries to three.

They struck early, flyhalf Stuart Dunbar proving too elusive and dotting down after only three minutes with Byron Hodge converting but it was the Woodies who looked most likely to cross next. Their own pivot, Jai Ayoub, utilised some front-foot ball to find space down the Uni flanks and some willing runners but they were unable to breach the Students’ cover defence.

Uni captain Benn Melrose holds aloft the Colin Caird Shield – Photo: seiserphotography.com

Twice winger Tim Williams looked to be away only for a Student to reel him in and force him into touch but their period of pressure did procure them a penalty from Ayoub to reduce the gap to 4pts. However, as is often seen at this level, restarts can prove costly and such was the case here as Eastwood knocked on from the kick-off, Uni muscled up and Hodge punished with another 3pts from the boot.

That score kick-started Uni’s dominance for the remainder of the half as they pinned the Woodies back inside their own 22 for large periods and applied the blowtorch in terms of pressure.

Hodge hit the post with a third penalty attempt before the Woodies continued to live dangerously as both Uni prop Sam Talakai and inside centre James McMahon crossed the chalk within minutes of each other but were ruled to have been held up on both occasions by referee James Leckie.

Uni’s forwards had the ascendancy in the loose and dominance at scrum time, one such example earning Hodge the chance to try for the posts again and he didn’t waste the opportunity this time. A fine lock by trade, the ‘John Eales’ of Sydney club rugby is certainly a demon kicker and he cemented a 13pt advantage for the Students at the break after Eastwood openside Kyle Shewan was sent to the bin for persistent offences.

At 16-3, Uni seemed content to grind this one out and live off their opponents’ ill discipline while stifling their attack at the other end but with the Woodies chasing the game in the second stanza, the game opened up and allowed the Students to put the hammer down.

Centre James Dargaville ran away for a second five pointer before the impressive Dunbar scooted off a ruck for a third – and his second – moments later to make it 36-3 but the sudden disparity on the scoreboard fired the Woodies into life and they decided to go down firing at the very least, which made for an exciting, end-to-end final quarter.

Flyhalf Jai Ayoub did his best to keep Eastwood in touch – Photo: seiserphotography.com

A yellow card for Uni hooker James Willan helped them on their way but when his opposite number Tannous Ferris went over, closely followed by another from winger Nathan Powyer (his 15th of the season making him the leading try scorer in 2nd grade for the year), there were a few nervous glances amongst the yellow and blue shirted throng.

However, there was still time for the fairytale finish as Nathan Trist, playing his last game for the Varsity, was the right man in the right place as usual to finish off a move in the corner, seal the title and retire on a well deserved high.

Trist’s decision to hang up the boots has been somewhat lost in the shadows of the likely retirements of Tim Davidson and Tom Carter but he finishes as the record point scorer in Uni history, having overtaken Daniel Halangahu’s tally during the season. His place in the annals of Sydney club rugby is assured.

A last minute runaway try from Eastwood lock George Kent couldn’t dampen Uni’s spirits as they chaired Trist high at the final whistle, that loss three weeks ago now long forgotten.

Sydney University 41 (Stuart Dunbar 2, James Dargaville, Nathan Trist tries; Byron Hodge 3 cons, 5 pens) Eastwood 22 (Tannous Ferris, Nathan Powyer, George Kent tries; Jai Ayoub 2 cons, pen)

*******

Post Match Quotes

Eastwood captain James Neale:

“It’s obviously very disappointing but Uni were clearly too good on the day. We got over them in the first week of the finals with basically the same side so we really had no excuses, they just turned up and it wasn’t our day. We spoke at 36-3 down about having some pride in the jersey and trying not to leak any more points and I think at the end, they only scored one more try than us so it was a case of too many penalty goals costing us really. We possibly played our Grand Final three weeks early but to our lads credit, they’ve put in all year, it was just an unfortunate way to finish.”

Sydney University head coach Scott Stumbles:

“The loss three weeks ago hurt a lot, there’s no doubt about that and motivation wise, we said that we went into this game as underdogs. They taught us a lesson a few weeks ago and I know it was something that they drew a lot off but it fired us up and you could see how our tight five in particular took plenty of pride and passion out onto the field today as a result.

“The reality is that’s the best game we’ve played all year. We’ve got a good bunch of guys led well by Benny Melrose and we knew coming into the week that they were going to be ready so it was up to them and they put on their best performance. We said beforehand that we had to build this final on defence and we were able to provide sustained pressure off the back of that and build some scoreboard pressure through a couple of penalties but going in at half-time it was 16-3 and still pretty tight. We came out for the first 20 minutes of the second half and really turned it on and that period is what won the game for us.”

On Nathan Trist:

“He’s one of the characters at Sydney Uni that we pride ourselves on because of what he does on the field and off the field. He’s a qualified doctor, he’s one of our hardest trainers despite his commitments outside of football and he’s an exceptional person, a real gentleman and a leader too. He’s played across all the grades at Sydney Uni and is someone that we all look up to and it’s pretty special for me to be involved in some way in his last game – if it his last game!”

Record Sydney University point scorer Nathan Trist dives over in his final game for the Students
Photo: seiserphotography.com

Retiring Sydney University all-time record point scorer Nathan Trist:

“It’s definitely my last game! Well, you might see me don a fourth or fifth grade jersey some time but that’s definitely the last game where I’ll be training two or three times during the week. We really peaked in our performance today as a team. Every bloke had a job to do and we spoke about that on Thursday night, what everyone’s role was and from one to fifteen, I really couldn’t fault anyone out there, we came together at the right part of the year.

“I think we really threw everything into it from minute one and when we got a yellow card in the second half it kind of caught up with us a little bit and there were a few guys starting to blow but I think the coaches probably realised we had it in the bag by then and we got the privilege of staying on to celebrate at the end of the game. It was a sneaky try but I’ll take that and it’s a good way to go out.”